BLUE ECONOMY - Rhomberg Bau

2012
new
dimensions
BLUE ECONOMY
The art of thinking “blue” 4_5
Gunter Pauli’s visions and solutions
Sustainable demonstration projects 6
Current projects and the future of construction
Moving ahead together 16
Rhomberg Rail and the Sersa Group
The magazine of the Rhomberg Group

Contents
Editorial 3
More with less
BLUE ECONOMY
Gunter Pauli: the art of thinking “blue” 4 5
Pre-announcement: Blue Economy award 5
Rhomberg Bau
Sustainable demonstration projects based on teamwork 6
Current projects 7 9
Project development at EXPO Real 10
Maintaining value with vplus care 11
Focus on CREE system building 12
Stone with a history 13
Rhomberg Rail
Rhomberg and Sersa move ahead together 16
At InnoTrans 2012 17
Current projects 18 20
New developments of RTE 21
Rhomberg Group
Reports from the subsidiaries 14
The Rhomberg Advisory Board 15
Sustainability at Rhomberg 22 23
News from Human Resources 24 25
A look back at 2012 26 27
9
12
Sounds really quite plausible. Every entrepreneur, every person, tries to achieve as
much as possible with the minimum of effort. To do this in the field of construction,
properties are simply fitted with more equipment so that everything is more
efficient – and today, primarily energy efficient. With respect to the so-called grey
energy*, which is an additional input to buildings, such an approach does not
always make such good sense. Since today, the focus is – quite correctly – on the
duration and cost of the use of buildings, one should not forget the entire lifecycle
of products and materials. If we are serious about the energy turnaround,
we clearly also have to take into account the energy required for the production
of those materials. In other words, from the cradle to the grave. Technology on its
own will not be enough for us to manage the challenges of the future. The rebound
effect** lurks everywhere, which unfortunately has always been the case, until now.
Therefore, we should start by leaving out as much as possible and only add things
when they really make sense. This leads us to completely new approaches in
thinking, as not every intelligent technical component in a house is always a good
idea. If the installation of an exceptional lamp needs a network engineer costing
EUR 150 per hour, that’s not very economical, even considering the life-cycle cost.
“Reduce to the max” – or as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry put it: “Something is
perfect not when you can’t add anything else to it, but when you can’t take
anything else away from it.” Applying this approach right from the beginning
of a design could yield many good ideas.
The exemplary blue economy concept presented in this issue is full of appealing
ideas. Examples show that there is enormous potential in making better (multiple)
use of what is there already. However, this leads me to an almost unsolvable
problem: as such, a company cannot really be sustainable. Only its workforce.
They can think about it, or not. They can make a difference, or not.
24 18
39
As a company we can give our employees enough space and the authority to
make their own decisions so that they can make a difference with their approach
and their input. It may take just a single question, or a single small action, during
a project with a customer or internally – and something happens, something
sustainable is created. We must not expect miracles. No completely new projects.
On our own we cannot change the whole market all at once, but we can make a
difference. And we all communicate about what and how, every day. Our customers
will be interested in knowing what we do differently and where we have a
positive influence.
That is what makes life beautiful – the fact that we can make a difference
every day.
carbon neutral
natureOffice.com | AT-169-577808
print production
EDITORIAL | Publisher Rhomberg Group, Mariahilfstrasse 29, 6900 Bregenz/AT, Tel +43 5574 / 403-0,
Fax +43 5574 / 403-309, info@rhombergbau.at, www.rhomberg.com Photos Studio 22 (cover), Dietmar Walser Photography,
Klaus Andorfer, Markus Tretter, Rhomberg Sersa Group, Shutterstock Responsible for the content Gabi Schnell, Rhomberg
Group Concept and design die3, public relations agency, Dornbirn/AT Printed on Balance Silk Declaration pursuant
to § 25 Media Act NEW DIMENSIONS is published once a year; German circulation 4,500, English circulation 1,500
Note In Rhomberg’s NEW DIMENSIONS the male gender is used in many instances, however this is only done for greater
ease of reading and does not imply any inequality.
Hubert Rhomberg
* Grey energy (also called hidden energy) in buildings refers to the amount of energy needed for
the production, transport, storage, distribution and disposal of a product.
** The rebound effect refers to a situation where the potential for saving costs or improving efficiency is not,
or only partially, realised because what has been saved is immediately used for some additional item.
Editorial XXX | NEW DIMENSIONS
3

The art of thinking “blue”.
Gunter Pauli’s visions and solutions for the
“blue planet”
Gunter Pauli is an economist and founder of twelve companies. However,
he is anything other than a theorist: he is one who has devoted his life to
practical approaches, who does not feel committed to profit maximisation
and cost minimisation in companies but to the well-being of man and nature
– and who wants to create added value with what is locally available. He is
one who uses his entrepreneurial spirit for creative and innovative solutions
for the “blue planet”. In addition, he translates his views and new business
models to children’s books and starts projects for pupils throughout the
world in order to arouse enthusiasm in the next generations for creative
entrepreneurship.
For more information on “The Blue Economy” and Gunter Pauli, please visit
Twitter@MyBlueEconomy or www.zeri.org and www.TheBlueEconomy.org
This current decade has spawned
numerous ideas for green technologies,
renewable energies and alternative
components. But what is lacking is
that, in many cases, the focus is only
on a single advantage and the effects
on the whole system are ignored.
Two examples: instead of chemical
substances, I switched to using soaps
based on palm oil, and wash balls with
soapnuts instead of detergent. In the
1990s I saw the consequences of my
well-intentioned actions: in order to
create plantations of oil palms, people
in Indonesia cut down large areas of
tropical rainforest which destroyed
the habitat of many animals forever.
In India and Bhutan, where people
washed their laundry traditionally with
the soapnuts, the population had to
switch to washing with their bare hands
or the cheaper chemical products from
abroad because the price of soapnuts
multiplied. When I became aware of
this development, I opted out immediately.
TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH
“I have learned how important
it is to include social and cultural
aspects in my projects.”
This is not as easy as it might seem,
as I will demonstrate with this example:
give a hungry person a fish, and he will
be satisfied for a day. But teach him
how to fish and he will…? And here
lies the mistake in thinking, because
he will fish more than he needs!
He will over-fish – until such a time
that there is a good circular flow
economy in which each person has
access to a cheap supply of what is
necessary and good.
