The A8 Motorway is a major German transit route that crosses the South-Eastern part of the Free State of Bavaria. It is part of the Trans-European Transport Network that connects Germany with Austria, and was the first of four pilot projects under the federal government’s A-model program, involving the widening of heavily congested motorways.
Invesis is the main shareholder of the Autobahnplus A8 GmbH consortium, who signed the contract 15 years ago to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the A8 project for a period of 30 years. Recently, a mid-term celebration was held to commemorate the milestone, bringing together various stakeholders, government officials, council representatives and partners.
Ralf Nagengast, Managing Director, Autobahnplus A8 GmbH, said that the focus of the event was not only to celebrate the milestone, but it was also to shine a light on the positive relationships formed throughout the lifecycle of the project.
‘The A8 is a great example of how an open and transparent approach to business creates a collaborative environment,’ says Ralf. ‘We operate as a team and although we may have different interests on certain subject items, we talk openly to develop a solution that suits everyone’s interests’.
He adds, ‘Since operational, we have not received any complaints or faced any major challenges. The road runs smoothly – like a well-oiled machine’.
Approximately 150 guests attended the event, where Oliver Saga, Managing Director, Autobahnplus A8 GmbH and Dr. Uwe Willberg, Head of the Bridge and Civil Engineering Division at Autobahn GmbH gave keynote speeches.
Dr. Uwe Willberg during his speech recalled that there were initial concerns at the beginning of the partnership. In 2007 when the contract was signed, PPP partnerships were a relatively new concept within the German market and PPP projects often had a bad reputation. However, Willberg confirmed that the initial concerns were disproved as all parties went above and beyond to ensure the project was a success.
Oliver Saga gave thanks to the road agents who perform maintenance services, specifically for their efforts during winter, where they work over the Christmas and New Year period to sustain the quality of the road.
‘Not only do we enter a long term partnership with our client, but we also form strong relationships with our subcontractors which is integrated into the SPV approach. We’re all in it together for the long haul. So it is important to show appreciation for everyone’s efforts,’
says Ralf Nagengast.
Date
24/10/22
Phone
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