2003

_ANNUAL REPORT

Profile

Table of Contents
/// Profile
01. /// Message
from the President
02. /// Innovations
04. /// Structures
09. /// Soils
14. /// Financial
Information
16. /// The Freyssinet
Group Worldwide

As a subsidiary of Vinci, the worlds leader in concessions, construction and associated services, the Freyssinet group, worlds leader in specialized
civil engineering, provides services in the fields of structures, soils, new projects,
repair and maintenance. Consolidated turnover for Freyssinet in 2003 was
420 million euros and net profit was 0.6 million euros.
Freyssinet employs 2991 people and is active on five continents on
sixty sites. Because the Freyssinet group is divided into geographical zones
around the world, each project benefits from both the Groups worldwide
expertise and strong local ties.
In all its activities, the Group offers unequalled know-how resulting
from active research and development.

> BREAKDOWN OF
TURNOVER BY DIVISION*
Soils

Europe

26% of which

Key Figures

21.5%

North America

12.6%

Iberian-American

17.5%

> WORKFORCE
BY POSITION

Engineers and executives

14.6%

Anglo-saxon

4%

Structures

13%

Asia-Pacific

Technicians

18%

35.4%
Workers and employees

50%

> BREAKDOWN OF
TURNOVER BY ACTIVITY*
> WORKFORCE
BY DIVISION

Europe

664
Iberian-American

339
Anglo-saxon

Soils

37% of which

Structures,
63% of which

Reinforced Earth

25.3%

99
Structures

289
Soils

New projects

Mnard
Soltraitement

37.5%

11.7%

386
Asia-Pacific

1,214

Repair/
Maintenance

25,5 %

* Organization prior to March 22nd, 2004.

_ANNUAL REPORT _2003

01

Message
from the President

This progress is the result of everyones

hard work over the previous year
to follow a clear strategy focused on
profitability and gains. This strategy led
to the closure of centres showing
repeated losses and to the selective
choice of new projects.
Well continue along the same lines
in 2004 to achieve the goal we set for
ourselves one year ago: net profits
after taxes of 2% of turnover (operating
results of 4% of the turnover).
To succeed, we need to continue to
improve. Our growth margins are still
very large and were facing many
challenges.
In 2004, well concentrate on:
increasing our technical, managerial
and sales expertise, particularly through
recruitment and training;
preventing risks by stressing the fact
that the highest priority is safety on the
sites;

_DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER

Jrme Stubler
_FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Yann Grolimund
_HUMAN RESOURCES AND
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Claude Lascols

Again showing profits in 2003, Freyssinet

upheld its pledge, making great progress
towards recovery.
Consolidated net profits after taxes were
0.6M from a consolidated turnover
of 420 M, representing 5% growth at
constant exchange rates. Our operating
cash position increased by 23 M.

_CHAIRMAN - CEO
Bruno Dupety

_OPERATIONAL MANAGERS
France Division
Philippe Zanker

product and work quality by providing

improved service to our clients;
reducing production costs and improving
productivity;
supporting research and development
concentrating on the adaptation and
improvement of existing technologies
and the development of new products
and processes in both the structures
and soils fields.
Theres still lots to do. But, Freyssinet
has many strong points.
Our order book reached 308 M at
the beginning of the year (+18 M at
constant exchange rates): this is
promising. The economies in the
countries in which were active are
on the right track for the most part.

Iberian-American Division
Jorge Moreno
Soils Division
Philippe Hry
Structures Division
Jrme Stubler
United Kingdom/
Northern Europe Division
Patrick Nagle
North America Division
Roger Bloomfield
Asia-Pacific Division
Bruno Dupety

New organization
as of March 22nd, 2004.

Were involved in large construction

projects such as bridges or viaducts in
Millau in France, Rion Antirion in Greece,
Panama, Orinoco in Venezuela and
Cooper River in the USA.
In the soils field, were working on major
projects such as vacuum consolidation
of the Kwang Yang port terminal in
South Korea (Mnard Soltraitement) and
a few other significant Reinforced Earth
projects in the USA.
And other large projects are under
evaluation.
Well have to remain vigilant, but we know
well succeed. I have no doubts about it.
BRUNO DUPETY
Chairman - CEO

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

_FREYSSINET GROUP

02

Innovations

GENEROUS

AND ORIENTED TOWARDS THE CLIENT, THE

GROUPS

INNOVATION PROGRAM IDENTIFIES MODERN SOLUTIONS IN THE FIELDS OF SOILS

1.5%
OF TURNOVER

AND STRUCTURES.

THE GROUPS

PASSION FOR INVENTION AND PERFECTION IS

A VALUABLE HERITAGE FROM ITS FOUNDERS AND INVENTORS, EUGNE FREYSSINET,

LOUIS MNARD

AND

HENRI VIDAL .

STRUCTURES
Innovations are constantly made on our
sites, but, in particular, the year 2003
was marked by four prizes awarded to
Freyssinet products and processes.

1
1_ Bottom feed, a stone column feed
system designed by Mnard Soltraitement,
makes it possible to apply vibroreplacement
to port and offshore projects.