On the basis of these ideas I have
sketched an exciting circular flow for
impoverished peasants in Columbia: of
the raw material produced in a coffee
harvest, only 99.8 per cent is actually
used. The coffee grounds, which are
considered waste, could be used for
the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms
– in preference to clearing oak forests
in China where these mushrooms are
currently cultivated. Shiitake cultivation
in Columbia would return a significantly
better yield to the peasants, and they
could send their children to school.
But the cycle continues: the mushrooms
would have the advantage of
removing the caffeine from the coffee
grounds so that this becomes suitable
as animal feed. In turn, the additional
feed would provide the peasants
with more milk and meat. This in turn
means that they are becoming more
self-reliant. Waste from the animals
could then also be fed into biogas
systems for the supply of energy.
I call this whole process “upcycling”.
Thinking practically
My projects are focused on practical
things such as razors made of environmentally
friendly silk from England
that is kind to the skin, Swedish cider
used for fire protection, roof panels
that capture water from the air, the
replacement of US-American adhesive
by the use of the laws of physics as
modelled by geckos, and various
projects on algae in Brazil which bind
CO 2
and become a freely available
nutritional supplement. My commercial
activities follow the example of natural
cycles, they create more work opportunities
and a clean environment.
Replacing what exists
“Where can I replace an existing
item with nothing?”
…is the key question I ask. Let me
explain by giving an example: an
American student had the idea to
replace sensor batteries with a freeof-charge
source of energy, i.e. the
force of gravity, and thereby save
1.5 billion sensor batteries per year.
This proposal was blocked in both
America and Europe as the authorities
requested market analysis and numerous
studies before they were willing
to even talk about the project.
By contrast, it took the Chinese just
a few hours to build this innovation.
The wisdom of nature
“I am very interested in creating
more flexible boundary conditions
and in modifying the laws of
commerce.”
I do away with waste and emissions
worldwide. My foundation called ZERI
– Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives
– has acquired the reputation of
an innovator for business models and
as a member of the Club of Rome, I
created my “Blue Economy” concept in
2009. In it, I introduce 100 innovative
system-based projects which create
the basis for creative entrepreneurship
– far removed from any licence fees.
Because companies which create many
jobs worldwide should serve the “blue
planet”. Some of these innovations are
inspired by ecosystems: climate systems
modelled on termites or ball bearings
modelled on the friction of a salamander.
Methodically refined and matured
systems make waste into the raw
material for new products. Anybody is
free to dip into this pool. For example,
individuals are quite likely to obtain
the coffee grounds produced in coffee
houses free of charge, which they can
then use for the shiitake cultivation as
described above. The challenge is to
have the courage to be an entrepreneur!
There are solutions and innovations
both for industry and for small
and medium sized entrepreneurs. The
implementation of these free patents
makes it possible to construct our
future with care for the environment.
Start with the young
One of my special concerns is to
introduce children and young adults
to the systemic elegance of our earth.
I would like to convey to them, from a
young age, an understanding of the
way in which nature works. They are
bound to be curious and, in their playful
and creative manner, may show us new
solutions. We need to establish a new
way of teaching which engenders the
spirit of the researcher and entrepreneur
in young people. Because it is
children who will determine tomorrow’s
world. They will only be able to create
a planet worth living on if they have
the creative means. In this context, it is
hardly surprising that I spend much of
my time writing children’s books. My
fairytales and fables convey an insight,
in a playful way, into the way nature
works and engender a longing to
become heroes of the “blue planet”.
Announcement
The Rhomberg Blue Economy
Award will be organised for the
first time in the spring of 2013.
This award aims to provide
financial support and start-up
aid to business ideas that are
based on the idea of the “Blue
Economy”. More information in
the next edition.
4 NEW DIMENSIONS | blue economy
blue economy | NEW DIMENSIONS
5

Sustainable
demonstration projects
based on teamwork
Rhomberg Bau is an all-round
supplier of superior, high-quality
property development projects.
A new residential quarter with a total area of 10,000 m 2
is being created at the Michelsberg in Ulm.
The new residential quarter with 110 apartments
is a significant contribution to the housing
market in Ulm’s inner city.
HIGHLY POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREA
at Michelsberg, Ulm
An attractive residential development comprising nine
different buildings with two to five storeys is being
created in a central location between the Ulm inner city
and Michelsberg. The project is being carried out by
Rhomberg Bau and Immobilienwerkstatt to designs
by Mühlich, Fink and Partners, architects. There will
be 110 two to five room apartments, all with attractive
balconies, loggias or terraces – and some providing a
view of Ulm cathedral.
www.wohnen-am-michelsberg.de
Martin Summer
Peter Greußing
In this interview, Managing Directors Martin Summer and Peter Greußing
report on successful projects, their understanding of sustainable construction
and their marketing strategy.
What are the most important criteria
of Rhomberg Bau’s success?
Martin Summer: Top customer service,
reliability, partnership, competence, our
sustainable approach in thought and
action, and being prepared to always
give our best. But another important
basis of our success is the fact that
our departments support each other,
our staff undergo continuous training
and we always question our processes,
again and again, with a view to a
more professional approach.
Peter Greußing: We see ourselves as
an all-round supplier in the construction
sector, covering the entire depth of
value-creation process. Our customers
appreciate top-class service, which in
our case covers the entire life-cycle of
a building. From the original concept
to project development, through to
construction and the management,
leasing and operation of the property.
Thinking in terms of sustainability
and life-cycles is currently high on
the agenda. How does Rhomberg
Bau deal with that?
Martin Summer: We keep an eye on
the level of operating and follow-up
costs, and the longevity, of our property
projects right from the design stage.
Decisions throughout the development
phase are made and assessed under
the aspect of sustainability.
Peter Greußing: And before we start
construction, we study the entire
life-cycle of a building. We take into
account ecological, economic and
social aspects in order to ensure that
the buildings created are attractive to
occupants, users and investors and
are compatible with the environment.
Which of last year’s projects
best reflects Rhomberg Bau’s
philosophy?
Peter Greußing: A prime example is
the change of use and refurbishment
of the Luger-Areal site in Dornbirn.
Various departments cooperated
excellently on this project and have
provided a compelling result. Starting
with the cooperation of Project Development
with the Housing team through
to the implementation by our colleagues
in the General Contractor department,
together with our own Construction and
Civil Engineering teams, through to
leasing, administration and facility
management by our FM department
and vplus.
What market areas does Rhomberg
Bau operate in and target?
Peter Greußing: Obviously all our
business fields fully concentrate on
our domestic market in Vorarlberg.
