Segunda etapa: el afianzamiento del estado omeya (s IX).

There is a trend towards internationalization in the construction industry. Borders have been opened within the European Union and considerable subsidies are flowing to the new member states. At the same time, ever more of our customers have international operations. We follow these customers as the need or opportunity arises. These trends present opportunities for Ballast Nedam abroad. On the other hand an increasing number of major European builders are trying their hand on the Dutch market. Large DBFM(O) contracts are interesting for these parties. A greater proportion of Dutch demand will be met by foreign parties.

Economic situation

First it was the banks, and now countries are in crisis. Various European member states are in the danger zone and are being downgraded by the credit rating agencies. A period of heavy government investment to avert the crisis has now been followed by a need for stringent spending cuts. Meanwhile, demand for sustainable and conventional energy, housing, employment, mobility and leisure facilities persists. There are therefore opportunities for new business cases, with projects based more on life-cycle thinking and financing components.

Raw materials market

There is much turbulence on the raw materials market. The demand from emerging economies such as China and India is leading to shortages of steel and other raw materials, and consequently to rising prices. Disturbances in the Middle East and rising demand are driving oil prices upwards. These trends present opportunities for recycling, secondary raw materials and alternative energy supplies in the Netherlands and elsewhere.

Population ageing

Rising prosperity, improved hygiene and better healthcare have greatly increased our life expectancy in recent decades. With the baby-boom generation set to retire over the next few years, a new phenomenon that awaits us is an inordinately large number of elderly people. This demographic group will need particular kinds of consumer goods, for example for leisure activities and healthcare, leading to shortages of the products concerned. The impact of population ageing on employment is the imminent retirement of many experienced employees, with the prospect of shortages of qualified workers. Climate change and air quality

The temperature of the earth has risen over the past century. Climate scientists point to emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂ as an important cause. Global warming has serious effects, such as rising sea levels and increased drought, or, conversely, precipitation, in certain areas. Governments are therefore adopting policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. The measures being introduced include energy saving and sustainable energy. The Dutch government’s preparations for the effects of more extreme weather, such as peaks in precipitation and river flow rates, also present opportunities. The rise of social media

As people find it easier to access Internet technology, many opportunities present themselves for giving form and content to social innovation. This trend will have a tangible impact sooner than many suspect. Innovation is always about doing things differently and better than before. Social media have much to offer in terms of smart and affordable collaboration, which is indeed what is happening. Social media bring people together and make information and knowledge more accessible.

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Market becoming more demand-driven

For players on the construction market like us, it can no longer be taken for granted that we can acquire positions by buying up land. We are obliged to generate construction volume and add value through other business models. These models have to start from the knowledge and experience we have brought to bear until now, and the return we have achieved with them. In this way success in the recent past enhances the probability of success in the future.

The demand-driven nature of the property market is attributable to a sharp fall in demand and high vacancy levels. This is a permanent change, which means that customer demand is paramount and property providers are obliged to adopt a more consumer- oriented approach. Opportunities arise in the redevelopment of office locations and in the maintenance and renovation market, where energy-efficiency is an important factor. Contract formation is a specialization in its own right

The investment budget will also remain low for the next few years, leading the government to put more contracts onto the market as Design, Build, (Finance,) Maintain, Operate (DB(F)MO) constructions. Similar opportunities exist for smaller contracts. An advantage of these contract forms is the possibility of optimizing projects over a larger part of the life cycle. Proposals for contracts of this kind are also being assessed more on variables such as sustainability, safety, community relations management and ease of access. These contracts involve higher transaction and bid costs, and greater risks, but also present more opportunities. Contract and risk management are becoming far more important and are now specializations in their own right, and vital for success in this market.

Industrialization

There are increasing opportunities in the industrialization of the building process. It is possible to manufacture products in controlled environments, which has efficiency and quality benefits. In the face of population ageing and a shrinking workforce, industrialization is a way of still meeting demand. Industrialization also has potential benefits in working conditions, with the prospect of fewer work-related lost-time incidents and less occupational disability.