At the beginning of the year, Freyssinet

and the Jean Muller International Company
received the bronze medal at the Egis Group
Innovation Competition for the multitube
stay cable saddle.
This new device that uses the patented
Cohestrand strand, another innovation by
Freyssinet from the late 1990s, was first
used in 2003 for the Sungai Muar bridge
in Malaysia. It guarantees the continuity of
the stay cables across the bridge pylons,
simplifies overall bridge design and improves
general aesthetics. As part of the VINCI
Innovation Competition, Freyssinet won
an award for the Viajoint HP and for the
tendon tools pedestrian bridge
construction method. Viajoint HP was
developed by Freyssinet and Interdesco,
a company specializing in the manufacture
of floor coatings, and is a new expansion
joint designed to stand up to intense traffic
and harsh climates. This material passed
laboratory tests and is currently undergoing
large-scale testing in the Cofiroute highway
system. The second award given to VINCI
was for a low-cost method for the
construction of pedestrian bridges. It is
based on the use of two temporary tendon

tools on which two light lifting cranes

supporting the deck move. Moreover, in July,
Daniel Tardy, president of the Professional
Civil Engineering Contractors Association
for France and overseas territories, awarded
the high performance tensile system
developed by Freyssinet (cable anchors)
and Soficar and Bostik Findley (carbon fibre
cables) first prize in the FNTP (Fdration
nationale des travaux publics French
National Civil Engineering Federation) innovation competition. This system, designed
for cable structures, bridges or offshore
platforms, unites carbon fiber cables and
an innovative patented anchoring device.

SOILS
Soil mechanics is still a new scientific
discipline. Consequently, resea rch and
development in the soils field are extremely
active. The activities of both Reinforced
Earth and Mnard Soltraitement concentrate
on continuous innovation, as also illustrated
by the resources allocated to SoilTech,
a transversal unit devoted to geotechnical
research and development for the Group.
Its annual budget is 0.8 M.
In 2003, Reinforced Earth implemented an
improved concrete scale attachment system,
HA Ladder reinforcements, for the first time
in the USA. The most spectacular innovation


First used in 2002 for the Laroin pedestrian bridge (France), the high performance tensile system was awarded the first innovation prize by the FNTP (French National Civil Engineering Federation)
in July 2003.

from Mnard Soltraitement was the

development of a system allowing the
application of vibroreplacement, a soil
stabilization technique, to port and offshore
projects. The bottom feed system,
a remarkable gravel-feeding device that
is suspended from the boom of a floating
cable crane, now makes it possible
to use stone columns on the seafloor
using a vibrating head (see p. 12).

QUALITY, SAFETY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT
At every project stage and at all
company levels, the pursuit of optimal
performance is driven by the desire to
improve quality and safety and better
respect environmental requirements.
The Groups production plant specialized in
the manufacturing, sales and trade of
structural fittings and components for stay
cable anchoring and for prestressing was
granted PPC certification, thus illustrating
the focus placed on product quality. The
company has been ISO9002 certified
since 1994. In July 2003, it was granted
ISO9001/V2000 certification for all of its
activities. This will make it possible
to continue improvement of internal
procedures at all levels.

In 2003, the first shotcrete gun operator

certificates were awarded by Asquapro
(Association pour la qualit de la projection
des btons et mortiers Association for the
quality of shotcrete and spreayed mortor)
to around ten Freyssinet employees.
Clearly, the Group is taking bold steps
to optimize quality of service.
To improve safety, the risk prevention
policy implemented in 2003 will continue
and gain importance in 2004.
Concretely, this led to the contractual
safety pledge aimed at a zero accident
rate on the Millennium plant rehabilitation
site in Le Havre (France) where Freyssinet
was the general contractor. Concerning
the environment, Reinforced Earth is
recognized by project managers as an
attractive and effective solution. Reinforced
Earth projects take a variety of shapes
and forms and thus blend well in urban or
rural environments. Using natural and clean
backfill materials that can be quickly put
in place, Reinforced Earth is an attractive
technique for sustainability.

2
1_ The tendon tools technique
developed by Freyssinet is used to
build or repair at low cost suspension bridges
such as the Miret bridge in Floirac (France).
2_ Rehabilitation of the Millennium plant in
Le Havre (France), performed under strict
safety conditions, is a good illustration of
the Groups risk prevention policy.

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

With its 56 stay cables,

the Boyne bridge crossing the Boyne
river is clearly the largest cable-stayed
structure in Ireland.

Structures
63%
OF TURNOVER

REPRESENTING 63%

OF TURNOVER, CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR AND

MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES REMAINED VERY ACTIVE THIS YEAR.

CABLE-STAYED PROJECTS WERE LAUNCHED IN THE

SEVERAL

LARGE

USA. THE GROUP COMPLETED

SUCCESSFUL PRESTRESSING PROJECTS, ITS ORIGINAL FIELD OF ACTIVITY, IN

AND THE

MIDDLE EAST. IN EUROPE,

ASIA

REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE REPRESENTED

THE VAST MAJORITY OF PROJECTS, FAR AHEAD OF CONSTRUCTION.

_ANNUAL REPORT _2003

05

Freyssinet designed and supplied the 1,080 tons

of prestressing for the Corgo viaduct (Portugal):
the sketches and studies from the Iberian-American
Division technical department were validated by
the Groups technical department in Vlizy (France).
On site, the Freyssinet-Terra Armada (Portugal) team
in charge of operations received support from
Freyssinet France specialists, particularly for general
site organization.