In this market we offer the full range
of services to our customers. Beyond
that, the marketing radius of our
different business fields varies to
a degree. In addition to Vorarlberg,
our general contracting arm focuses
on southern Germany, Vienna and
other urban centres in Austria. From
our branch in St. Gallen we also carry
out marketing throughout Switzerland
in the fields of general contracting
and refurbishment.
Martin Summer: In project and
site development we are active in
Vorarlberg and all over Austria, with
a focus on Vienna, and in southern
Germany. We intend to increase our
activities in southern Germany and
around Vienna as well as maintaining
our focus on our home market.
Likewise, we want to seize on growth
opportunities throughout Austria.
We feel that, with our high-quality
projects, we are an attractive partner
for investors.
www.rhombergbau.at
Rhomberg Bau gmbh
Managing Directors Peter Greußing and
Martin Summer
Authorised signatories in
the Management Team Jürgen Jussel,
Gerhard Vonbank, Dietmar Oprießnig
Rhomberg Bau AG (Switzerland)
Management: Marcel Maier and Peter Greußing
Workforce, Bau 2011/12 439
Turnover, Bau 2011/12 EUR 181 million
The new
Luger-Areal site
offers a total floor
area of about
4,200 m 2 .
Revitalised residential quality
Residential and commercial premises at the Luger-Areal site, Dornbirn
The Luger residential and commercial building, dating from the year 1911, has now been
carefully refurbished. The property has been turned into 38 new residential units and six
high-quality commercial premises in a top location. After a construction period of only 21
months, the former furniture store in the centre of Dornbirn has been given a new lease of life.
This traditional property was formally opened at the beginning of June 2012. All apartments
have already been handed over to their new owners, and the commercial premises Ulla Popken
(ladies’ fashions) and Brennet AG (shirts and underwear) have opened their doors. With the
preservation and re-design of the Luger-Areal, Rhomberg Bau has made an important contribution
to the revitalisation and improvement of Dornbirn’s inner city. By recycling demolition
material it has been possible to save many tonnes of resources as part of the construction.
6 NEW DIMENSIONS | Rhomberg Bau
rhomberg bau | NEW DIMENSIONS
7

Before
refurbishment
Conversion & modernisation
Time does not stand still.
But a building does.
The refurbishment of a building heralds a
new life-cycle, something that Rhomberg
Bau considers right from the beginning.
Existing spaces are viewed from a new
perspective and existing qualities are
used to provide new solutions. Keeping
subsequent costs low is a way of securing
the value of the building for many
decades. Our activities in “Conversion
& Modernisation” cover refurbishment
and restoration through to conversions
and extensions, including upgrades to
roofs, facades and services installations
for better thermal performance. Recent
examples are the refurbishment of
the Harderstrasse residential site in
Lauterach, the office building of Fries in
Sulz and the roof refurbishment and PV
installation for Huber Tricot in Mäder.
Services offered by
Conversion & Modernisation
• Refurbishment concepts
• Advice on public funding
• Total refurbishment of residential premises
• Conversion of business premises and
changes of use
• Modernisation/revitalisation of interiors
• Facade, balcony and roof refurbishment
• Conversions and extensions
• Repairs
Daniel Mohr has
been in charge of
the “Conversion
& Modernisation”
division since
autumn 2012.
After refurbishment
Improving
residential
quality, lowering
energy
and operating
costs: the refurbishment
of the
Harderstrasse
residential
development in
Lauterach was
successfully
completed in
2012.
The technical
service
organisation,
TÜV Süd, is
monitoring the
construction
of the Novum
16 residential
development in
Kempten with
regular quality
inspections.
“The current situation in the Housing division is
very satisfactory. All apartments in the completed
residential developments have already been sold
and the refurbishment of the Luger site in Dornbirn
has been successfully completed. New projects
are planned in Bregenz, Hard, Lochau, Schwarzach and Dornbirn.”
Katharina Fuchs, Manager of Housing
Tel. 05574 403-362
katharina.fuchs@rhombergbau.at
www.rhombergbau.at
Energy-efficient construction
Novum 16, Kempten
A particularly energy-efficient residential
development is being created in a central
position in Kempten, Allgäu as a “KfW-
Effizienzhaus 55”. Generously proportioned
rooms in apartments ranging from 61 to
142 m 2 provide the flexible life styles of
the various user age groups.
www.novum16.de
An exclusive
development of
small apartments
above the Inn
Valley in Tyrol
offering superior
residential quality.
LIVING where others spend their holidays
Am Ullwald, Innsbruck-Igls
On the Mittelgebirge plateau above Innsbruck an exclusive development
of small apartments, “Am Ullwald”, will enter its construction phase in
autumn 2013. Two buildings with twelve generously proportioned apartments
each will offer a fantastic living experience: floor-to-ceiling windows
with a sun-drenched southerly orientation provide magnificent views.
Extensive gardens with terraces, or sunny balconies form a link between
the interior and nature. The Innsbruck city centre is only five kilometres
away and the village centre of Igls only a few minutes. The leisure facilities
are outstanding: well-kept rambling and cycling paths, golf courses, lakes
and skiing areas are all within easy reach.
WE ARE SEEKING
BUILDING PLOTS.
Your plot could be the site for valuable housing.
For sustainably built forward-looking residential projects by Rhomberg.
Please talk to Katharina Fuchs and benefit from our bona fide approach
and fairness.
RHOMBERG BAU
In the
Nollenhorn
project in
Switzerland, for
the first time,
apartments will
be available for
both rent and
sale in the one
building.
“We were able to achieve continuous
growth in Switzerland in 2012. We were
successful both in competitions and in
project development. I put this down to
our efforts in the past aimed at being a
reliable partner to our customers.” Marcel Maier,
Managing Director of Rhomberg Bau AG Switzerland
Modern living
Solitar residential and
business premises, Aarau
Attractive commercial premises and 14 apartments for sale
offering between 70 and 140 square metres of living space,
including two penthouse apartments with roof terraces were
created in the midst of a beautiful site with old, existing trees
in Aarau’s city centre. In its architectural aspect, the project
features a modern facade with fair-faced concrete, generous
The highlight of the
Solitar project are
the two penthouse
apartments.
Sustainable construction
New projects by Rhomberg Bau AG
Switzerland
Rhomberg Bau AG focuses strategically on
the German-speaking part of Switzerland
and is seeking project development partners
in the private and institutional sectors.
