SUMMARY - Rapport annuel 2017
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
SUMMARY
OF THE 137TH CORPORATE FINANCIAL YEAR
2 Chairman’s Statement
4 Editorial
6 2017 highlights
10 CFE in figures
12 Strategy
16 Board of Directors
18 Social responsibility
24 Innovation
28 Environmental responsability
30 Holding and non-transferred activities
34 Operational chart
36 Dredging, Environment, Offshore and Infra
40 Dredging
46 Dredging-Plus
54 DEME Concessions
56 Contracting
62 Construction
68 Multitechnics
70 Rail Infra & Utility Networks
72 Real Estate Development
1
Annual report 2017
Ongoing
successful
development
CHAIRMAN’S
STATEMENT
Having assumed the chairmanship of CFE in mid-2016, I The Contracting division made substantial progress.
finished the group’s first full financial year in 2017. Not only Its figures for 2017 were up to expectations, and we
am I not disappointed, I am actually very satisfied with the are convinced that this division still holds plenty of
development of each of CFE’s divisions. opportunities for growth.
In an economic climate perhaps rather less buoyant than it When the Ackermans & van Haaren group acquired a
was before - a passing phase, I am sure - DEME managed majority shareholding in the CFE group in 2013, many
to hold its own remarkably well thanks to the installation believed that we were only interested in DEME and that the
of offshore wind farms, as well as to the dynamism of the other activities, Contracting and Real Estate Development,
teams. The substantial investments that we carried out, will would be neglected. Those people do not know us! The
allow us to remain very competitive in the future. recent acquisition of the Van Laere group is proof - if that
was still needed - of Ackermans & van Haaren’s attachment
For Real Estate Development, 2017 was an exceptionally
to CFE, as it strengthened CFE’s position in Contracting.
positive year. BPI, which took on a new visual identity,
confirms its position as one of the leading property Our ambition is to keep improving the operational
developers in Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland. The excellence of every one of the companies in which we are
investors were not wrong, and responded favourably to calls active. The work done by the managing directors and
for corporate funding on the financial market. their teams was shown to pay off in 2017. I am sure it will
continue to pay off in the years to come.
2
Annual report 2017
LUC BERTRAND
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
3
Annual report 2017
The CFE
group:
riding on the
crest of a wave!
CFE ended 2017 with a net result after tax The trend observed in 2017 also bears out the
of € 180.4 million, which is more than in logic of our organization: while the results
Editorial 2016. The past year thus clearly confirms the
upturn realized by the CFE group.
of Dredging remained stable, Contracting
and Real Estate Development reported
a considerably better performance. The
This positive result can be seen across the
synergies that we will continue to develop
three divisions. Not only DEME reported
between the divisions will further consolidate
results in line with the particularly excellent
our economic model. That will become
performance of 2016, the Contracting and
evident very soon.
Real Estate Development divisions also
confirmed the favourable outlook at the The group should take another step forward
beginning of the year. When we also look in 2018, given the quality of the orders that
at the all-time high order book (with in have been won, in particular by DEME, which
particular a more than € 350 million increase today can rely on the most efficient fleet in
compared with the previous year for the the dredging industry and related services.
Contracting division), we see that the CFE This leap forward will become a reality
group is evidently on the right track. for the Contracting division in particular,
which was joined by the Van Laere group in
December. The arrival of this new member
will substantially strengthen the construction
business in Belgium and will enable the
4
Annual report 2017
RENAUD BENTÉGEAT PIET DEJONGHE
MANAGING DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR
extended group to take on the future We can all be proud of CFE’s performance in
challenges more effectively. 2017, for it is the exceptional commitment of
the entire workforce of the group that made
After this year’s excellent performance, the
it possible to achieve those results and that
Real Estate Development division is well
is still our greatest asset for the continuation
placed to progressively become a major real
and success of our future development.
estate player in Belgium, Luxembourg and
Poland. To this end, we must in 2018 continue
the current programmes and further
strengthen the development capabilities.
The holding and non-transferred activities,
which remain in CFE SA, underwent
thoroughgoing reorganizations in 2016,
particularly the international and civil
engineering activities. Those reorganizations
permitted in 2017 the continuation and, in
some cases, the completion of contracts
that were concluded several years ago and
of which the results could have constituted a
risk factor for the company.
5
Annual report 2017
2017
Highlights
01 02 03
BPI sold its stakes in the project
DIMCO won, in joint venture, the contract development companies of the
for the construction of the RijnlandRoute, ‘Oosteroever’ site in Ostend to the Versluys
the new road link between Katwijk and Group.
Leiden, which is intended to make the area
more easily accessible, improve traffic flow, BPI Luxembourg SA, IMMOBEL SA, and
and stimulate economic growth. BESIX RED SA finally sold the shares of
the company PEF KONS INVESTMENT SA
to AXA IM – Real Assets on behalf of AXA
Belgium.
GeoSea, the marine offshore engineering
subsidiary of the DEME group, will
design, build and install 71 wind turbine
foundations for the Hohe See offshore
wind farm in the German North Sea,
for which GeoSea is the EPCI partner of
Siemens. This partnership enables Siemens
to provide offshore wind turbines including
foundations to EnBW.
6
Annual report 2017
04 05 06
CLE began construction work on the BPC won the first contract for the
modern residence ‘Fuussbann’ in construction of a building and hotel for
Differdange, with spacious apartments, the China Belgium Technology Center in
retail outlets, and a supermarket. the science park of Louvain-la-Neuve,
the first Chinese incubator in Western DEME officially launched ‘Minerva’ in the
Amart started up a new phase of the Europe. This first Chinese incubator port of Zeebrugge. This 3,500 m³ hopper
residential project ‘Les Hauts Prés’ in complex will become an Intelligence dredger is the first dual fuel dredger in
Uccle for the property developers BPI and Valley for Chinese businesses. The works the world able to run entirely on liquefied
Belgian Land. are expected to last eight years. The natural gas (LNG). This vessel has a Green
China Belgium Technology Center will Passport and a Clean Design certificate,
eventually comprise five incubators for and meets the strictest international
high-tech Chinese companies specializing emission standards.
in biotechnology, nanotechnology, IT and
The boards of directors of Ackermans
telecommunication, optoelectronics, and
& van Haaren and CFE examined the
sustainable development.
possibility of bringing together the
activities of the Van Laere group and of
CFE Contracting under CFE. The Van Laere
group, a leading general contractor in
Belgium, is 100% owned by Ackermans &
van Haaren. The main entities of the Van
Laere group are Algemene Aannemingen
Van Laere NV, Groupe Thiran SA and
Arthur Vandendorpe NV.