PRESTRESSING
/// Bridges
The Groups original field of activity,
prestressing is a technique used throughout
the world. In 2003, Freyssinet performed
the prestressing on a 224 m long bridge
in Bangkok (Thailand), participated in the
construction of two 208 m long twin bridges
in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and
completed longitudinal and transversal
prestressing of a 400 m long bridge crossing
a marsh north of Durban (South Africa).
In Europe, the Group provided and installed
all the prestressing on the Corgo viaduct,
a 600 m long complex bridge structure
constructed under concession in the north
of Portugal (see image on this page).
In the south of Portugal, Freyssinet-Terra
Armada used more than 2,050 tons
prestressing for the construction of several
bridges for the A2 highway between
Lisbon and Algarve.

/// Buildings
In Australia, the largest project of the
year was the construction of the Townsville
Sugar Terminal in the state of Queensland.
Completed in collaboration with Mnard
Soltraitement for the soil consolidation
(see p. 13), this site required the Australian
subsidiary, Austress Freyssinet, to place
more than 500 tons of steel for prestressing
of the concrete components of the structure
(containment walls and 40,000 m2 of
concrete slabs).
In the heart of Abu Dhabi (United Arab
Emirates), the Group provided and installed
the prestressing for the floors of the two
highest towers in the emirate. In another
emirate, Dubai, Freyssinet Gulf prestressed
the floors for two of the most spectacular
buildings in the United Arab Emirates

EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS FOR

A COMPLEX PROJECT

recognized for their height and architecture:

the Capricorne and Al Jaber Complex
towers. Still in the Middle East, Freyssinet
France participated in two stages of the
construction of a building in Riyad
(Saudi Arabia): precasting, lifting and
placement of twelve 60 m long prestressed
beams on a Tetron bearing and delivery
and installation of 250 tons of naked strands
and 55 tons of greased sheathed strands
for the construction of two 600 m2 slabs.
1

In Cape Town, the Groups South African

subsidiary, Freyssinet Posten, participated
in the reconstruction of the Nedcor Foreshore
bank headquarters by providing and
installing the 3,120 prestressing anchors
and the 30 tons of strands for the floor slabs.
In France, Freyssinet France performed
the prestressing (8 tons) of sinusoidal
beams and load transfer beams making
up the frame for the roof of the new
Neuilly-sur-Seine aquatic complex.
2

/// Industries
This past year was notably the witness
of the beginning of construction
of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant
in Tamil Nadu state in India: Freyssinet
was chosen to perform prestressing
involving the installation of 2,700 tons
of greased sheathed strands placed
in cement grouted ducts. In the United
Kingdom, for a program to modernize
the Plymouth shipyards (Devonport Royal
Dockyard), Freyssinets subcontract for
installation of prestressing bars in the
berth of the underwater dry dock complex
was also extended.

3
1_ Corgo viaduct (Portugal).
2_ The sinusoidal beams used in
the Neuilly-sur-Seine aquatic complex
(France) were prestressed by Freyssinet.
3_ Austress Freyssinet, the Australian
subsidiary, prestressed the floor of the new
Sugar Terminal in Townsville.

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

_FREYSSINET GROUP

06

1,400

SEGMENTS WILL BE PLACED

FOR THE SUNGAI PRAI BRIDGE

CABLE STRUCTURES
/// Stay cables
Over the past year, several large stay cable
projects were launched throughout the
world. In Asia, in the south of the Malaysian
peninsula, the Group installed the 28 stay
cables for the Sungai Muar bridge, the first
structure in the world using multitube stay
cable saddles developed in collaboration
with Jean Muller International (see p. 7).
1

In Missouri (USA), Freyssinet participated

in the construction of a cable-stayed bridge
over the Mississippi near the town of Cape
Girardeau. This classically-designed bridge
is 636 m long with a 350 m central span
and is supported by 128 stay cables.

3
1_ Composed entirely of wood, the
suspended footbridge constructed by Freyssinet
in Coupvray (France) connects the city center
with the residential zone.
2_ Jos Alvalade XXI stadium in Lisbon
is unique by its 25,670 m2 cover suspended by
16 stay cables provided and installed by
Freyssinet.
3_ On the Millau viaduct in France,
Freyssinet installed stay cables on the
cantilevered deck in order to spread
out catenary variations during launching.

Several structures were built in Europe.

In Ireland, Freyssinet Ltd took part in the
construction of the Boyne bridge, the largest
bridge and the first cable-stayed bridge
in the country. In northwest Poland,
the subsidiary Freyssinet Polska installed
the 104 stay cables supporting the deck
of the 180 m long Wolin arch bridge.
In the Corinth gulf in Greece, the company
participated in construction of the RionAntirion bridge. For this 2,252 m structure
built in a highly earthquake-prone region,
Freyssinet used the state-of-the-art in stay
cable anchors and PSD earthquake
protection systems to limit excessive
bending of the strands during seisms. In
France, the stay cable work on the Millau
viaduct began
in the beginning of the summer 2003.
Freyssinet installed launching stay cables
to support the cantilevered deck during
launching. Lastly, in Portugal, the country
hosting the 2004 European Nations Soccer
Championship, Freyssinet-Terra Armada
provided and installed the 16 stay cables
supporting the roof of Jos Alvalade XXI
stadium, home of the Lisbon Sporting Club.

