Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Gruner AG

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Industry
  
Engineers and planners

Founded
  
1862

Headquarters
  
Basel

Type
  
Joint-stock company

Gruner AG uploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthumbdd7

Key people
  
Thomas Ernst (President of the Board of Directors) Flavio Casanova, CEO

Number of employees
  
over 1000 employees (January 2016)

Subsidiaries
  
STUCKY Ltd., TLM Gruner AG, wepf ingenieure ag, Stucky SA

Gruner AG, with headquarters in Basel, is a Swiss engineering services company. It has 21 subsidiaries at 33 sites in Switzerland, Europe and International. The business activities include project development, general planning and consultancy tasks in building construction and infrastructure development, safety consulting, renovation, project management and controlling. The Gruner Group has over 1000 employees from over 50 different professions.

Contents

History

It was founded in 1862 by Carl Heinrich Gruner in Basel with a focus on water supply. He specialized in setting up gas stations and urban water utilities. The era of hydraulic engineering was started by Henry Eduard Gruner under the name of "Ingenieurbüro Dr. Gruner" in 1898. The next 40 years, the company was almost exclusively involved in the field of hydraulic engineering, hydropower plants and high dams worldwide. In the 1930s, his son, Edward Gruner drafted the idea of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which he published in 1947 in his essay titled "Journey through the Gotthard Base Tunnel." George Gruner, the grandson of the founder, joined the office in 1938. This marked the onset of civil engineering activities in construction works. In 1942 was the foundation of Ingenieurbüro Dr. HE Gruner + Sohn (Engineering Office). In 1948, the company was renamed to Gebrüder Gruner, following the death of their father, Henry. This was followed by civil engineering work. In 1950, transportation planning was included as a new business area. In 1970, the company was restructured into a corporation (Gruner AG). In 1974 was the establishment of the subsidiary, Gruneko AG, which focused on energy economics and covered the areas of facilities engineering and energy installations.

In 1979, Böhringer AG became part of the Gruner Group in the business areas of local and regional civil engineering, utilities and waste management. 1980 witnessed the establishment of the Environmental Division. The companies, Tausky Leu Müller, Heinzelmann AG and Uli Lippuner AG became members of the Gruner Group between 1985 and 1990. In 1992, the subsidiary, Lüem AG was founded. In 1993, Gruner + Partner GmbH was founded in Leipzig. In the year 2000 was the establishment of the General Planning and Safety Divisions. The subsidiary, Tausky Leu Mueller, Bauingenieure AG was renamed to Gruner AG Ingenieure und Planer (Consulting Engineers) in 2001. Frey Strub AG became a subsidiary of Heinzelmann AG in 2001. Heinzelmann AG was renamed to Gruner Ingenieure AG in 2005. Likewise, in 2005, Berchtold + Eicher Bauingenieure AG became a member of the Gruner Group. Roschi + Partner AG, operating in facilities engineering and energy consultancy, was integrated into the Gruner Group in 2006. The companies of the Wepf Group were merged with Gruner + Wepf Ingenieure AG, St. Gallen and Gruner + Wepf Ingenieure AG, Zurich in 2008. Similarly, Gruner GmbH was founded in Vienna to increase its presence in Austria. The engineering firm, H. Tanner became a subsidiary of Gruner AG Ingenieure AG in 2009. That same year, Gruner International Ltd. was established to enhance international business. Kiwi Systemingenieure und Berater AG became a member of the Gruner Group in 2011. With the founding of Gruner Peru S.A.C. in Lima, the Group gains its first foothold in Peru. In 2012 the Gruner Group celebrates 150 years in business. In 2013 Stucky SA is integrated into the Gruner Group. The two time-honoured companies have historical links: Alfred Stucky, who founded the engineering company bearing his name in 1926, worked at Gruner in Basel from 1917 to 1923, first as an assistant and later as head engineer and joint partner. In the same year Gruner establishes a company in Stuttgart for the provision of fire safety solutions: Gruner GmbH Stuttgart. In 2014 the member companies of the Gruner Group in locations all around the world all operate under the Gruner brand, with the exception of Stucky SA.