CFE Polska signed several contracts for
international customers, such as the
construction of the residential project
Riverview in Gdansk for VASTINT, the real
estate division of the IKEA group, and the
extension of the Platan shopping centre
for ROCKCASTLE.
7
Annual report 2017
2017
highlights
07 09 10 The joint venture Sassevaart will build GeoSea signed an agreement with Moray
the New Terneuzen Lock. The Belgo- East for the design, supply, construction
Dutch joint venture Sassevaart consists and installation of around 100 wind turbine
of construction firms such as Van foundations and three offshore substation
Laere, and includes two subsidiaries of platform foundations, and for the
DEME, namely the dredging company transport and installation of three offshore
Dredging International, and DIMCO, substation platforms. The agreement is
which specializes in civil and hydraulic subject to financial close which is expected
engineering structures. The joint venture in the second half of 2018. Moray Offshore
will design, build and maintain the New Windfarm East is a joint venture between
Lock for a two-year period. It will be put EDP Renewables (77%) and ENGIE (23%).
up in the present Terneuzen lock complex,
between Westsluis and Oostsluis. It will
be 427 metres high, 55 metres wide, and
GeoSea signed an agreement with 16 metres deep. Work is due to start at the
DONG Energy and Siemens to acquire end of 2017 and will take about five years.
full ownership of A2SEA. A2SEA will The first ship is expected to pass through it
continue to operate from Denmark for the in 2022. The New Lock will improve access
maintenance and installation of offshore to the ports of Ghent and Terneuzen, and
wind turbines. will facilitate maritime shipping between
the Netherlands, Belgium and France. It
will also give a fresh boost to the economy
of Zeeland Flanders and the Flemish
Region.
CLE began construction work on the
residential project ‘Domaine de l’Europe
- Kiem’ on the Kirchberg plateau in
Luxembourg for the property developer
BPI.
8
Annual report 2017
11
GeoSea announced the acquisition
12
CFE Contracting acquired full ownership After changing its company name into
of a majority shareholding (72.5%) in of the company Aannemingen Van Laere BPI Real Estate Belgium for a better
G-tec. This company, based in Milmort NV for the price of € 18.4 million. This description of its activity, BPI launched a
in the Liège area (Belgium), specializes acquisition had been approved beforehand new website and strengthened its image.
in offshore geotechnical and geological by the boards of directors of CFE and CFE This came with a new logo in new colours
exploration, marine geophysical and Contracting after having been submitted expressing the dynamism of this company,
environmental surveys, and deep-sea to the committee of independent which is one of the leaders on the Belgian,
marine engineering services. The remaining directors. The Van Laere group will Luxembourg and Polish property markets.
shares are held by SRIW (Société Régionale continue to operate under its own trade BPI successfully launched the first bond
d’Investissement de Wallonie). names. Its activities will complement issue in its history. The private placement
those of the other Belgian construction was subscribed on the first day up to the
companies of CFE Contracting. The CEO desired maximum amount of € 30 million.
of the Van Laere group, Manu Coppens, The bonds have a five-year maturity and
joined the executive committee of CFE pay an annual coupon rate of 3.75%.
Contracting.
GeoSea signed a partnership agreement
CFE Contracting acquired the company with CSBC Corporation to develop
SA José Coghe-Werbrouck. This company, offshore wind energy in Taiwan. The
established in 1966 and headquartered Taiwan government outlined an ambitious
in Hooglede, has a plant in Péruwelz and programme to reduce the island’s
specializes in railway works. Its strength lies dependence on fossil and nuclear energy,
in the skill of its highly qualified workforce and instead to tap its vast resources of
and in an extensive array of machinery. offshore wind power. A target of at least
Coghe recently invested in a state-of-the- 3 GW offshore wind power capacity to
art Tracklayer machine to replace railway be installed in the strait of Taiwan has
switches, enabling it to fit prefabricated been set for 2025. GeoSea and CSBC will
switches with concrete sleepers in one together set up a Taiwanese joint venture
whole unit. for the transport and installation of the
necessary foundations and wind turbines
for those wind farms.
9
Annual report 2017
CFE
in figures In 2017, CFE
Contracting
presented Practice
Awards for the
first time.
The project
3,066 19.6 %
Revenue Increase of DEME’s revenue by
« Erasmus
Gardens » in
Brussels won
the « Best
million € Sustainable
Real Estate
Project » award
in Belgium.
10
Annual report 20178 689 180.4
Employees Net income part of the group
million €
4,851
The operating income (EBIT) ENGEMA Order book
increased Caténaires and
249.4 0
by 10% to VMA Nizet achieve
million €
million € lost-time
accidents in 2017.
The order book of CFE Contracting
44.6 %
increased by
which is explained by the
incorporation
of the group Van Laere.
11
Annual report 2017Strategy DEME will remain focused,
will pioneer and innovate,
and continue to look to
the future.
A strategy staking on
a winning combination
of collaboration,
operational excellence
and innovation
2017 was a good year, but there is still plenty of room for
improvement. To ensure continued and profitable growth,
the strategy of the CFE group will therefore focus in
2018 more than ever on three important levers: retention
and intensification of synergies and partnerships within the
group, operational excellence, which is essential to achieve
our goals, and innovation, which involves thinking about
tomorrow’s world.