/// Suspension
Two important suspension bridge projects
marked the year in France: the footbridges
in Coupvray (Seine-et-Marne) and Loisy
(Meurthe-et-Moselle). Freyssinet was the
general contractor for both.
The first, 34 m long and composed entirely
of wood, was built in a little over two
months without interruption of river traffic.
Spanning the Moselle, the second is
composed of two 24 m high inversed V
pylons. Lateral cables were installed to
ensure transversal stability of this structure
that has a span reaching 180 m.

CONSTRUCTION METHODS
In Malaysia, the Group began placement
of the deck of the Sungai Prai bridge,
a 2,700 m structure located in Butterworth
in the northwest of the country. Over 1,400
segments will be installed, span by span,
using an installation truss.
In Australia, industrialized prestressed
overpasses were installed for the new Sorell
causeway on the Tasman Highway. Until
now, this technique had only been used in
France. Supported by the Groups expertise,
the Australian subsidiary provided technical
assistance to the consultant firm during both
the design and implementation phases.
In Mexico, Freyssinet de Mexico performed
the launching of the deck for a new
1,028 m long bridge spanning the
Netzahualcyotl dam in the heart of
Chiapas. Pushed by four 900 ton powered
hydraulic jacks, the metal deck was
equipped with a temporary
cable-stayed mast and a front steel nose
to ease docking to the piers.

A modern bridge in
Malaysia
> Though not the longest or
highest, the Muar bridge in
Malaysia is still one of the
most modern bridges ever
constructed. Its stay cable
system, designed, delivered
and installed by Freyssinet,
uses deviation saddles and
Cohestrand and its cables are
coated with yellow PEHD
specially formulated to be
resistant to photooxidation.

In Poland, the Freyssinet Polska subsidiary

was in great demand for prestressing
work (600 tons of steel) and for the
launching of the viaduct of the west
boulevard in the city of Wroclaw. Composed
of two parallel curved decks of 610 and
624 m, each equipped with front steel
noses, the structure was built in successive
33.5 m spans without perturbing traffic
on the railway and road it crosses.
1

STRENGTHENING
AND REPAIR
Aside from one concrete decontamination
project using cathodic protection performed
by Freyssinet in association with its
subsidiary CCSL (Corrosion Control Services Ltd)
for a container terminal in Hong Kong,
repair work was mainly concentrated in
Europe. Several projects were performed
over the year.

shotcreting, was used to strengthen the

structure of the Saint-Gobain-Desjonqures
plant that had been damaged by fire.
In the same region, the Group took part
in the rehabilitation of the settling basins
at the Millennium plant in Le Havre.
Their external structure was strengthened
by applying 350 m2 of TFC (carbon fiber
fabrics), a process developed by Freyssinet
in the 1990s. The same method was
applied in collaboration with Sogea
Construction to strengthen the slabs of the
Gambetta parking structure in Montpellier.
Fixed using frames, the slabs will be
strengthened with TFC applied to 3,800 m2.
And, across the Channel, a mixed solution
using prestressing bars and carbon fibers
was used to repair and strengthen the vault
of the lecture hall in Rosemary Murray
library in Cambridge.

2
1_ The Group provided the methods for
construction of the Sorell causeway bridge
(Australia).

2_ Freyssinet teams used 1,200 tons

of shotcrete in Seine-Maritime (France)
to rehabilitate a plant damaged by fire.

In France, Freyssinet France was chosen

to repair the Miret suspension bridge in
Floirac (Lot), a 140 m long structure
constructed in 1912. The suspension,
hangers and deck were replaced using
the tendon tools technique (see p. 2).
In Le Trport (Seine-Maritime), another
repair technique mastered by Freyssinet,

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

_FREYSSINET GROUP

08

22

SPANS TREATED
SEPARATELY ON THE ZERI VIADUCT IN ITALY
USING A NEW LIFTING SYSTEM

DEMOLITION, RECONSTRUCTION,
STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION
Without a doubt, the largest structural
modification project completed by
Freyssinet in 2003 (in collaboration with
Dodin) was the widening of 3.2 m of
each deck of the Bellevue bridge on the
Nantes ring road in France. This project
involved the installation of 300 ton concrete
slabs on the old deck. In addition, the
endeavor was quite spectacular because it
included the installation and moving as
work progressed of a 90 m long temporary
overpass designed to keep traffic flowing
on this important roadway.

STRUCTURAL FITTING
REPLACEMENT

In the USA, Freyssinet LLC, a North American

subsidiary of the Group, performed several
repair projects including the replacement
of 24 bearings on a bridge in Rockville,
Maryland. For this project, the company used
Cipec WR50 expansion joints for the first
time in the country.
In Portugal, the LAO system (computer-aided
lifting) was used by Freyssinet-Terra Armada
during complete renovation of the Serpa
bridge. The 400 m long structure was
strengthen with additional prestressing
and was equipped with new Tetron bearings
and expansion joints.

3
1_ Widening of the Bellevue bridge in
Nantes (France) required installation of a 90 m
long overpass to avoid interruption of traffic.
2_ Freyssinet performed the lifting
of mobile formwork travellers for the
new cable-stayed bridge under construction
on the Panama canal.
3_ At the end of the year, Freyssinet
performed the first lifting operations
of the roof of the new casino in Campione,
the small Italian enclave in Switzerland.