Under the management of Siegfried Frank,
the team plans and develops forward-looking
and marketable projects which are built to
sustainability principles and thus provide
investors with long-term benefit. In each
phase of the project, economic, ecological
and social aspects are taken into account,
and the building is considered over its entire
life-cycle. This involves a far wider approach
to thinking, including the choice of location
and use concept. Projects are rounded off
with sophisticated architectural designs which
are in keeping with the urban environment.
This also applies to the Nollenhorn building
complex in the canton of St. Gallen. The
project will provide 22 apartments for rent
and seven for owner occupation, on a site
area of 3,300 m 2 .
window fronts and a clear linear structure. The building
specification includes the Minergie ® standard, with the
services comprising a ground source heat pump system
with a ground loop and buffer storage, and artificial ventilation
with heat recovery. The materials for construction
were selected using quality and sustainability criteria.
All apartments were already sold when construction
started and were occupied in July 2012.
Exclusive and near the centre
Housing at Ardetzenbergstrasse, Feldkirch
Top quality housing is being built at Ardetzenbergstrasse in the immediate
proximity of Feldkirch’s historic town centre. Spread over three buildings, the
project will offer two-, three- and four-room apartments as well as generous
penthouse apartments with terraces. The ground floor apartments will have large,
private gardens. The sale of the property started at the end of October 2012.
Thanks to its exclusive location and the outstanding public transport connections,
the project attracted the interest of numerous investors.
Housing in Feldkirch’s upmarket residential
area in the direct vicinity of the Ardetzenberg
8 NEW DIMENSIONS | Rhomberg Bau
local recreation area.
Rhomberg Bau | NEW DIMENSIONS
9

Project development
at EXPO Real
Joachim Nägele reports on his visit
to the exhibition in Munich and the
future of project development at
Rhomberg
Joachim Nägele,
Head of Project Development,
Rhomberg Bau
EXPO Real is the largest property exhibition
in the German-speaking region. Where does
Rhomberg, as a company from Vorarlberg,
feature in the scale of things?
Compared to the international competition, we
are obviously a “smaller player”. However, our highquality
and sustainable approach to building is very
noticeable even on this large stage, and with larger
projects such as that at the Vienna main railway
station, we are currently raising the international
profile of Rhomberg. Generally speaking, the
EXPO Real exhibition is used by market participants
to get to know each other and exchange
ideas. It is therefore the ideal place to present
our two hotel projects in Vienna – in Storchengasse
and at the main railway station – and to
introduce them to potential investors.
Vienna main railway station is one of the
largest construction sites in Europe. What is
Rhomberg’s role in the overall project?
This construction site is about much more than
just a new railway station. The overall project
involves the development of an entire city quarter,
with a footprint area of 109 hectares. We are
responsible for the overall coordination, urban
development and construction of hotels, offices
and housing with underground car parking on
two sites. Another of our projects in the capital
is nearing completion: Hotel Storchengasse will
start taking reservations from March 2013.
Rhomberg Bau and over 38,000 participants used the exhibition
as a platform for extending their international networks.
Over 1,700 exhibitors from 31 countries took part in
the EXPO Real exhibition at the beginning of October
2012. Rhomberg took a stand at the largest international
trade exhibition for commercial property and
investment in the German-speaking region, which took
place for the 15 th time.
Project Development focuses on commercial
projects as well as numerous residential
developments in the west of Austria and
Southern Germany. Are there any hilights
you would mention?
Back in the spring of 2012, we opened western
Austria’s first office building with an ÖGNI Gold
certificate in Dornbirn – the QUADRA I DO –
and very soon after, in June, we celebrated the
completion of the new Luger site. We are developing
another special project in western Austria in
cooperation with a partner in Igls, near Innsbruck.
There, we will be building a very exclusive residential
development in a holiday location.
In Southern Germany we are involved in some
very attractive housing projects in Ulm, Kempten
and Friedrichshafen. A very unusual project was
the housing development at the yacht harbour in
Lindau, which has now been completed and fully
sold. Owing to the complexity of the project, we
have published an architectural book which highlights
all the interesting aspects of this project.
How do you see the future in Project
Development, where is Rhomberg headed?
What is exciting is that housing in Vorarlberg,
Southern Germany and Vienna is still viable.
Because investors still have a preference for
housing, perhaps also for psychological reasons:
if an apartment can’t be let, they can use it
themselves.
Safe investments, and maintaining
the value of your property
In order to safeguard the use value and financial value of a property over
the long term, it is necessary to look after it with active management.
As a professional facility management organisation, vplus takes care of
numerous tasks ranging from refurbishment, including applications for
public funds, to advising on construction law and rental and property
law at state, federal and EU level.
Customer website content
• Key property data
• Overview of accounts
(ongoing operating costs)
• Documents (digital document archive)
• Notice board (current information
and announcements)
• vplus contacts
Since about 80 per cent of the life-cycle costs of buildings
arise during their use phase, forward-looking management
of property is an important means for ensuring that costs
are kept to a minimum. vplus GmbH is a partly-owned
subsidiary of the Rhomberg Group and has been managing
properties throughout western Austria for many years.
Expertly trained and motivated staff, five qualified realestate
trustees as well as trained plumbers, electricians
and construction technicians are the core team involved
in facility management with the aim of securing the
long-term value of buildings.
Continually changing conditions present a challenge to
facility managers and have changed the professional remit
over recent years: facility management now has to take
into account guidelines and laws relating to refurbishment,
public funding, construction and the rental and ownership
of property – at state, federal, and even EU level.
“We are aiming to provide safe investments and innovative
cooperation,” comments Andreas Karg in relation to the new
online customer portal. “The password-protected website is
a personal information platform for each apartment owner.
Customers are able to easily download minutes, resolutions
and other documents, or can inform themselves on current
operating costs or payments. Customers are informed about
the latest legislation and tips on refurbishment and energy
conservation – because we would like our customers to be
informed at an early stage – before a response is necessary.”
www.vplus.at
With its new website, vplus
comes one step closer to the
paperless office. Customers
will be sent their personal
user data in response to an
email sent to info@vplus.at.
10 NEW DIMENSIONS | Rhomberg Bau
Rhomberg Bau | NEW DIMENSIONS
11

What is your fascination with CREE?
In my previous job I was developing
comprehensive transport solutions for
inner city situations. There is an important
social contribution in both that
activity and the current one: it is not
just a question of building yet another
building, but constructing with awareness
and being clear about what using
less resources actually means.
What advantages do system building
and serial production offer?