Valuable synergies
between divisions…
This year we have seen growing synergies Those synergies have proved beneficial
and partnerships between subsidiaries of the in many respects. For instance, the
same division as well as between the three continuation of civil engineering activities,
independent divisions of the CFE group, which were transferred to DEME, created
notably between DEME with its dredging and employment and solid skills within the
marine and environmental civil engineering group as a source of numerous successes
activities, BPI with all its real estate internationally and in the Benelux area.
development activities, and CFE Contracting Collaboration between Real Estate
with its construction, multitechnics and rail Development and Construction resulted
activities in the Benelux area, Poland and in highly effective technical solutions for
Tunisia. the benefit of property developer and
contractor alike. This collaboration confirms
- if that was still necessary - that we have
complementary skills for the future within
the group.
Artist impression of the
project ‘Entrée en Ville’ at
Differdange, a mixed-used
project of 25,000 m².
12
Annual report 2017… and between teams of make known what each of the entities’
competences are throughout CFE, so that
the same division priority is given to internal solutions within
the group.
This collaboration is also essential between Within the Contracting division, the sharing
different teams of the same division, and of knowledge and skills is already made
brings added value to each entity. 2017 possible by the creation of three clusters,
proved the relevance of those partnerships, each covering all the activities of a particular
which will be intensified at all levels in segment: electricity, HVAC and rail. Very
2018 and in the coming years. How? By interesting synergies and complementarities
sharing knowledge and experience beyond are also systematically being investigated More and more productive
the confines of each entity, working between the entities of the Construction synergies within the
together on projects that call for different segment. HVAC cluster and, more
skills, prioritizing the use of the group’s generally, within the
own competences, sharing opportunities Contracting division.
according to the geographical location, or by Operational excellence:
transferring activities between entities.
essential for profitable
This willingness to work together not only
involves the management of the entities, but growth
also calls for the deployment of the group’s
communication and human resources Growth requires a carefully considered
departments to ensure that knowledge approach. There lies the essence of our
is shared in the best possible way and to pursuit of operational excellence. The
13
Annual report 2017Strategy
The potential of new
technologies such as BIM
is really tremendous - AMS
De Boogkeers - Antwerp.
construction entities of the group took ‘Scheldt River’. The delivery marked a major
an important step in 2017 with the milestone in the dredging industry, as these
implementation of Lean management. But are the first dredgers in the world to operate
that is just a start. The lean approach now on LNG.
has to be systematically put into practice
In addition, the DRIVE programme covers
on the building projects, as well as in the
a wide range of operational improvements
other segments and in the offices, in order
during all project phases. The Opportunity
to facilitate and simplify the different
& Risk Management system was further
management processes.
refined based on the 2016 insights and
lessons learnt. This has resulted in an
Innovation: enormous improved, and deeply embedded, risk-aware
entrepreneurship by all stakeholders in the
potential! DEME entities.
The entities active in
special techniques are also
Continuous improvement also calls for
an innovative approach. The potential of What will tomorrow’s
particulary attentive to
the sustainable aspect of new technologies such as BIM, 3D printing, construction industry
robotics and prefab is really tremendous.
HVAC installations.
Special emphasis will be on the application look like?
of BIM technology, which will allow us to
play a central role in the process of digital Innovation means thinking about how
construction. We are convinced that this tomorrow’s world will evolve. This reflection
approach will not only be conducive to the is obviously crucial in the area of real estate,
CFE group’s growth, but will also hold many where projects only begin to take concrete
benefits for our customers. shape for investors four or five years later.
More than ever, we will focus in 2018 more
As a company with a maritime heritage
extensively on what form tomorrow’s homes,
of more than 140 years, DEME has always
offices and shopping centres will take, as well
been a pioneer in innovation and new
as on mobility, which is in full development
technologies. Last year’s highlights include
and affects all infrastructures.
the addition of two pioneering dual-fuel
hoppers to the dredging fleet, ‘Minerva’ and
14
Annual report 2017A state-of-the-art
machine to replace railway
Environment and highly skilled workforce and full access to the
markets offered by our reference shareholder
switches.
renewable energies: to all its entities.
advanced solutions The CFE group also acquired the company
Coghe, attesting to its ambition to
Global developments are fundamentally strengthen its activity in the rail segment.
changing our markets. But DEME is not This acquisition is an investment that is all
standing still. We are continually looking the more important for the future since
forward and currently we are focusing on a it will give us the benefit of a substantial
series of initiatives with the goal to develop increase of top-quality equipment.
breakthrough innovative solutions, tackling Finally, it should be mentioned the
challenges like the ‘plastic soup’ threatening acquisition of the Danish offshore wind
our oceans, the storage of energy to balance company A2SEA and the Belgium-based,
electricity demand and supply, or the Blue geotechnical and geological offshore site
Cluster, a partnership in Belgium where we investigation specialist G-tec. This will enable
look to smartly combine sustainability and DEME to further reinforce its fully integrated
economic growth. For example, DEME is a services and solutions portfolio.
pioneer in renewable energy developments
The results of the past year and the The group Van Laere, a
and coastal protection, two of the initiatives
increasing order books confirm for us the leading general contractor
driven by the partners of the Blue Cluster in Belgium.
platform. appropriateness of the strategic choices
we made over the past few years. In
order to offer our group the best possible
New acquisitions opportunities for the future, we will further
strengthen the synergies and partnerships
at all levels, with a particular emphasis on
The CFE group not only made financial operational excellence and innovation.
progress in 2017. It also acquired the three
construction companies of the Van Laere
group, which have an excellent reputation.