In Italy, Freyssinet successfully completed

renovation work on the Zeri motorway
viaduct between Parma and La Spezia.
A new top-access lifting system was
designed to replace the Neoprene bearings
and install an earthquake protection system.
Using this system, each of the 22 spans was
treated separately and the pier heads were
strengthened with additional prestressing.
In Great Britain, Freyssinet Ltd and its
subsidiary CCSL (Corrosion Control Services
Ltd) completed the strengthening of the
Blake bridge crossing the Parrot river in
Somerset County. Here, the bearings and
expansion joints were also replaced. The
British subsidiary was also chosen to design,
provide and install new bearings on the
Thelwall viaduct in northwest England.

LIFTING
In October and November, Freyssinet
performed the first lifting operations of
the roof of a new casino in the small Italian
enclave of Campione in Switzerland.
Assembled on the ground, this 1,100 ton
metal structure was lifted twice by 9 m
using the latest in strand lift jack system
controlled by a new guiding system. After
the last lifting in 2004, the structure will
rise to thirty meters above the ground.
In Panama, the Freyssinet Group is
taking part in the construction of the
second bridge over the canal. At the end
of the previous year, Freyssinet completed
heavy lifting over heights totalling 80 m
of mobile formwork travellers and installed
the formworks on piers.

In the capital of Abu Dhabi,

a large 980,000 m2 platform
was treated by Mnard Soltraitement
using dynamic compaction.

Soils
37%
OF SALES
VOLUME

CONTINUING

THE SAME TREND FROM

SOIL TREATMENT ACTIVITIES REPRESENTED

2002,

SOIL REINFORCEMENT AND

37% OF SALES VOLUME IN 2003.

FOR ONE MISSION CHARACTERIZED BY ITS MATURITY AND ANOTHER BY THE NECESSITY
FOR SPECIFIC TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS, TWO PROJECTS

JAMESTOWN

(USA)

BRIDGE USING

CONSOLIDATION IN

TECHSPAN

DUNKIRK (FRANCE) -

ARCHES

REHABILITATION OF THE
AND OFFSHORE

ILLUSTRATE WELL THE DEVELOPMENT

POTENTIAL FOR NEW APPLICATIONS OF EXISTING OR INNOVATIVE PROCESSES IN

FRANCE.

_FREYSSINET GROUP

10

1,000,000 m

OF REINFORCED EARTH WALLS

ERECTED IN 2003

GROUND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforced Earth retaining walls are
constructed all over the world by Group
subsidiaries or licenced networks and
are becoming more popular with project
managers: they are easy to install,
boast a variety of surfaces (TerraClass,
TerraTrel, TerraPlus, etc.), can be adapted
for all environments and are an
attractive solution for sustainability.
1

RETAINING WALLS

2
3
1_ In Boulogne-sur-Mer, prefabricated
surface facings covered with architectural
designs were used to build Reinforced Earth
structures.
2_ As part of a vast rehabilitation
program, 38,480 m2 of Reinforced Earth
walls will be installed on the Chicago
Skyway.
3_ In the United Arab Emirates,
Reinforced Earth provided 17,000 m2 of
TerraBlock for a roadway intersection.

After completing its first Reinforced Earth

project in Laos for the Sepon gold mine
located in the heart of the jungle, the
Australian Reinforced Earth subsidiary won
the new contract for a copper mine. This
subsidiary is also present in Malaysia and
participated in the construction of a 9 m
high, 3,360 m2 TerraClass wall used as a
quay in the Kedah province. Freyssinet
Korea also used TerraClass facings in the
north of South Korea to build 13,600 m2 of
retaining walls for the Mungok-Mureung
roadway. In Africa, South African Reinforced
Earth subsidiary also used the same facings
for an open-air diamond mine in Namibia.
The South African subsidiary performed the
studies and then provided the synthetic
Freyssisol reinforcements and the crusher
blockheads for a total of 1,132 m2 of
surface. In Asia, on the Layari roadway near
Karachi (Pakistan), the United Arab Emirates
subsidiary, Freyssinet Gulf, began work on a
large project it won in 2002 for 291,000 m2
of retaining walls also equipped with
Freyssisol reinforcements. For its part,
Reinforced Earth participated in two projects
on the North American continent. The first,
in British Columbia, involved the installation
of 3,110 m2 of TerraClass facings for load
bearing abutments and access ramps

for the new bridge over the Puntledge.

