CFE (Belgium)
CFE is a multidisciplinary company, active in civil engineering, construction, real estate, PPP-concessions, multitechnical and marine engineering sectors. The group is located all over the world.
The CFE group forms a coherent whole in which each division is supported by the others. The concessions and property development divisions award work to the general contracting companies, which in turn are potential customers of the companies making up the multitechnics division, which maintain the structures built under public private partnership contracts. Similarly, many of DEME's business lines tie in with the civil engineering activities carried out by CFE group companies.
CFE's leading historical trade is construction and the next is dredging and marine engineering. CFE holds 50% of DEME's capital, one of the worldwide leaders in this sector. The CFE group is listed in Euronext Brussels, and Vinci SA holds 47% of the capital.
History
In 1880,Creation of the Compagnie Générale de Chemins de Fer Secondaires dedicated to building and managing of railway and tram lines through concessions.
In 1921,
Diversification of activities through the involvement in civil engineering and building construction under the name of Compagnie Belge de Chemins de Fer et d'Entreprises.
In 1930,
Creation of the Société Générale de Dragage active in dredging works both in Belgium and abroad.
In 1965,
Adoption of the name Compagnie d'Entreprises, due to the large number of general contractor type activities.
In 1974,
CFE and Ackermans & van Haaren pool their dredging activities and create Dredging International.
In 1981,
Merger of CFE with Entreprises Ed. François et Fils, thereby making CFE the largest Belgian construction company.
In 1989,
The GTM Group, shareholder since 1987, becomes the principal shareholder in CFE
In 1991,
Creation of the DEME Group result of the association between Dredging International and Baggerwerken Decloedt.
Acquisition of Nizet Entreprise.
In 1999,
Acquisition of Vanderhoydoncks Multitechnieken.
In 2000,
Vinci SA and GTM merge and become the first worldwide construction group.
CFE increases its participation in the DEME Group to 47.8%.
In 2001,
CFE introduces an organisation based on three main divisions: the Construction division, which covers all construction professions and the associated services, the Dredging and Environment division, the Electricity division.
During the same year, following an agreement with BPC, CFE acquires 100% of ABEB, the Antwerp subsidiary of BPC.
The merger of the companies CFE, Bageci, Investissements et Promotion and Maatschappij voor Bouw- en Grondwerken takes place in December.
In 2004,
Acquisition of Bâtiments et Ponts Construction and Bâtipont Immobilier.
CFE increases its participation in the DEME Group to 50%.
Creation of a division for Real Estate and associated services, distinct from the Construction division.
The Electricity division evolves towards multitechnics.
In 2005,
Acquisition of 100% of the shares in Aannemingen Van Wellen.
In 2006,
Merger of the Property Management activities of Sogesmaint and CB Richard Ellis.
In October, capital increase in cash with a preferential subscription right.
In 2007,
CFE realizes an acquisition in the Multitechnics division; CFE has acquired VMA NV Infra-Industry based in Ghent and its subsidiary VMA Slovakia.
CFE strengthened by the acquisition of the Brussels-based company Amart, particularly present in the restoration and rehabilitation of buildings.
CFE participates for 25% into the company Druart, a company specialized in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling.
In 2008,
CFE increases her participation into the company Druart from 25% to 62.5%.
CFE reinforces its Multitechnics division through the acquisition of the company Stevens NV. This company, situated in Halen, is specialized in electrotechnical installations, rail signals installation, cabling, airport lights and marks equipment and also in the installation of telecommunication networks.
In 2009,
Reinforcement of the activities of Druart in Wallonia by the integration of Prodfroid, a company with complementary activities.
Acquisition of 64,95% of the shares in Van De Maele Multi-techniek based in Meulebeke.
Elektro Van De Maele is a contractor active in the field of industrial, public and other electrical installations, the electrical part of airconditioning and in the installation, optimisation and automation of stables in the agricultural industry.
In 2010,
CFE acquires majority shareholding in Terryn, Belgian market leader in bonded laminates.
Creation of "be.maintenance".
CFE acquires 65% of shares of Brantegem NV. This company is specialized in HVAC and sanitary equipment.
In 2011,
CFE expands its field of activity of its multitechnics division by the acquisition of ETEC and gets a foothold in the field of public lighting. It further reinforces its activity of underground networks.
CFE is making an asset deal with the company Leloup Entreprise Générale, which is active in both renovation and transformation of small and medium size projects in Brussels, Flemish Brabant, and Walloon Brabant.
Activity of the group: five divisions
PPP-Concessions
This division is specialised in- DBFM projects at small and large scales and project financing. In return for financing, after building, it creates, manages and deals with the maintenance of the project.
- port development and management, port engineering consultancy, project management and co-ordination contracts for complex marine developments.
Construction
This division is the initial activity of the CFE group, and is specialised in:- construction of office buildings, housing, hotels, site facilities, schools and universities, shopping and recreation centers, hospitals, industrial buildings, ports and airports
- renovation and transformation of buildings
- road works and railway infrastructures, noise reduction barriers, hydraulic works
- civil engineering works, quay development, construction of jetties, water treatment plants and the associated electromechanical works, smoke treatment, pile driving, gas operator terminals, wind turbine farms, etc.
Real estate & management services
This division is specialized in :- real estate development : promotion of projects carrying the latest technologies in energy consumption and sustainable development, search for private investors, financial arrangements, and development of projects of high environmental quality, and construction management
- project management : energy and environmental audits, project analysis looking at their marketing potential, residential and office projects development, building reconditioning, and development of projects outlines
- property leasing : building management, facility management, property management
Multitechnics
This division is specialized in :- tertiary electricity, public lighting, electro-technical equipments, telecommunication networks, electrification works and railway infrastructure signalling, airport electrical works, automation in industry, agro-industry, and rail beams, manufacture of low voltage switchboards and high voltage cabinets, transport of energy through low and high voltage cabins, electromechanics for water treatment and pumping plants, and for petroleum plants, aeronautical runway lights, security and access control systems, solar and photovoltaic panels, wireless network connections for high speed trains.
- HVAC: heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, sanitary facilities, cold rooms
- electricity and HVAC maintenance
Dredging & environment
The dredging and environmental division is one of the five business divisions in the CFE group, all in Belgium or abroad.Dredging is the second historical trade of CFE, and this since 1930 with SGD that merged in 1974, creating Dredging International.
The DEME group is specialized in:
- dredging and marine engineering: canals and ports deepening, beaches reloading and extension, digging of trenches, embankments, creation of islands and marine engineering.
- oil, gas and offshore activities: hydraulic developments, rock fill of pipelines or cables, and stabilization of protective barriers, nearshore activities, offshore, farshore and geotechnical studies of deep waters.
- lifting heavy loads: refloating, cleaning and removal of wrecks, lifting operations, installation and removal of heavy loads from platforms.
- environmental activities: ground drainage and decontamination, storage of polluted mud, treatment of household and industrial waste, rehabilitation of lagoons, land, fluvial areas and old industrial sites.
- construction materials: extraction and treatment of marine aggregates for construction.
- deepsee mining : research and extraction of deepsee raw materials.
- concessions: development and management of wind turbine parks.
Group companies
Some Projects
Some works made by CFE according to its business line:- PPP Concessions
- Construction
- Real estate & management services
- Multitechnics
- Dredging & environment