A great opportunity for CFE, whose
Contracting division benefited from a new
15
Annual report 2017Board
of Directors
CISKA SERVAIS
CISKA SERVAIS SPRL, REPRESENTED BY
CISKA SERVAIS - INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
CHAIR OF THE APPOINTMENTS AND
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
JAN SUYKENS CHRISTIAN LABEYRIE
DIRECTOR DIRECTOR
LUC BERTRAND MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
MEMBER OF THE APPOINTMENTS AND
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
LEEN GEIRNAERDT
PAS DE MOTS SPRL, REPRESENTED BY LEEN
GEIRNAERDT - INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
16
Annual report 2017ALAIN BERNARD
JOHN-ERIC BERTRAND DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
CHAIRMAN OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
RENAUD BENTÉGEAT
MANAGING DIRECTOR KOEN JANSSEN
DIRECTOR
PHILIPPE DELUSINNE
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR PIET DEJONGHE
MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MANAGING DIRECTOR
MEMBER OF THE APPOINTMENTS AND
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
17
Annual report 2017Social
responsibility
Ever greater safety
Safety is more than ever a top priority throughout the CFE group. The first
Safety Day held in all entities of the Contracting division at the beginning
of 2017 was a success, and a second edition has already taken place at the
beginning of 2018. A similar day has existed at DEME for several years already.
However, this is just one of the many initiatives that are taken to improve
safety at all the entities.
The constant efforts being made in the
CFE group are paying off: accident figures
The Exxon reveal a favourable trend in terms of both
frequency and seriousness. Several entities
Mobil Safety achieve a ‘zero accident’ score, such as
Award ENGEMA Caténaires and VMA NIZET (zero
lost-time accidents).
presented to
MBG
First Safety Day at CFE
A fine achievement, Contracting!
since the conditions
of this prize awarded The Safety Day took place on the same day
by Exxon Mobil are at all the Belgian and international entities
highly stringent (zero of CFE Contracting. Work stopped for a
accidents, daily safety whole day and all employees were specifically
reports, regular safety urged to be aware of the importance of
meetings, etc) and the safety and to change their behaviour to
slightest incident can improve safety. Among the many events
jeopardize any chances that took place on that day were interactive
of winning the prize. workshops on various topics such as falling
MBG won this Safety from a height or fires on building sites,
Award for the excellent eyewitness accounts of people who became
level of safety that disabled after an accident, guided site
was maintained on visits, first-aid courses, coaching, stress
the building site of a management, an ergonomics workshop, and
factory for Exxon Mobil many other activities.
in Antwerp.
18
Annual report 2017Another
Safety
Moment Day
at DEME
For several years now,
DEME has organized
a worldwide Safety
Moment Day. The
theme in 2017 was all
forms of hoisting. All
hoisting procedures
were catalogued so
that every employee
can find the good
practices identified for
each type of hoisting
equipment.
Numerous training The importance of risk
programmes at all analysis
entities
Awareness campaigns, training programmes
and toolbox meetings were also held in
Besides this exceptional safety day, many
the different clusters and subsidiaries of
other initiatives took place, such as a
the Contracting division, in Belgium and
substantial increase in the number of health
internationally, to raise safety awareness
and safety advisers at all CFE entities.
among the management and to reiterate
The companies also organized numerous the basic principles of safety management,
technical training programmes specific to as well as for training in fire prevention and
their line of business. CFE Bâtiment Brabant first aid in case of accidents.
Wallonie (CFE BBW) continued its training
Emphasis was on the importance of risk
programme on working at heights to make
analyses, with an optimization of those
sure that every worker or crane operator
analyses at CFE BBW and the creation of
working on a building shell is properly trained
innovative smartphone applications at MBG
and equipped with a personal safety harness.
and CFE Polska.
Training sessions were also organized on sling
operations, electrical works, scaffolding etc.
at various entities of CFE Contracting, while
the Rail Infra & Utility Networks segment
Safety apps for
focused on the very specific safety aspects of smartphone
working on railway sites and the installation
of high-voltage power lines in training Those apps are used to report and
courses organized by Infrabel. communicate details of an incident or a
At DEME, a special Task Force was set up dangerous situation very quickly, so that
composed of representatives of the marine preventive safety measures can be taken.
engineering activities, QHSE-S and hoisting During the first month, some fifty incidents
specialists. This Task Force systematically or dangerous situations were reported in this
visits all the vessels of the fleet to explain the way at MBG, compared with just a hundred
new safety procedures and train the crews. during the whole of 2016!
19
Annual report 2017Social
responsibility
The Karolina safety app developed by CFE The results of the HIPO analysis also
Polska also makes it easy to run audits, constitute an important tool to help the
statistics and reports, and was accoladed staff of DEME take the necessary measures
CHILD5 with a Best Practice Award. immediately in their area of responsibility,
whether on board a vessel, on site, or on a
In addition to those various initiatives,
project.
The CHILD (Colleagues unannounced on-site visits and continuous
Help Injuries to improvements to protective equipment
Leave DEME) safety (harnesses, cameras on tower cranes, fall
protection, etc) help to increase safety
A first for DEME: a
programme took
its normal course. throughout the group. worldwide ‘safety pause’
The CHILD 5 safety
awareness sessions,
which address A new system of high- The idea of this safety pause came after
a QHSE-S performance score for the first
various topics
such as leadership,
potential incident analysis quarter below the usual high standards, and
a serious incident on one of the dredgers. The
communication, (HIPO) QHSE-S team decided to act immediately
cooperation and and called for a safety pause, a course of
commitment, were In 2017, DEME introduced a system of action that received the full support of the
attended by more than high-potential incident analysis (HIPO) management and shareholders of DEME.
800 staff members in focusing on incidents that may have serious Work was interrupted for half a day at every
2017. An awareness consequences for the company’s quality, project site, office and vessel to allow DEME
campaign was also health, safety and environmental standards. to re-emphasize the message ‘safety first’. A
organized on the detailed analysis of the incident subsequently
subject of blind spots HIPO analyses are conducted on a quarterly resulted in an action plan containing more
on earth-moving basis throughout the DEME group. They than 40 items.
machinery. highlight worrying incidents or developments
that need to be addressed as soon as ‘Risk hunts’ were organized on all vessels and
possible. By analyzing QHSE incidents that in the offices, during which staff members
occurred during marine, hoisting, earth- identified every potential risk or hazard in
moving and other operations, potential their work environment.
problems are identified immediately, so
At the same time, DEME launched a Safety
that the management and QHSE-S team
Charter which asks everyone to look out for
can use this information to work out a
each other. All employees were asked to sign
targeted action plan. This may include poster
the Charter. An accompanying safety video
campaigns, additional training sessions
was produced in which the team involved
or toolbox meetings, inspection rounds by
in an incident urges its colleagues to take
the management, and general process
safety seriously.
improvements.