The second project, part of rehabilitation
of a 12.5 km section of the Chicago
Skyway tollway, involves the construction
of 11,000 m2 of Reinforced Earth walls
by 2005.
In Lower California (Mexico), the Tierra
Armada subsidiary installed a particularly
well-designed facing system using 10,000 m2
of new square TerraPlus architectural
panels for the platform retaining walls
at a luxury hotel complex.
In Abu Dhabi, Freyssinet Middle East
employed a different facing system
composed of empty prefabricated concrete
blocks designed to contain flowers and
plants (TerraBlock) for 1,700 m2 to create an
aesthetically pleasing structure on the lower
section of an access ramp. In Den Bosch
(Holland), the combination of two surface
facings was selected for the construction of
a luxury residential complex over an old
soccer field. Because the lower section of
the retaining walls is underground, the
surface solutions chosen combines 500 m2
of TerraClass scales for the lower section
with mesh TerraTrel walls filled with natural
stones for the upper section.
This year in France, a Reinforced Earth
project for almost 9,000 m2 began on the
A75 highway. A contract was signed for
materials and technical assistance for the
installation of 33,000 m2 of retaining walls
on the highway section of the A51 between
Grenoble and Sisteron. Finally, two large
projects, one in the south and the other
in the north, were completed this past year.
For the first, launched in 2002, Terre Arme
SNC provided technical assistance for
installation of a 4,000 m2 TerraTrel wall

Cooperation yields
success
> The collaboration between
Reinforced Earth in the USA and
its Canadian counterpart that has
vast experience in the construction of wide arches resulted
in installation of the longest
arches ever used in the USA
(19 m) as part of reconstruction
of the Jamestown bridge. This
technical success greatly reduced
costs and operating time for the
project manager.

at the new Spaak intersection in

Montpellier. In the second project in
Boulogne-sur-Mer, the company was
appointed by the Departmental Equipment
Service of Pas-de-Calais to study and
provide 3,800 m2 of surface for a structure
over a railway. The walls are a maximum
of 8 m high and present architechtural
surfaces with fish designs in reference to
the activities of the largest French fishing
port. In Italy, Freyssinet-Terra Armata Srl
designed a combination of surface
systems to build an anti-noise blank wall
on the Milan beltway. Completed in
October, this 5,200 m2 structure has two
sides: one using TerraTrel and the other,
the anti-noise component, covered
with TerraClass facings.

FOUNDATIONS

2
1_ In the heart of Sydney, in Australia,
Austress Freyssinet completed a foundation
project using Freyssimix jet-grouting.

In Australia, the Freyssimix foundation

column construction system using
jet-grouting was implemented successfully
to provide the foundation for a complex
of luxury buildings on Darling Island
in the heart of the Sydney port.

The Groups Australian subsidiary, Austress

Freyssinet, that completed this project
has great expertise using this technique.
The solution saved 18 days on the planned
operational schedule.

ARCHES
The applications of prefabricated TechSpan
arches, designed and traditionally used
for underground structures (road or
railway), were extended in 2003 to bridge
strengthening and repair. TechSpan arches
(18 m opening, 5.5 m high and 10 m long)
and TerraClass facings (for blockheads)
were used to rapidly reconstruct at low
cost the small Clemmer bridge at the
entrance of Perth East in Ontario (Canada).
Halfway through the year, the same
method was employed to replace the
old Jamestown bridge in New York state
(see photo above).
Upon completion of this project, Reinforced
Earth (USA) won two new contracts
for the construction of TechSpan arches in
Austin, Texas.

2_ The use of TechSpan arches proposed

by Reinforced Earth Canada made it possible
to rapidly reconstruct the Clemmer bridge in
Perth East.

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

Dunkirk: living
innovation
> The underwater soil consolidation method proposed by
Mnard Soltraitement and chosen by the Autonomous Port of
Dunkirk (France) is an adaptation of a land-based process:
vibroreplacement. Using the
bottom feed, a device tested
at the beginning of the year in
San Diego (USA), 1,225 offshore
stone columns were created.

SOIL TREATMENT

Based on a science that is still new, soil

mechanics, activities in this field employ
processes developed over the last 35 years
that first were able to treat sandy soils
(dynamic compaction), followed by clay
soils (ballasted blocks) and increasingly
heterogeneous land (Mnard Vacuum,
Controlled Modulus Columns,
vibroreplacement) and now can be used
for the consolidation of underwater soil.

SOIL TREATMENT
WITHOUT INCORPORATION
OF MATERIALS

2
1_ In Kwang Yang (South Korea),
Mnard Soltraitement began atmospheric
consolidation of the soil prior to construction
of a new port terminal.
2_ On the Abu Dhabi ledge, the zones
to be treated by dynamic compaction were
handled by four units working with 25 or 15
ton masses.

In Australia, construction of the Townsville

Sugar Terminal, completed in collaboration
with the Australian subsidiary, Austress
Freyssinet, illustrates the advantages of
both Mnard Soltraitement processes and
integrated soils and structures solutions.
Instead of applying the original soil
improvement method chosen (backfill and
preloading), the consultant Engineer
decided to apply active Mnard Soltraitement techniques (dynamic compaction and
ballasted blocks). These different solutions
can be applied to three types of land identified using a pressuremeter and made

it possible to effectively consolidate the

soil beds and ensure carrying capacity and
uniform settlement throughout the structure. These techniques also helped shorten
the operational schedule by six weeks,
thus reducing costs for the project manager.
In the Middle East, Mnard Soltraitement
teams took part in vast redevelopment
projects launched by the sovereign of
Abu Dhabi to beautify the capital of the
emirate. Before construction could begin,
the enormous 980,000 m2 platform created
in front of the gulf by hydraulic backfill
needed to be consolidated. This project was
granted to Mnard Soltraitement who used
dynamic compaction for the job and mobilized four units operating in 6 m grids with
25 or 15 ton masses for seven months.
Following completion of the work in
October, a new soil consolidation project
in the emirate for an area of more than
1 million square meters was assigned
to the company.
In Asia, on the site of construction of
a container terminal in the South Korean
port of Kwang Yang, the Korean subsidiary
of Mnard Soltraitement, Sangjee Mnard,
began atmospheric consolidation of
the highly compressible clay soil using
the patented Mnard Vacuum technique.