I see three important aspects: Vorarlberg
benefits from a very high standard of
craftmanship. Prefabrication at a factory
provides the opportunity to export
this quality in system building to less
developed countries. Another aspect is
that costs can be more reliably estimated
– industrial processes are much
easier to control than the construction
of prototypes on site. Furthermore,
system building helps when it comes to
the approval procedure, which can be
very costly especially in view of different
In November 2012, Doris Bures, Federal
Minister for Transport Innovation and Technology,
and Hubert Rhomberg opened the first Life-
Cycle Tower, LCT ONE, in Dornbirn, Austria.
Focus on system building
Interview with CREE’s new Managing
Director, Stephan Wabnegger
“CREE’s focus is on the careful use of resources,
including time. We achieve this through system building.”
Stephan Wabnegger responds to the challenge of
explaining system building.
approaches being taken by different
municipal authorities.
Where do you see market
opportunities and what is your
approach to managing these?
In the first phase we concentrate on
those customers that recognise the
added value offered by CREE. We have
received a number of awards and now
we would like some orders. Both the
product and the region are important
in terms of practical implementation.
With the construction of the LCT ONE
and the Illwerke Centre in Montafon
we have demonstrated the buildability
of the product. The next task is to make
the system usable for hotels, housing
and commercial applications. I see good
opportunities in our core region around
Vorarlberg, since we are familiar with
the culture and can act in cooperation
with Rhomberg. Overseas markets are
attractive, but need local experience
when it comes to practical implementation.
Award
for CREE
The state and the Vorarlberg
Chamber of Commerce have
awarded the 2012 Innovation Prize
to seven Vorarlberg companies
for the development of innovative
products and processes. On behalf
of CREE, Hubert Rhomberg and
Michael Zangerl received the
award from Governor Wallner
in October 2012.
The natural change in urban architecture
INVENTED BY RHOMBERG
How do you view the future of
the former research project?
The construction of LCT ONE in Dornbirn
is the first step which is followed up
with the project for the Illwerke as the
second step. In October 2012 I was a
keynote speaker at the World Resources
Forum (WRF) conference in Beijing.
We were the first and only company
able to present a systematic application
of the timber system construction idea
in multi-storey buildings.
What do you see as the next step?
The pioneering phase is now over.
CREE’s team has shown the system
works and created impressive market
awareness. I see my contribution as
being the creation of clear responsibilities,
the request for commitment and
obviously the commercial success of the
company. I think we owe that to Hubert
Rhomberg’s impressive vision. For now,
we will update the business plan, adjust
our internal organisation and present
this internally to CREE.
“I like the architecture
very much, but I was really
positively surprised
by the effectiveness
of the air conditioning
in LCT ONE: the air quality does not
deteriorate, even when there are several
people in the same office all day long.”
Herbert Koschier, Infeo
“We felt very comfortable
in the LCT ONE
right from the beginning
– all that wood
has a comforting
effect, it creates emotional warmth,
and at no time were we troubled by
unpleasant smells as is common in
new buildings.” Christian Häusle,
Wirkungsgrad Energiecontracting
Rocks with a history
A treasure trove for builders and geologists
At the Hohenems quarry, science and commerce meet. Both are interested in the particularly hard
and frost-proof glauconitic sandstone and the fossil treasures embedded in it. Through folds and
overthrusts, the old rock formation layers have come right to the surface and reveal the history of
60 million years of rock formation.
The chronicle of the quarry
In 1610 Count Kaspar von Hohenems
granted his valet the right to quarry
sharpening stones. About 200 years
later, the municipality opened the
quarry in its current location and
leased it out to the highest bidder at
five-year intervals. At the end of the
nineteenth century, the quarry became
significantly more important due to the
extensive works carried out to secure
the banks of the river Rhine. During
the World Wars, its caves were considered
a safe refuge from air raids and
were used for the production of war
vehicles; they were blown up in 1947
on the order of the French General
Directorate. In 1966 the quarry was
closed due to the heavy investment
required. Just four years later,
Rhomberg leased the entire quarry
site in order to cover the demand for
rock products in the construction of
the Wolfurt goods railway station.
From quarry to
resource centre
When the company took on the quarry,
the normal working procedures were
subject to serious safety issues.
Opening of the geology room
In time for the “Long Night of Museums” in October 2012,
the Vorarlberg Natural History Museum, Inatura, opened
a new geology room. The exhibits include finds from the
Hohenems quarry. The quarry is full of special geological
features and is often frequented by geological researchers;
it has yielded many historic finds from the ancient
world of animals and plants.
For an orderly and efficient quarry
process, it was urgently necessary to
repair the walls. So Rhomberg straightened
out the main wall and eliminated
any overhangs. Ten years after the
acqui sition, the entire breaker plant
was reconstructed and Austria’s
largest impact crusher was developed
for the production of asphalt aggregate.
Two years later the concrete
factory was modernised. In 1983 the
plant was completed with a washing
system for the production of concrete
aggregates. Today the Resource
Centre Rheintal not only quarries raw
material, but also processes material
brought to the facility for recycling.
A number of measures were implemented
to ensure that both the
environment and the resources are
treated in the best possible way:
for example, the quarrying method
was changed from vertical to horizontal,
which made deep-hole
explosion unnecessary. In order
to reduce HGV traffic, a railway
siding was constructed to the site.
Adapted snow cannons reduce the
generation of dust to a minimum.
www.rhombergrcr.at
Resource Centre Rheintal (RCR)
Formed in 1970
Operator Rhomberg Bregenz
Managing Director, Building and Resources
Peter Greußing
Products/services Quarrying for raw materials
(road construction, chippings, sand), armourstone
(flood defences), gabions, concrete (Express
Beton), recycling, landfill, building materials
supply, metal workshop, general workshop
“The Rhomberg
quarry is not only
an important commercial
asset in
Vorarlberg, but also
very interesting from an historic and
geological points of view. The new
geology room at Inatura Dornbirn
documents this with state-of-the-art
technology. I am pleased about the
successful cooperation.”
Stefan Rusch, Manager of the
Resource Centre Rheintal (RCR)
The geological specialities of Vorarlberg’s prehistoric origins are demonstrated
in a lively and tangible fashion in the “Lebensraum Gebirge”
exhibition at the Inatura Museum in Dornbirn, which uses state-of-theart
exhibition material and which has Rhomberg as its main sponsor.