20
Annual report 2017CFE’s greatest
asset: the men and
women who work for
the group
CFE has always set great store by the men and women who work for it. This
was all the more so in 2017, a year marked by renewed major investment in
human resources at different levels.
In a context marked by numerous mergers HR, etc) took place in a knowledge-sharing
and combinations of subsidiaries, the human perspective.
resources teams were strengthened in all
This sharing process also stimulates in
entities, more particularly in the Contracting
the companies the search for internal
division at CFE Bouw Vlaanderen, CFE BBW,
competences within the group that meet
VMA, the HVAC cluster, and the rail activity.
the needs of their assignments. This will be
A central human resources department was
further intensified in 2018 by the creation of
also set up at group level to foster synergies
networks between managers and by other
and generate interactions between all the
initiatives to foster interaction.
subsidiaries.
Encouraging and ‘Spencer for DEME’ app
facilitating knowledge for the staff
sharing The app ‘Spencer for DEME’, which was
introduced in 2017, is also part of this sharing Young people
The different HR managers meet every
two months to exchange best practices,
and cooperation process. It is a mobile
application that keeps employees up to date
are the future!
knowledge and experience of their teams on the latest DEME news and gives them
between entities as well as between easy access to work-related content and What the youngest
divisions. In the context of Ambition 2020, a tools while out of the office. With Spencer, employees have to
digital platform was set up to facilitate those DEME wants to improve communication say does not always
exchanges, and a team from CFE Polska and cooperation by bringing together get the attention it
came to Belgium to visit projects of the all information and the various business deserves in the world
group that implement Lean and Bluebeam; applications in one central place, a true of work. CFE BBW and
this visit led to fruitful exchanges and mobile ‘hub’. This approach is particularly MBG want to change
cooperation projects. necessary as most of DEME’s operations take this by making the
place on an international level. most of what those
The Ambition 2020 project was initiated in young people have to
2016 in the Contracting division, and clearly offer. Brought together
highlights the paramount importance in the ‘Comité des
of human resources in the group’s jeunes’ and the group
development. The aim is to pool energies ‘Jonge Wolven’, the
in a forward-looking common project. In junior members of the
2017, several meetings of managers and teams get a respectful
inter-subsidiary working groups centring hearing for the
on specific topics (procurement, finance, innovative vision they
bring to the company.
21
Annual report 2017Social
responsibility
A healthy
mind in a
healthy body!
Employee well-being
has been gauged in
surveys, followed by
on-site improvement
plans and various
training programmes,
such as on burnout
prevention at BPC.
By the same token,
sports and health CFE, a group that is good Pursuing its objective of becoming an
“employer of choice” in the dredging and
programmes have been
set up at the different to work for environmental and marine engineering
entities to improve industry, in Belgium and internationally,
health and well-being, The CFE group, which already boasts an DEME is making considerable efforts to
reduce stress and, outstanding reputation as an employer, become a more flexible employer and has
ultimately, ensure not strengthened that image further in 2017 by launched a number of initiatives in the
only that every worker its highly proactive human resources policy. area of homeworking, mobility and flexible
can flourish in his or To make employees aware of their skills and working hours. In the summer of 2017, the
her job, but also has to enable them to develop in their job, a HR team of DEME conducted a survey
a healthy mind in a programme was set up with tools for career on mobility issues and possible solutions.
healthy body. planning, training and internal mobility, as As traffic congestion on the outskirts of
well as talent assessment and employee Antwerp is a serious problem, employees can
satisfaction. now work from home or make use of several
fully equipped and state-of-the-art satellite
At the local level, the various clusters and offices situated on main roads that are
entities benefit from this strong image well served by public transport. The staff’s
when they take part in events at schools response to this new policy has been very
and universities where employers and positive.
students meet, or when they recruit staff.
The subsidiaries are also maximizing their DEME is confident that these measures will
own strong points to attract prospective assure its workforce of a more stable work-
employees by offering coaching, employee life balance and will diminish the departure
induction programmes, training sessions, of workers wearied by the daily transport
career development opportunities and problems.
mobility between entities. Those assets
have become even more attractive as the
HR teams and internal interactions were A highly professional
strengthened in 2017. recruitment process
Mobility solutions The recruitment process has been improved
with the help of professional experts in this
field. The idea is to use competence as the
The idea of ‘hubworking’, allowing employees only criterion, without discrimination on
to work in a satellite office closer to home, grounds of gender, cultural background
is also gaining ground, and is already or age, but also to meet the needs of
beginning to be put into practice at DEME candidates by taking into account their
and MBG. Working from home is also on the personality and discovering what the
agenda, particularly at DEME. employer can offer them. This method
22
Annual report 2017In 2017, DEME received
the ‘Randstad Award’
for the most attractive
employer in Belgium.
This award is based
on the results of a
survey held among
11,000 respondents.
DEME also won the
‘Lifetime Achievement
Award’ on the basis of
the ratings which the
company has obtained
since 2009 in the
‘Randstad Employer
Brand Research’.
of recruitment also makes it possible to
identify the talents of people who do not
Wide range of training Fine boost
necessarily have the qualifications required programmes for a Polish
for the job. Internal training programmes
have been developed specially for them.
primary
This is the case in particular for the job
Broadly speaking, the training programmes
are designed to give people the best possible
school
of optical fibre welder, of which there is opportunities and to help them grow and
currently a shortage: the company Louis develop throughout their career. CFE Polska, together
Stevens & Co has developed a short but with two other
highly valued training course which ensures Besides numerous training programmes in companies involved in
that new recruits who are talented but not safety and technical training specific to the Majaland Park (Plopsa
specifically qualified are not discouraged by group’s various activities, training in financial and Momentum
the complexity of the task. and analytical aspects etc, emphasis in Capital), fitted out an
2017 at all entities was on training in more ICT room in the primary
general and personal competencies, such as school of Boczów in
International recruitment leadership, feedback, stimulating personal Poland. The equipment
campaign at DEME growth, as well as Lean management at
MBG and BPC, and on-the-job coaching of
comprises 27 laptops,
printers and TV and
junior employees at CFE BBW. multimedia materials.