_ANNUAL REPORT _2003

13

42,000

M
OF CMC IN SEVEN WEEKS IN THE
VAL-DOISE (FRANCE)

Mnard Soltraitement was active on three

sites in Spain. The first two are located in
Andalusia and involved the installation of
245,000 m of vertical drains on the construction site of the west Jerez ring road and of
the Los Barrios bypass near Algsiras. The
third project conducted in Martorell near
Barcelona involves treatment using dynamic
replacement of 9,000 m2 of soil on the path
of the future high-speed train line between
Madrid and the French border.

SOIL TREATMENT
WITH INCORPORATION
OF MATERIALS
In the United Kingdom, on the construction
site of the Southern Distributor Road,
the new Newport ring road, Mnard
Soltraitement completed its soil consolidation project using Controlled Modulus
Columns (CMC) prior to creation of blackfill
for the road. This work involved two teams.
In addition, the company was awarded the
project for soil treatment in the port sectors
and a nearby landfill. In total, 9,500 Controlled Modulus Columns were installed.
In France, the company provided services
on the East LGV construction site (the future
high-speed train line between France
and Germany). On plots 10 and 12 in Ilede-France and 31D and 34B in Lorraine,
Mnard Soltraitement completed consolidation of the surface layer of recent alluvia
6 m deep on average. No special difficulties
were observed on the Ile-de-France sites
and both were treated using vertical drains.
The two Lorraine plots were much more
complex and this technique was used in
conjunction with CMCs and ballasted blocks.
On a site in the Val-dOise, technical constraints made it impossible to use normal

Controlled Modulus Columns and this

flexible technique was adapted. For the
first time, 42,000 m of small-diameter
Controlled Modulus Columns, called
matchsticks CMCs, were implemented in
seven weeks to consolidate land prepared
for a 26,000 m2 logistical warehouse.
Lastly, in Dunkirk, Mnard Soltraitements
proposal for consolidation of an underwater
embankment on the quai des Flandres was
chosen. A green light was given for initiation
of the project (see photo on the opposite
page).

DEPOLLUTION
In Romania, east of Bucharest, Mnard
Soltraitement finished at the beginning of
2003 the depollution of the soil under a
future large supermarket. The system
used involved a network of suction drains
connected to a pumping room by collectors
and a network of clean air drains connected
to the exterior. Before the floor slabs were
poured, 14,000 m of drains and 5,600 m
of collectors were installed.

2
1_ To meet specifications, Mnard
Soltraitement adapted the diameter of the
CMCs for a project in the Val-dOise (France).
2_ 9,500 CMCs were used for
construction of the Newport ring road
in the United Kingdom.

C o n s t r u c t i o n , I m p r o v e m e n t , D u r a b i l i t y. . .

_FREYSSINET GROUP

14

Consolidated balance sheet

(thousand of euro)

Assets

2003

2002

Intangible assets other than goodwill

Goodwill
Tangible assets
Financial assets:
subsidiaries and affiliates
other financial assets

3,220
19,243
22,598
5,382
1,757
3,625

4,497
19,999
26,113
5,157
1,910
3,247

Total fixed assets

50,443

55,766

Inventories and work in-progress

Trade notes and accounts receivables
Others receivables
Deferred tax asset
Short-term financial receivables
and other investments securities
Cash

24,610
143,398
21,061
2,422

25,728
147,668
27,746
3,017

14,483
16,942

7,021
15,919

Total current assets

222,916

227,099

Total assets

273,359

282,865

(thousand of euro)

Equity and liabilities

2003

2002

15,625
20,867
605
37,097
2,846
40,690
22,146

15,625
37,468
11,951
41,142
5,237
30,574
30,310

102,779

107,263

8,708
90,742
48,879
883
21,368

9,779
92,633
42,754
841
29,595

Total current liabilities

170,580

175,602

Total equity and liabilities

273,359

282,865

Capital stock
Consolidated reserves (group share)
Net income of the period (group share)
Shareholders equity
Minority interests
Provisions for liability
Long-term financial debt
Total long-term capital
Down-payments from clients
Trade notes and accounts payable
Others payables
Deferred tax liabilities
Short-term financial debt

_ANNUAL REPORT _2003

15

Income statement
(thousand of euro)

2003

2002

419,529
8,656
428,185
420,359

430,488
8,910
439,398
436,163

7,826

3,235

Financial expenses
Depreciation and provisions, financial items

2,597
,388

4,198
270

Net financial income

2,985

4,468

4,841

1,233

1,898
1,547

925
5,433

Net exceptional income

351

6,368

Amortization of goodwill
Current taxes
Deferred taxes

1,618
2,412
614

3,714
3,026
2,616

548

11,725

62
5

0
226

605

11,951

Net sales
Other income
Total income
Operating expenses
Operating income

Pre-tax income before extraordinary items

Exceptional items
Depreciation and provisions

Net income for consolidated

Group share in companies equity interest
Minority interests
Net income (group share)