12 NEW DIMENSIONS | Rhomberg Bau
Rhomberg Bau | NEW DIMENSIONS
13

Alpenrind chooses Goldbeck Rhomberg
A deep-freeze and production building is being constructed in Salzburg
Advisory Board at Rhomberg
Seizing opportunities and correctly assessing risk
The Salzburg company, BVH Alpenrind,
has chosen Goldbeck Rhomberg for
the construction of its new deepfreeze
and production building. With
an overall floor area of 3,200 m², the
building will house production areas
with fast-freeze, refrigerated aging
and dispatch rooms, as well as the
associated office facilities. The new
production areas will be linked with
mobile racks and a box conveyor
system.
www.goldbeck-rhomberg.com
The construction of the new deep-freeze and production building complies with European food
standards and will be completed in January 2013. www.goldbeck-rhomberg.com
Dipl. Ing. Roland Jurecka and Kommerzialrat
Walter-Heinz Rhomberg assist the
Management of Rhomberg Holding in
an advisory capacity.
About two years ago the Rhomberg Group established an Advisory
Board consisting of Walter-Heinz Rhomberg and Roland Jurecka.
Its tasks and functions are similar to those of a supervisory board.
The Advisory Board is the link between the private Rhomberg
Foundation and the Management of Rhomberg Holding GmbH.
It monitors and approves company strategy and organisation, and
particularly important business transactions that require approval.
This include decisions on the Group budget including turnover and
profit plan, personnel, investment and financial planning, and large
projects or foreign activities with an increased risk factor.
New long-reach boom pump
Express Beton expands its range of pumps
Vehicle-mounted concrete pumps
are used to pump concrete quickly
and directly from the readymix vehicles
to the point of use. For this purpose,
Express Beton maintains pumps with
a reach of 24, 36 and 42 metres –
now extending to 46 metres with the
addition of a long-reach boom pump.
This concrete pump is currently the
largest in Vorarlberg and, due to its
flexible mast and pump configuration,
has an extremely large working range.
With this new addition to the pump
vehicle fleet, the company will be even
better equipped to respond to customer
requirements.
Major contract: the Pfänder tunnel
Refurbishment and construction with Express Beton
“Tunnel projects present
a big challenge
to concrete suppliers.
These projects are
technically demanding
and require a lot of time and personnel.”
Anita Helbig, authorised signatory,
Express Beton
All-rounder:
pump with 46 m reach and
5-section RZ-folding boom
• Capacity up to 160 m³/h
• Vertical reach 46 m
• Horizontal reach 39 m net
• Unfolding height 9.3 m
• Pipe diameter DN 125
• Swivel range 365°
• Outrigger pressure 27 t
• Outrigger width 9 m
for full support
• OSS support for a lateral
working area of 6.5 m
• Weight 36 t
The new construction of the second tunnel tube through
the Pfänder mountain is one of the largest contracts in
Express Beton’s company history. With the supply of
about 163,000 m 3 of concrete, the team was working
round the clock. The quantity of concrete needed for the
refurbishment of the existing Pfänder tube was less –
about 17,000 m 3 . In both contracts, the quality testing in
order to comply with standards required a lot of laboratory
input. Special thanks are due to the entire workforce,
as well as to our flexible and reliable partners, Bau-Truck
and Höfle.
The Management and Advisory Board meet several
times a year. The objective is to assess risks and
opportunities as best as possible, and thereby secure
the long-term existence of the company.
Risk managment – professional
handling of what is not known
How dependent is the company on important customers?
What happens when production fails, or a new
product is not accepted by the market? What are the
effects of inadequately delivered services by subcontractors?
These questions arise every day – but are
all too easily ignored, as we concentrate on results
and objectives. But it is definitely worthwhile to look
at these issues in good time. Opportunity and risk
management is a duty to be carried out by our managers.
We can sustainably achieve our goals and secure
jobs for the workforce only if we learn to handle risk
correctly. Generally speaking, risk may be associated
with unavoidable fate or personal responsibility, or a
combination of both. Danger can only be avoided if
we assume that we have at least some influence over
our future.
Murphy’s Law says “anything that can go wrong,
will go wrong!”, a law which has been the subject of
scientific study. In modern technology this slogan is
applied as an analytical measure for error-avoidance
strategies, and for the development of redundant
systems. In risk management, the term “risk” refers
to the totality of all possible negative and positive
deviations from the target, as well as risks and
opportunities. In project management we have to
deal professionally with a large number of unknown
variables, which is a typical aspect of the development
of projects. We have to ask ourselves: would we have
been in a position to avoid the occurrence of the event
of damage or loss? What is the extent of the loss?
What is the likelihood of the event of damage or loss
occurring? We speak about an unknown risk when
the damaging event could not have been foreseen
in any way from the point of view of those affected.
In this case there are only two avenues as a safeguard:
to insure oneself or to not carry out the business!
We speak of a consciously accepted risk when
the damaging event could have been foreseen from
the point of view of those affected. In this case, we
can establish suitable measures to counteract the risk,
and make provision for limiting any damage.
When do we have to act?
In risk management, the same principle applies as
in all management: it is important to be pro-active in
the face of any problems and issues, rather than to
wait and react to any negative developments. This
requires professional management accounting, quality
management, detailed analysis and assessment of
tasks, work procedures, time schedules, preparation
and framework conditions which affect all areas of the
company – from the managing director through to the
site manager. Where risk manifests in loss, it is often
the result of erroneous assessments and actions. In
order to avoid these, it is imperative that there is a
culture of openly admitting errors: “Let’s learn from
our mistakes!” is, according to Advisory Board member
Dipl. Ing. Roland Jurecka, the first step to successful
risk management.
14 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG GROUP RHOMBERG GROUP | NEW DIMENSIONS 15

The Owner Board of the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group (from left): Jürg Braunschweiler, Hubert Rhomberg, Konrad Schnyder and Ernst Thurnher.
Moving ahead together
Rhomberg Rail and the Sersa Group
At the InnoTrans 2012 exhibition, the merger of Rhomberg Rail with the Sersa Group met with a lot of interest.
InnoTrans Berlin 2012
The largest trade exhibition for the railway industry worldwide
rhomberg sersa rail group
Head offices Bregenz, Austria – Zurich,
Switzerland
Management Hubert Rhomberg, Konrad
Schnyder, Ernst Thurnher, Jürg Braunschweiler
Employees about 1,600
Locations Austria, Switzerland, Germany,
Great Britain, Holland, Turkey, Canada, Australia
Services
• Professional consulting
• Design and project management
• Design, construction and maintenance of
high-performance railway infrastructure,
particularly in the field of slab track
• Commercial and mechanical track construction,
standard and narrow gauge
• State-of-the-art plant and machinery
• Provision of specialist systems (patented track
alignment and measuring systems)
• Track welding and milling
• Restoration of railway tunnels
• Electrotechnical installations
• Transport, rolling stock
• Logistics services and contract labour
The preparations are in place: Rhomberg is now acting jointly with Sersa. This merger
has created Europe’s most comprehensive railway technology company. “We are
certain that this step is the right one for a long-term alignment of both companies,”
says Konrad Schnyder, CEO and owner of the Sersa Group.