DEME launched a major international It will be used for
DEME extended its already wide range of
recruitment campaign in 2017. In view of numerous purposes:
training programmes with the launch in
the success of all its entities, the company IT classes, interactive
November of ‘EPC Community’. This virtual
wants to further strengthen its international teaching, research
training platform assists staff members with
workforce. The recruitment campaign seems and rapid information
the more technical aspects of EPC projects.
to have paid off, as evidenced by a recent transfer, and
It testifies to DEME’s intention to expand
welcome day for some 200 new employees. communication with
its range of virtual training programmes
Thirty nationalities were represented. DEME pupils and parents.
and thereby give its staff and crews greater
was particularly active in Spain, Portugal and Unquestionably a very
flexibility. Furthermore, the performance
Eastern Europe, visiting university campuses, useful present!
management tool ‘Time To’ developed by
attending regional events, and working
DEME helps staff and managers to assess
together with local employment agencies.
their performance, skills and development
It was an effective way to reinforce its
needs. A specific ‘Time To’ tool for vessel
international brand image as an employer,
crews will be implemented in 2018.
which was already strong in Belgium and the
Netherlands.
23
Annual report 2017Innovation
Innovation:
key lever
operational
for
excellence
The importance of innovation is beyond doubt. The contribution of new
technologies to the construction activities is a decisive productivity factor by
its direct impact on operational excellence and in several respects also allows
a better protection of the environment and greater safety.
Innovation and the desire to push the envelope also remain part of DEME’s
DNA. DEME’s investments in new technologies show how important
innovation is to the company. Throughout the world, its employees participate
in technological developments to introduce sustainable solutions on its
markets. Within DEME, this approach calls for close collaboration between
the sites, vessel crews, project management teams and the technical and
engineering departments.
Working more efficiently CFE group in Belgium and internationally.
The Tivoli building project, a sustainable
district in the Brussels Region, is a prime
Lean Management responds to this example of this approach.
expectation. Applied to construction, it
The Tivoli building project,
optimizes the organization of the site by
BlueBeam, an original
a sustainable district in
the Brussels Region, is a eliminating all forms of inefficiency such
as unnecessary actions and movements,
prime example.
overproduction of materials, time- formula at MBG
consuming procedures, etc. Planning is an
essential aspect of Lean Management. Based Like BIM (Building Information Modelling),
on deadlines, needs and other information BlueBeam is a software program that allows
supplied by all the parties involved in the team members to work digitally and in real
project - on-site workers, subcontractors, time and facilitates the transmission of
suppliers, architects, etc. - this calls for the information. The big difference is that the
participation and collaboration of all the information in the BIM model is transmitted
parties and makes it possible to cope with in PDF format. This alternative to BIM was
any problems that arise. This method was developed by MBG to reflect more closely
rolled out in 2017 across the projects of the the real situation in the field and make the
24
Annual report 2017information accessible without having to
use 3D software. BlueBeam was tested this
year on MBG’s Antwerp Management School
project in Antwerp, which is still in progress.
The system clearly proves its relevance
on that project: all the partners involved
(designers, suppliers, subcontractors,
administrative staff, etc.) have easy access
to the information, which is also very
efficient to manage.
Innovative initiatives in all
respects
Everyone can have a good idea. That is why More than 300 new ideas
DEME has set up innovation initiatives that were entered, selected,
are intended for its employees and really successfully implemented,
create value. and accoladed with an
‘Innovation Diver Award’.
‘DEMEx’ emphasizes disruptive innovation
by calling on young talents to identify
bold commercial opportunities for DEME.
‘Co-creating our future’, an event that was Partnerships for
organized at the beginning of 2017, brought innovation
together workers and management staff
to reflect on the commercial trends of
DEME has always entered into partnerships
the future and to explore innovative ideas
with other companies and with universities,
together.
academic institutions and government
In 2017, the ‘DEME Innovation Diver’ called organizations with a view to working
upon all employees across the world to together in the area of research and
resolve thirteen challenges and to submit innovation. This sharing of knowledge
ideas for innovative solutions. Some 700 and creativity has led to new ideas for
staff members joined forces on an online sustainable solutions to meet different
innovation platform. More than 300 new environmental and economic challenges of
ideas - an impressive figure - were entered. our planet.
Several of those were selected, successfully
The Flemish Institute for Agriculture and
implemented, and accoladed with an
Fisheries Research (ILVO) and the University The first lines for mussel
‘Innovation Diver Award’. farming were installed on
of Ghent launched the Edulis pilot project to
Within the CFE group, innovation examine the possibility of growing mussels the C-Power wind farm in
May 2017.
increasingly manifests itself in widely diverse on the wind farms off the Belgian coast.
areas, as is testified by the development of These institutions are conducting the project
several applications in the areas of training – called ‘Noordzee Aquacultuur’ (Aquaculture
and safety, such as, for example, the apps in the North Sea) – in partnership with a
developed by MBG and CFE Polska to report consortium of seven companies, including
and communicate an incident or dangerous DEME. The first lines for mussel farming
situation quickly on a digital platform. were installed on the C-Power wind farm
Another novelty is the introduction in the in May 2017. Within two years, the experts
Rail segment of an innovative safety and should be able to deliver a final opinion on
test system to prevent accidents when rail the ecological and economic feasibility of
cranes are used. mussel growing on the wind farms.
25
Annual report 2017Best
Practice
Awards
Sharing
good
ideas
In 2017, CFE Contracting presented Best Practice Awards optical fibre welding. Louis Stevens & Co set
for the first time. This initiative stemmed from the desire to work, and this investment in time paid
off immediately: half the workers decided to
to share good ideas with everybody. This first edition of the
stay. This training course was an excellent
Best Practice Awards clearly showed that there is no lack of idea, short and well targeted!
good ideas in the group.