The past three years

(thousand of euro)

2003

2002

2001

419,529
313,625

430,488
330,483

388,649
289,672

605

11,951

559

Shareholders equity including income of the period

Provisions for liabilities

37,097
40,690

41,142
30,574

39,495
23,264

Cash flow generated from operations

22,351

8,678

398

Capital expenditure and financial investments

of the period:
capital expenditure
acquisition of financial investments

7,904
7,331
573

15,280
11,863
3,417

18,540
13,825
4,715

Average number of employees

2,991

2,918

2,788

Net sales
Foreign sales
Net income (group share)

_FREYSSINET GROUP

16

Great Britain

Canada

Poland
The Netherlands
Hungaria

Ireland
Belgium
Switzerland
France
Spain
Italy
Portugal

United States

South Korea
Japan

Romania
Turkey

Egypt
Kowet
United
Arab
Emirates

Mexico

Hong Kong
Thailand
Vietnam
Malaysia

Pakistan

Venezuela
Singapore
Indonesia
Brazil
Australia
South Africa
Argentina
New Zealand

The Freyssinet Group Worldwide

North and South
America

Europe

> BELGIUM
Freyssinet
> ARGENTINA
Belgium N.V.
Freyssinet Tierra Armada
Vilvoorde
Buenos Aires
Terre Arme
> BRAZIL
Belgium N.V.
Freyssinet Ltda
Vilvoorde
Rio de Janeiro
STUP Premoldados Ltda
> SPAIN
Sao Paulo
Freyssinet S.A.
Madrid
Terra Armada Ltda
Rio de Janeiro
Tierra Armada
Espana, S.A.
> CANADA
Madrid
Reinforced Earth
Company Ltd
> FRANCE
Mississauga
Freyssinet
International & Cie
> USA
Vlizy
Freyssinet LLC
Chantilly
Freyssinet France
Vlizy
The Reinforced Earth
Company
Mnard
Vienna
Soltraitement
Nozay
DGI-Mnard
Bridgeville
PPC
Saint-Rmy
> MEXICO
Freyssinet de Mexico
Terre Arme SNC
Tierra Armada S.A.de C.V.
Vlizy
Mexico D.F.
> GREAT BRITAIN
> VENEZUELA
Freyssinet Ltd
Tierra Armada CA
Reinforced Earth
San Bernardino
Telford
> HUNGARIA
Pannon Freyssinet Ltd
Budapest

> IRELAND
Reinforced Earth
Company Ireland
Kildare
> ITALY
Freyssinet
Terra Armata S.R.L.
Rome
> THE NETHERLANDS
Freyssinet Nederland
B.V.
Waddinxveen
Terre Arme B.V.
Breda
> POLAND
Freyssinet Polska
sp z.o.o.
Milanowek
> PORTUGAL
Freyssinet
Terra Armada
Lisbon
> ROMANIA
Freyrom
Bucharest
> SWITZERLAND
Freyssinet S.A.
Moudon

Africa
> SOUTH AFRICA
Freyssinet Posten
(Pty) Ltd
Olifantsfontein
Reinforced Earth
(Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg
> EGYPT
Freyssinet Egypt
Giza

Asia
> SOUTH KOREA
Freyssinet Korea Co. Ltd
Seoul
Sangjee Mnard Co. Ltd
Soul
> UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Freyssinet Gulf LLC
Dubai
Freyssinet Middle East
Dubai
> HONG KONG
Freyssinet
Hong Kong Ltd
Honk Kong
Reinforced
Earth Pacific Ltd
Honk Kong
> INDONESIA
PT Freyssinet Total
Technology
Jakarta

> JAPAN
F.K.K.
TAKK
Tokyo
> KUWAIT
Freyssinet
International & Co.
Safat
> MALAYSIA
Freyssinet PSC (M)
Kuala Lumpur
Reinforced Earth
Management
Services
Sdn Bhd
Kuala Lumpur
Mnard Geosystems
Sdn Bhd
Selangor
> PAKISTAN
Reinforced Earth
Pvt Ltd
Islamabad
> SINGAPORE
PSC Freyssinet (S)
Pte Ltd
Singapore
Reinforced Earth
Pte Ltd
Singapore
> THAILAND
Freyssinet
Thailand Ltd
Bangkok

> TURKEY
Freysas
Kadikoy - Istanbul
Reinforced Earth
N AAT Proje VE T Caret
A. (REA)
skdar - Istanbul
> VIETNAM
Freyssinet Vietnam
Hanoi

Oceania
> AUSTRALIA
Austress Freyssinet
Pty Ltd
Seven Hills
Reinforced Earth
Pty Ltd
Hornsby
> NEW ZEALAND
Freyssinet
New Zealand Ltd
Reinforced Earth Ltd
Auckland

Designed and Created by

The Synelog Agency
41, rue Greneta - 75002 PARIS
Tel.: 01 53 00 10 00
Photos by Freyssinet, Actophoto, Axel Heise, David Houlston, Barry Mason, Jos-Angel Murillo, John de Rooy, Francis Vigouroux.

www.freyssinet.com

1 BIS, RUE DU PETIT-CLAMART

78140 VLIZY-VILLACOUBLAY
FRANCE
TEL.: (+33) 1 46 01 84 84
FAX: (+33) 1 46 01 85 85