Core competencies

The Gruner Group offers a broad spectrum of expertise. Its core competencies are:

  1. Lead design, general planning: Gruner offers lead design and general planning services covering all aspects of structure, finishings, building services, plant facilities and external works for new-build, refurbishment and conversion projects.
  2. Structural design: In structural and civil engineering, including bridge design, Gruner delivers structures that blend harmoniously with their surroundings. For maintenance and refurbishment planning, the company's specialists have the knowledge and skills to assist its clients with structural preservation and value-adding measures. On cement-sector development projects, the Gruner Group advises its clients from the early design stages (strategic planning, feasibility studies) in all constructional and geotechnical matters, and provides support throughout design and construction.
  3. Infrastructure: The Gruner Group develops tailored solutions that achieve sustainable quality and performance. For transport infrastructure projects, its services range from preliminary and feasibility studies to project implementation and support in maintenance and refurbishment – always with the aim of striking an optimum balance between public and private transportation. The Gruner Group also assumes lead or project management responsibility and offers client support on tunnel, hydraulic and other civil engineering projects.
  4. Energy systems, pipeline engineering: The Gruner Group's product portfolio comprises technical consultancy, design, project and site supervision for hydropower plants, geothermal energy use, and energy systems, transmission and distribution. The application of renewable energies (geothermal, biomass, hydropower and solar) is one particular focus and the subject of ongoing research. The services offered by Gruner's specialists range from feasibility studies to the construction of new systems, performance enhancement and refurbishment.
  5. Building services: The seamless integration of building services installations into the architectural and structural design concept is one of the core tasks of Gruner's M&E specialists. Through its strategic focus on the sustainability and energy efficiency of buildings, the Gruner Group seeks to ease the burden on the environment and achieve energy savings.
  6. Environment: Given that all projects have implications for society and the environment, the Gruner Group prioritizes safety, responsibility and environmental compatibility in all its design work.
  7. Safety, security: Gruner's wealth of experience, methodological expertise and unwavering commitment enable it to deliver enduring solutions to safety and security issues, whether for ad-hoc commissions or major projects (building construction and civil engineering, including tunneling).

Companies of the Gruner Group

  • Gruner Berchtold Eicher (Zug)
  • Gruner Böhringer AG (Oberwil BL)
  • Gruner GmbH,(Vienna, Austria)
  • Gruner GmbH (Leipzig, Germany)
  • Gruner GmbH, Köln (Germany)
  • Gruner Gmbh, Stuttgart (Germany)
  • Gruner Gruneko AG(Basel)
  • Gruner Ingenieure AG (Brugg)
  • Gruner Kiwi AG (Dübendorf)
  • Gruner Ltd (Basel)
  • Gruner Ltd International (Basel)
  • Gruner Lüem AG(Basel)
  • Gruner Peru S.A.C. (Lima, Peru)
  • Gruner Roschi AG (Köniz BE)
  • Gruner Wepf AG, St. Gallen (Switzerland)
  • Gruner Wepf AG, Zurich (Switzerland)
  • Stucky Asia (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Stucky Balkans d.o.o. (Belgrade, Serbia)
  • Stucky Caucasus (Tbilisi, Georgia)
  • Stucky Ltd (Renens VD)
  • Stucky Teknik Eng. & Cons. Comp. Ltd (Ankara, Turkey)
  • Sites

  • Switzerland: Aarau, Appenzell, Arbon, Basel, Bern, Brugg, Buchs SG, Degersheim, Dübendorf, Flawil, Grabs, Martigny, Oberwil BL, Olten, Renens VD, Rickenbach bei Wil, Rodersdorf, Solothurn, Stein, St. Gallen, Teufen AR, Wil SG, Zug, Zurich
  • Europe/International: Ankara (TR), Bangkok (TH), Belgrade (SR), Cologne (D), Leipzig (D), Lima (PE), Tbilisi (GE), Vienna (A)
  • Projects

  • Montsalvens arch dam, 1920
  • Rheinkraftwerk Albbruck-Dogern, 1933/2009
  • EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, 1949/1969
  • Aswan high dam, 1952
  • Konar dam, India, 1964
  • Ciba high-rise building, Basel, 1964
  • Waste incinerator (WI), Basel, 1967-1969
  • Bank for International Settlements - BIZ, Basel, 1976
  • Cement Factory Al Ain, UAE, 1978-1980
  • Laboratory building, Abu Dhabi, 1982
  • Schilthorn, 1988
  • Geothermal Riehen, 1988
  • Central heating plant, Basel, 1988/1989
  • Pradella power station, 1990
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Sissach, 1990-1994
  • Canton hospital Liestal, 1990-2002
  • Nordtangente highway, Basel, 1994
  • Gotthard Base Tunnel north, 1994-2010
  • Central railway parking Basel, 1995-1999
  • Chienberg tunnel, Sissach, 1996-2004
  • Rhine bridge Laufenburg, 2002-2004
  • Ultra-Brag AG, Basel, 2007-2009
  • Futuro, Liestal, 2007-2009
  • Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil, 2007/2011
  • West Zurich, 2008-2011
  • Prime Tower, Zurich, 2009/2010
  • New building of Basel Fair, 2010-2013
  • Muttsee dam, Glarner Alps, 2009-2015
  • The circle @ Zurich Airport, 2015-2018
  • Cambambe arch dam, Angola, 2013
  • Grosspeter Tower, Basel, 2013-2016
  • Children's Hospital Zurich, 2012-2021
  • References

    Gruner AG Wikipedia