YIT PRESENTED ITS PLANS FOR CENTRAL EUROPE TO MEDIA IN MUNICH

YIT CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE July 7, 2011 at 11:15


YIT CORPORATION               PRESS RELEASE        July 7, 2011 at 11:15

YIT PRESENTED ITS PLANS FOR CENTRAL EUROPE TO MEDIA IN MUNICH

YIT organized a Media Day on July 6, 2011 in Munich, Germany to present its plans for the Building Services Central Europe for the coming years. Juhani Pitkäkoski, President and CEO of the YIT Corporation, and Karl-Walter Schuster, President Building Services Central Europe, also outlined to the journalists the next steps for the company in the sustainable building sector. Guest speaker Jan Zak from ikl Facility Engineers based in Karlsruhe made a presentation in line with the Event’s topic “From Eco-Construction to GreenBuilding”.

Schuster gave a detailed account of the successful integration of the caverion Group into the Company for a firmer foothold in both the German and Polish market. As a result of this acquisition, in 2010 Central European building services saw an increase in revenue by just under 52 per cent to 550 million euros as the number of employees rose by 75 per cent to 3,770. The Company is seeking further growth in Central Europe also for the years to come – both organic and through further acquisitions.

The expanded portfolio will provide even more service. YIT Germany, with its own products and its own R & D department, will ensure energy efficiency and sustainable concepts in both the construction and operation of buildings. “We were one of the first to recognise the great importance of sustainable building. We have been GreenBuilding Endorsers and a member of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for years,” said Schuster. Real estate holders consider the integration of efficient building services engineering as the most important criterion in increasing sustainability. There is also a rising number of customers asking their facility managers for measures to reduce energy cost. At present there are no established standards relating to the sustainable operation of buildings. This is where the Central Europe President identifies good business chances and opportunities for his company. “Further strengthening our GreenBuilding excellence shall be our target for the years to come.”

Pitkäkoski confirmed his intention to further expand the YIT Group’s activities in the sector of building services in Central Europe. To this end, exchanging the know-how relating to energy-efficient solutions and GreenBuilding amongst the companies and branch offices based in the various countries can only be an advantage. In the past few years, the Finnish group has expanded its Building Services division intensively in Central Europe. Since the Company’s market entry in 2008 and following a further acquisition in 2010, it has become an established player in Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. “We are now generating about 15 per cent of our sales in that region - mainly in Germany,” said Pitkäkoski.

In the marketplaces of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Group is also represented with Construction Services, in addition to the Building Services division. An expansion into Poland is being investigated.

Today, the company presented itself in „the m.pire“ in Munich. From the 17th floor of the Skyline Tower, the journalists were able to enjoy a view of the city’s roofscape. In addition, they were also given details about the building services installations at a tour of the DGNB Gold-Certified Building. YIT Germany participated in the construction work with the trades ventilation, heating, refrigeration and electrical engineering as well as fire protection. Since the completion of the construction work in 2010, the company has been operating the building complex within its Facility Management. The technological systems used as well as the sustainable operation are a decisive contribution to the building’s low-energy status.

Attachments:
YIT’s presentations at the Media Day

 

YIT CORPORATION


Virva Salmivaara
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications

 

Distribution: Principal media, trade magazines, www.yitgroup.com

 

YIT is a leading European service company in building systems, construction services, and services for industry. We build, develop and maintain quality living environments in the Nordic countries, Central Europe, Russia and the Baltic countries. In 2010, YIT's revenue was approximately EUR 3.8 billion. The Group has nearly 26,000 employees. YIT's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.

YIT Building Services Central Europe is one of the four divisions of the YIT Group and provides services in the fields of technical building systems and operation of real estate. In Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania more than 3,700 employees generated a revenue of EUR 550 million in 2010.