In the category “Office”:
There were 65 entries, which were assessed MBG for the Bluebeam
by a panel composed of Renaud Bentégeat software
(CFE), Piet Dejonghe (CFE), Frederik Lesire
(BPI), Theo Van De Kerckhove (DEME), Based on a digital 3D model, BIM (Building
Bernard Heiderscheidt (SECO) and Information Modelling) is a working method
Emmanuel Tual (VINCI). that facilitates the transmission of data of
a building model between all the partners
involved. MBG uses it, but has also tested
And the winners are… a more user-friendly alternative, called
BlueBeam, on the Antwerp Management
School project. Like BIM, BlueBeam allows
In the category “Human team members to work digitally and in real
time and facilitates the transmission of
Capital”: Louis Stevens & information. The big difference is that the
Co for a training course in information is transmitted in PDF format
and that it is very easily accessible for
Best Practice Awards, the
desire to share good ideas optical fibre welding everyone, including on tablet. BlueBeam
with everybody. thus more closely reflects the real situation
There are very few candidates on the labour in the field, as not all partners are able to
market with training in optical fibre welding. use 3D software. This system has helped to
Faced with this shortage, the company simplify the process and save a lot of time. A
decided to train new employees “in the good idea that has won the interest of other
field”. However, many were discouraged by entities.
the complexity of the task: nine out of ten
workers gave up quickly. The solution was to
come up with a two-week training course in
26
Annual report 2017Category ‘ Grand Prix’ :
on the Tivoli project -
involving the construction
of an entire sustainable
district in the Brussels
In the category “On Site”: the project (team leaders, subcontractors,
etc), frequent meetings and precise but
Region - the team of BPC
implemented the Lean
CFE Polska for a safety app flexible planning, all imbued by a desire for Management principle.
continuous improvement. BPC embarked on
With the safety app Karolina Safety System, the project with great skill, and its brilliant
all the details of a dangerous situation, Lean Management approach incited teams
with photos if necessary, can be reported from several other entities of the group,
immediately on a digital platform. This is a including Poland, to visit the Tivoli site.
major asset in the area of safety, as it allows
preventive action to be taken and accidents
to be avoided. The application, developed Conclusion
by CFE Polska, can also be used for safety
audits, keeping safety statistics, and drawing
Although four awards were presented, all 65
up reports. The Karolina Safety System will
entries provided great inspiration, and were
soon be shared and used by the whole group:
all shared on One Drive among the entities
after the English version, which was ready at
of the group!
the end of 2017, French and Dutch-language
versions are planned for 2018.
Finally, the “Grand Prix”: There were more than
BPC for Lean Management 65 entries which were
assessed.
On the Tivoli project - involving the
construction of an entire sustainable
district in the Brussels Region - the team of
BPC implemented the Lean Management
principle, an approach that increases
efficiency and avoids waste of resources
of every kind by eliminating unnecessary
movements and travel, overproduction of
materials, time-consuming procedures,
etc. This approach involves maximum
collaboration between everyone involved in
27
Annual report 2017Environmental
responsability
Building
sustainable
a
future
The CFE group has pursued a policy of sustainable Druart) with which they fit out buildings
development for many years now, with ever higher that are being constructed or renovated.
The company be.Maintenance, which is
standards both in construction and in all its activities and
increasingly active in passive buildings,
related practices. effectively limits energy consumption by fine-
tuning settings and alerting its customers
to good practices and to the significance
The skills acquired in sustainable building of technological advances to reduce energy
not only enable the group to meet current consumption.
expectations in energy and environment- Certain activities of the group are also
related matters, but also to anticipate environmentally friendly by their very
future expectations by getting ahead of the nature. This is the case, for example, with
regulations currently in force. the activities to maintain and improve the
railway network carried out by the Rail Infra
& Utility Networks segment, and which
Natural materials and contribute to a less polluting mobility policy,
low-energy buildings for a or activities of wastewater treatment and
power generation by wind farms.
sustainable future
This year, numerous building projects Protecting the
testify once again to this know-how. environment day by day…
Examples include the new head office of
AXA in Brussels, which won the BREEAM
Excellent certification (BPC and VMA); the Environmental awareness is also put into
Renaissance project in Liège, developed by practice on a daily basis in the office and
BPI, and the first low-energy project in the on site in many different ways, such as by
The entities in special Liège area, and Erasmus Gardens in Brussels, sorting and processing waste, reducing
techniques are increasingly
which won the “Best Sustainable Real Estate energy consumption, increasing digitalization
active in passive buildings. to cut down on paper consumption, and
Project” award in Belgium. BPI also initiated
a sustainable accommodation project for rationalizing travel movements. In this
students, the Woodskot, with its timber respect, the opportunities of hubworking and
structure. homeworking are being investigated, and
certain entities are already putting this into
The entities active in special techniques are practice.
also particularly attentive to the sustainable
aspect of HVAC installations (Procool and
28
Annual report 2017The new head office of
AXA in Brussels, which
won the BREEAM Excellent
certification.
… today and tomorrow won DEME once again a CO2 Awareness
Certificate Level 5 on the CO2 Performance
Ladder.
Other initiatives worth mentioning are the
development by CFE BBW of more energy-
efficient site office containers, and the Reducing greenhouse gas
compilation by CFE Tunisia of a guidebook
on good environmental practices and the emissions with a green
on-site implementation of performance fleet
indicators in that area. BENELMAT has
fitted out its buildings in Gembloux with
highly efficient insulation and heating Targets are set for DEME’s direct and indirect
systems, ventilation systems with heat greenhouse gas emissions from its own
recovery, and lighting systems that received activities and from the supply chain. The
congratulations of the Walloon Regional new vessels that have joined the fleet are all
Energy Consulting Agency. designed as ‘green’ vessels fitted with the
latest-generation dual fuel engines with very
low gas emissions. They include the brand-
DEME rewarded for its new ‘Minerva’ (3,500 m³) and ‘Scheldt River’
(8,400 m³) which joined DEME’s fleet in 2017;
integrated environmental they are the first dredgers in the world to be
management fitted with duel fuel engines and capable of
running entirely on LNG.
