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SYSTRA, the global engineering and consultancy leader in public transport and mobility solutions, announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire the Italian engineering company SWS, specialised in the design of tunnels and underground structures. The acquisition strengthens SYSTRA’s expertise in the specialty domain, expands its presence in Italy, and its global market footprint in tunnel design and construction, particularly in Europe.
By acquiring SWS, SYSTRA confirms its ambition to be a world leader in tunnel and underground infrastructure engineering. The two companies are highly complementary: SYSTRA, leader in global railway and metro engineering, its core business, works throughout the world on the biggest railway and metro infrastructure projects. It also partners with construction companies on major road or railway bridge projects. SWS’s experience is more focused on large design and construction projects of tunnels and underground structures.
The newly strengthened Bridges and Tunnels Centre of Excellence, capable of rapidly mobilising large teams of experts both locally and internationally, will support clients seeking a full service from design to construction. Thanks to this turnkey, customised service, the contractors will be able to improve the competitiveness of their projects in terms of deadlines, costs and sustainability, while meeting the demands of owners and users, whose environmental awareness has increased, and safety criteria, which have become more stringent. It is also an expertise hub that can be mobilised on all infrastructure projects for which SYSTRA is project manager.
SYSTRA, the signature team for transportation solutions, is therefore expanding its expertise portfolio and accelerating its development. This acquisition also enables the Group to increase its presence in Italy, a key market where it has been present since 2000 through its subsidiary SYSTRA SOTECNI. Furthermore, it provides access to new markets, particularly in Europe, where SWS has acquired a solid reputation with its clients.
This agreement comes at a time of rapid growth in the European infrastructure market. The European Union is investing to support Member States in their projects to renew and develop infrastructure, including tunnels and underground structures, which are contributing to the construction of a borderless and increasingly interconnected Europe.
We are delighted to welcome SWS’s talented team of underground and infrastructure engineering specialists to the Group. By combining the complementary expertise of our two companies in our Global Bridges and Tunnels Centre of Excellence, we will offer our clients a unique range of services in this field. This new acquisition of a technological jewel confirms our growth strategy to make SYSTRA the signature team for transportation infrastructure engineering.”
Pierre Verzat, Chairman of SYSTRA’s Executive Board
Many engineers from both companies have worked together in the past and I know that we share the same approach to technical excellence. Stronger together, our teams will offer exceptional expertise to our clients, guaranteeing the success of their projects, while keeping R&D in mind to allow us to stay ahead of the game.
Paolo Mazzalai, SYSTRA SWS’s Chairman