Strengthening market
presence
As a comprehensive all-round supplier,
the new joint venture will clearly
strengthen its market presence in
the field of railway technology. “The
merger is a logical consequence in
our endeavour to position the railway
technology business on a broader international
footprint. The Sersa Group is
a family-owned company and for this
reason, and due to its geographical
proximity, it is culturally very similar to
ours,” emphasises Hubert Rhomberg,
CEO of the Rhomberg Group. There
will now be a total workforce of about
1,600 dealing with our customers’
orders – whether in commercial and
mechanical track construction, in the
project business, in electrotechnical
engineering, in the provision of measuring
and track alignment systems
or in specialist consulting. Staff at the
Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group consists of
numerous specialists with many years
of experience in railway technology.
Keeping the brands
successful
As the two companies will retain the
Rhomberg and Sersa brands, nothing
will change in the way projects are
handled for the longstanding customers
and partners of the two companies –
the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group stands
for top quality and delivery within
budget and deadlines.
www.rhombergrail.com
www.sersa-group.com
The international trade exhibition for transport
technology, InnoTrans, takes place in Berlin every
two years. The exhibition, which in September 2012
took place for the ninth time, was more popular
than ever before, attracting 2,515 exhibitors from
49 countries. Rhomberg Rail and the Sersa Group
again took part in this most important networking
forum for the railway industry worldwide. Both
exhibitors and visitors were full of praise for the
exhibition.
A total of 104 world firsts were presented by
companies at InnoTrans Berlin. Rhomberg Technologie
& Entwicklung GmbH presented the three
new systems IVES, RhoTAS G5 and V-TRAS (see
page 21). With the help of the extended range of
services, Rhomberg Rail, as all-round supplier, was
able to address new target groups at the exhibition.
First meeting
Rhomberg and Sersa get to know each other
A moderator and 42 participants from Switzerland, Austria,
Germany, Great Britain, Turkey and Holland meet in Switzerland.
During a team conference at the Rigi mountain, members
of staff of the two companies got to know each other. The
event was framed by statements by the owners and included
an entertaining programme. The desire for cooperation was
clearly and meaningfully communicated to the management
staff. The conference also provided an opportunity to ask
questions of the owners and to discuss the overall picture.
“Visitors were positively
surprised by the fact that
Rhomberg Bahntechnik has
expanded its portfolio in the
energy and telecommunications
sector, and is therefore now an interesting
partner for clients in the railway infrastructure
business.” Martin Maguolo, Head of
ATE consortium
“The exhibition is an ideal platform
for presenting a company
to the market and introducing
new products and services.
For Rhomberg Bahntechnik, it
is important to raise market awareness of the
company and to forge new business relationships
and learn about innovations.” Kai Ziegler,
Head of Rhomberg Bahntechnik, Oberhausen
“For the Energy Supply
division it was important to
forge contacts with manufacturers
in order to be able
to actually implement the
planned product range in the field of energy
supply to light railways.”
Markus Loef, Head of Energy Supply,
Rhomberg Bahntechnik
16 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG RAIL
RHOMBERG RAIL | NEW DIMENSIONS 17

The entire basic
infrastructure for the
Brenner Nord approach
line was handed over to
ÖBB in December 2012.
Milestone at the Brenner
Infrastructure installation at
the Brenner Nord approach line
With the Alptransit Brenner consortium,
Rhomberg and Alpine have achieved their
big aim: after three-and-a-half years of
intensive construction, the consortium was
able, as planned, to successfully hand over
the basic infrastructure – contract A1 –
for the railway line from Kundl/Radfeld to
Baumkirchen to the customer, ÖBB. The
systems were operational in the autumn of
2012 and inspection and maintenance of
all equipment was completed by December.
During the same period, the team finalised
the work on signal, telecommunication and
energy systems. In December, ÖBB was able
to complete the commissioning process, so
that operation on the Unterinntal line could
be started shortly after. In parallel, interim
operation was carried out along the line of
contract A2. In the three-and-a-half year
construction period, substantial quantities of
building materials were installed along the
A1 contract of the 41-kilometre section:
the Alptransit Brenner consortium installed
about 260,000 cubic metres of concrete.
The length of the slab track is 71 kilometres
and the overall track length 142 kilometres.
The cables and cable pipes installed add up
to a total length of about 1,100 kilometres.
In order to ensure the best possible residential
quality along the railway line, about
27,000 square metres of sound insulation
boards were erected. In addition, there were
43 services buildings, 44 ventilation systems,
14 pump systems and one extinguishing
water system with a 35-kilometre pipeline
with an internal diameter of 200 mm, three
wells and 17 measuring and control stations.
This construction site was a good example
of the versatility of Rhomberg Bau as an
all-round supplier of railway technology.
Contract A1: Brenner Nord
approach line
Client ÖBB Infrastruktur AG, Innsbruck
Contractors Alptransit Brenner consortium,
Rhomberg Bahntechnik GmbH, Alpine Bau GmbH
Contract value EUR 260 million
Construction period January 2009 to July 2012
Contract A2: Brenner Nord
approach line
Client ÖBB Infrastruktur AG, Innsbruck
Contractors Alptransit Brenner consortium, Rhomberg
Bahntechnik GmbH, Deutsche Bahnbau GmbH
Contract value EUR 40 million
Construction period January 2010 to July 2012
Flexible and extendable
The RK safetec systems
RK safetec GmbH is the most recent subsidiary of Rhomberg
Bahntechnik and emerged from the “Neue Unterinntalbahn”
project. Since 2011, RK safetec has been occupying itself
with temporary installations for large construction sites and
tunnel projects, as well as industrial applications. An important
milestone was the development of the ZOKA system
(ZOKA stands for access, localisation, communication and
alarm systems), which runs on an IP-based data network.
Currently, this system is being installed in a rescue tunnel
of the Reutherberg road tunnel in Baden-Württemberg,
Germany. RK safetec can cite numerous successes including
large projects such as the Brenner base tunnel with
exploration, drainage and access tunnels for the Sillschlucht
and Ahrental tunnel sections, and the Ampass entry tunnel.