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions As a matter of fact, DEME continues to
is essential to control climate change. DEME explore ideas, initiatives and sustainable
contributes in its projects to a reduction of technical solutions in the worldwide effort
its own greenhouse gas emissions and to a to control greenhouse gas emissions.
diversification of energy sources. Although currently no targets have been set The brand-new ‘Minerva’
for the reduction of worldwide emissions in (3,500 m³) which joined
To achieve that objective, all the necessary the maritime industry, DEME is constantly DEME’s fleet in 2017.
plans are drawn up by different departments looking for sustainable alternative energy
(QHSE, technical department, DRIVE, sources in all its activities.
etc) at both project and corporate level.
The reduction of greenhouse gases is a
constituent part of DEME’s integrated
environmental management system. This
29
Annual report 2017Holding and
non-transferred
activities
Various
competences
The operations of the holding are essentially the concession Good prospects for
activities, the supervision of the activity of Rent-A-Port,
the civil engineering activities that were not transferred to Rent-A-Port
DIMCO, and the international construction activities that
In 2017, Rent-A-Port was mainly active
were not transferred to CFE Contracting.
internationally, such as in Vietnam where
the firm consolidated its position, and in the
Middle East where it was able to hold its own
Concessions despite a temporarily difficult political and
economic context.
The most important concession, Green Rent-A-Port specializes in the study,
Offshore, concerns the wind farms in the development and management of greenfield
North Sea. Construction works on the Rentel port projects and industrial port zones.
wind farm should be completed at the The company can ensure the overall
beginning of 2019 while the works on the management of everything to do with
Seastar and Mermaid offshore wind farms distribution of electricity and water, the
has not started yet. However, the green collection and processing of waste, and
certifications have been obtained for these wastewater treatment; it can also finance
future projects. renewable energy and drinking water supply
projects in collaboration with its subsidiary
Rent-A-Port Green Energy, which specializes
in renewable energy generation.
Both Rent-A-Port and its Green
Energy subsidiary put their concern for
environmental protection into practice
in their working methods and by the very
nature of their activities, as was testified in
2017 by various ‘green’ initiatives in the field
of solar energy, wind energy and wastewater
treatment.
30
Annual report 2017In the Netherlands,
the exit from the
Zuiderzeehaven project
Vietnam Qatar in 2016 should generate
a substantial cash flow in
the spring of 2018.
Rent-A-Port worked closely together with the In Qatar, 2017 was a year troubled by the
authorities of the Port of Azov in Russia for decision of some neighbouring countries to
the joint management of the liquids jetty boycott all supplies to Qatar, particularly
for diesel and LPG imports, where a capacity aggregates for concrete and asphalt from
utilization rate of 80% was attained in 2017. the Emirates. This boycott came at a time
This collaboration with the Port of Azov when Rent-A-Port, after considerable
will also extend to the joint management engineering efforts, won a five-year contract
(50/50) of the new port area that is planned for the management of port, sorting and
on the Tien Phong peninsula, in the Province warehousing operations for 10 million tonnes
of Quan Ninh. As a matter of fact, Rent- per year. Because of the boycott, Qatar was
A-Port has very good relations with the forced to cancel the contract.
Vietnamese authorities in the context of
However, by way of compensation, the
consultancy services for the privatization of
Qatari government awarded another
the state-owned port authority (Vinalines).
contract to Rent-A-Port for the Khatmat
Thanks to the good local contacts and the Millaha project, involving the start-up of a
fact that Rent-A-Port manages a power new aggregate production site. This project
grid that serves more than 60 industrial was initiated in October 2017.
customers, the subsidiary RAP Green Energy
will be able to start up two new projects in
2018, one for solar energy and the other for
wind energy.
31
Annual report 2017Holding and
non-transferred
activities
Oman
Under the terms of the concession
agreement that was signed six years
ago with the Antwerp Port Consortium
(60% RAP and 40% PAI), the Sultanate of
Oman is in charge of the completion of
the port’s construction, while the Antwerp
Port Consortium is entrusted with the
development of the industrial sites.
Unfortunately, the fall in oil prices since
2015 has had a significant impact on the
Sultanate’s national budget; consequently,
the port infrastructure will only be finished in
2019, delaying the arrival of new customers.
Nevertheless, thanks to the dynamism of
the local team in Duqm and Muscat, more
than two-thirds of the operating costs have
been covered by the first customers in 2017,
and in view of the current situation and
the commercial contracts in progress, the
operation of the port is expected to start
showing a profit in 2020.
A steady future
2018 looks favourable for Rent-A-Port and
its subsidiary, with a solid order book in
Vietnam, a steadily improving situation
in Oman, and the probable confirmation
of new projects in the renewable energy
segment. In the Netherlands, the exit from
the Zuiderzeehaven project in 2016 should civil engineering and the electromechanical
generate a substantial cash flow in the activities should lead to the completion
spring of 2018. Rent-A-Port has also carried of phase B, and a large part of the plant
out studies in Gabon and Guinea that are should become operational at the beginning
likely to expand its activities on the African of 2019. The stakes are high: the entire
continent in the future. second phase of this huge wastewater
treatment plant should be delivered by
31 December 2018. This challenge meant
Civil Engineering having the whole workforce work 24 hours a
day, six days a week, on this project during
last November and December in order to
Intense activity at the Brussels- guarantee delivery by the end of 2018.
South wastewater treatment
In Wallonia, the Kain dam project on the
plant river Scheldt is progressing to the customer’s
satisfaction and is due for delivery in
The biggest civil engineering project (not
June 2018, as is the water pumping station
transferred to DIMCO) is the Brussels-South
in Jemeppe (Liège), which is now in the
wastewater treatment plant (STEP). Activity
process of being awarded the certificate of
on this project was intense throughout
completion.
2017 and is set to remain so in 2018. The
32
Annual report 2017You can also read