For the restoration work at the Simplon tunnel between
Italy and Switzerland, a manual and web-based access
and localisation software application will be used which
has been programmed and implemented by RK safetec.
An interesting additional development was the task of providing
video monitoring for solar arrays in Parma province,
Italy, which was implemented by RK safetec. When movement
occurs in the arrays, images are sent via email, which
then activate the alarm system.
RK safetec’s systems are successfully
deployed in a number of projects.
09-3X DYNAMIC
Bahnbau Wels extends its existing tamping machine
Bahnbau Wels GmbH (BBW) has been providing a tamping service with integrated
dynamic track stabilisers for many years. This considerable success has prompted
BBW to invest further in this concept and to extend the 09-3X with a Dynamic trailer.
With this conversion, the company is combining the tried-and-tested three-sleeper
tamping with road bed stabilisation in one machine, in accordance with the Dynamic
concept. Equipped with a DRP measuring recorder, the 09-3X Dynamic makes a
contribution to the ongoing modernisation of the BBW machine fleet.
The 09-3X Dynamic
combines threesleeper
tamping with
roadbed stabilisation.
18 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG RAIL
RHOMBERG RAIL | NEW DIMENSIONS 19

Sersa UK Ltd. is
pleased to have
obtained contracts
from Northern Ireland
Railways and is
successfully signing
further contracts in
Northern Ireland.
New developments
Rhomberg Technologie & Entwicklung
presents three new systems
The development team of
Rhomberg Technologie &
Entwicklung (RTE) has been
expanding the competence profile
of the Rhomberg Rail Group in
the field of track systems since
2001. With its extensive knowhow,
RTE develops and optimises
complex systems for a number
of specialist disciplines. Three
new developments were completed
in time to be presented at
InnoTrans 2012: IVES, RhoTAS
G5 and V-TRAS.
Renewal and restoration
Sersa UK successful in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Railways has awarded two
important contracts for the line between Coleraine
and Derry, which cover the renewal and
restoration of the entire track section between
Castlerock and Derry. Improvement of the track
safety and renewal of the line have to be completed
during a nine-month closure period. Sersa
UK is supporting the contractors on both these
projects. With respect to track safety, Sersa will
supply and install the track infrastructure element.
This involves the removal, replacement
and welding of about 3,250 18-metre-long track
sections over fifty working shifts. A mobile flash
butt welding system will be used for the welding
work. In addition, Sersa will fit 40 mechanical insulated
Benkler joints which neutralise the tracks,
separate and reconnect the signals. The restoration
includes a number of different tasks such
as welding 2,220 tracks, neutralising the installed
track and the installation of the insulated joints,
as well as thermite welding.
IVES: Intelligent, versatile, efficient and solid
RhoTAS G5: Rhomberg Track Adjustment
System now in its fifth generation
V-TRAS: Versatile Transition System
Australia’s largest
railway goods
operator has faith
in Rhomberg Rail’s
expert knowledge.
A successful year
Maintenance of
38 railway yards
Pacific National is Australia’s largest
railway goods operator and sees
itself as a leading supplier of transport
services. In New South Wales and
the north of Victoria the company is
responsible for 38 railway yards, which
in total cover an area of 800,000
km 2 . The company has entered into a
contract with Rhomberg Rail Australia
for the maintenance of these facilities.
The service includes regular inspections,
a 24-hour emergency service,
technical advice, modernisation work
and preventive maintenance. During
the first year of the contract, the main
task was to survey the condition of
the railway yards and then to jointly
develop a rolling ten-year strategy for
the railway infrastructure. In this phase,
the PLASMA system was introduced.
This system, designed by Rhomberg
in-house, surveys the track geometry,
the data of which are then uploaded
to the Pacific National Asset Management
System where they are processed
further. In addition, Rhomberg
developed and implemented a number
of improvement measures for specific
railway yards and has also been active
in the expert assessment of derailments
along the main lines.
IVES slab track
The holistic slab track concept is
based on the analysis of the advantages
and disadvantages of different
tried-and-tested construction methods.
The IVES track consists of an (asphalt)
base layer, superimposed and dowelled
bracket-type support elements, track
fixing elements and track. The base
layer and support elements can be
installed accurately, and hence swiftly,
without having to match the final track
position. In the second step – similar to
the installation of single point supports
– the track grid is formed of track and
track fixing elements which are aligned
exactly and fixed into place by casting
fast-setting high-strength mortar into
special recesses of the support
elements.
Universal lift and position
system RhoTAS G5
The fifth generation of this lift and
position system can be used for the
installation of track systems with an in
situ concrete support layer, using the
top-down principle, and fulfils three
functions: exact and reliable formation
of the track grid by ensuring correct
gauge and transverse inclination of the
rails, precise positioning and holding of
the track grid in height, position and
cant, and the advantage of being able
to run vehicles along the track during
construction. The system’s advantage
is its compact and very stable construction
method and its flexibility to
suit different project requirements.
Universal V-TRAS
transition module
This universal module solves the
problem of the transition between
ballast roadbed and any type of slab
track in a comparatively simple way.
One end of the robust, ladder-shaped
steel construction rests on the end of
the slab track and the remainder is laid
floating in the ballast roadbed. This
structure supports a conventional track
grid consisting of concrete sleepers
and track. The V-TRAS transition
module is similar to a pontoon bridge
in its function: the end resting on the
slab track cannot shift relative to the
slab track. The remainder of the steel
structure is in accordance with the
ballast track installation.
“We presented our latest system developments IVES slab track, the RhoTAS G5
lift and position system and the V-TRAS universal transition module at InnoTrans
in September 2012 and were able to generate much interest. RhoTAS G5 has already
been scheduled for a new project. This means that we were able to reinforce
our position as an all-round supplier in railway technology. We now look forward
to more practical projects and the associated challenges.”
Stefan Knittel, Bahntechnik Management
20 NEW DIMENSIONS | Rhomberg RAIL
RHOMBERG RAIL | NEW DIMENSIONS
21

BLUE ECONOMY
Protecting the earth’s ecosystem and creating jobs at the same time –
or put another way: seeing our commercial actions always in an ecological,
social and cultural context – that is Gunter Paulis’ “Blue Economy” concept.
An economy based on success and consideration for a better future for our
children and grandchildren will work when we consider our actions holistically
and make good use of what we already have. The Rhomberg Group,
with all its business fields, members of staff and projects fully supports
this idea.
www.rhomberg.com