INSIDE #122 : simplebooklet.com

ContentsEditoMILESTONES 04STRATEGY Our CEO shares his insights on 2024 06QHSEThe incident analysis process 12ENGINEERINGA conversation with BESIX’s geotechnical team 14SUSTAINABILITYNon-ﬁnancial reporting: Interview with Geert Aelbrecht 16PROJECTS BESIX and Valens build the future of RTBF (Belgium) 22Deep Maintenance and Modiﬁcation Facility (Australia) 24Dual contribution to sustainable ethane cracker (Belgium) 26Zayed City Schools PPP Augmentation (UAE) 28Jacques Delens at work on three major projects in the Peterbos neighbourhood (Belgium) 29BESIX Connect works on future-proof electricity grids (Belgium) 30INSIGHTThe Procurement department: Interview with Sylvain Sainton 31NEWSFLASHES 32PERSONALIA 33 NEW CONTRACTS 34Published byFlorence BribosiaWriters F. Bribosia, T. Dossogne, I. Buysse, C. Verloigne, S. Sainton, M. Sacré, J. Blond, A. Laroche, J. Morrison, E. Blaney, H. Van Laer, V. Obbiet, P. Kindt, P. de Truchis, P. Henee. Graphic Design & ProductionTiltfactory.comBESIX GroupAv. des Communautés 100B-1200 Brussels, BelgiumT +32 (0)2 402 62 11communication@BESIX.comwww.besix.comwww.linkedin.com/company/BESIX@BESIXOcial@BESIXGroup_ocialSTRATEGY Our CEO shares his insights on 2024ENGINEERINGA conversation with BESIX’s geotechnical teamPROJECTSDual contribution to sustainable ethane cracker06COVER STORY Celebrating women at BESIX08COVER STORY BESIX’s extensive expertise across industrial sectors181426Dear colleagues,I am particularly pleased to write these few words in this ﬁrst issue of INSIDE in 2025, after closing a year 2024 that was marked by so many successes and challenges met.Our ﬁnancial results have yet to be presented to the Board of Directors, but I would like to share with you the main messages summarizing our performance over the past year. In what remains a dicult political and economic climate, our various Business Lines have shown resilience and tenacity, to deliver positive results. I'd like to highlight two things in particular: ﬁrstly, public-private partnerships and the added value we bring to our clients through this type of contracts; secondly, the spectacular turnaround at BESIX Watpac after several dicult years.We took advantage of the celebration of International Women's Rights Day on 8 March to put our female colleagues in the spotlight in this issue. Whether they work on a project site, in our design oce or in a support function, we've given them the ﬂoor to share their experiences at BESIX and oer some advice.In another cover story, we discuss the expertise of BESIX and its subsidiaries in the industrial sector. The range of exciting projects our teams have worked on – or are still working on – shows just how broad our expertise is. Waste water treatment, data centres, nuclear sector installations, foundations or satellite factories – BESIX Group is present on all fronts!The diversity of our activities is also reﬂected in the magazine's articles dedicated to a number of current projects: the new headquarters of RTBF (Belgian radio and television broadcaster for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation), which will house no fewer than ﬁve television channels, six radio stations, a news service and a streaming platform; the maintenance site for military aircrafts for the Royal Australian Air Force in Adelaide, for which BESIX Watpac and its partners have proposed an optimised design; or, to mention just these three examples, an ethane cracker with unprecedented sustainable performance in Europe, in which Vanhout and Franki Foundations are participating for client INEOS Oleﬁns Belgium.Finally, in keeping with our habit of presenting high added-value skills and teams, we focus on the work of the BESIX geotechnical team, because soil investigation is the backbone of any construction project. We also asked Sylvain Sainton, our Chief Procurement Ocer, to explain the role of his teams in supporting our operational activities.I hope you enjoy reading this magazine!Pierre SironvalCEO of BESIX Group

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NOVEMBER 2024FEBRUARY 2025DECEMBER 2024JANUARY 202501Socogetra completes the reinforcement and maintenance works on 11 railway structures on the L162 railway line between Hatrival and Grupont (Belgium).02BESIX and Denys pour the ﬁrst concrete for the foundation slab at Holcim’s GO4ZERO project, while Franki Foundations reaches the mark of 1,000 piles installed. The project aims to produce up to 2.3 million tonnes of CO2-neutral cement annually by 2029 (Belgium). (read more on p. 20)03BESIX Unitec wins the Embuild Foundation Award for their support to non-proﬁt organisation De Gemeenschap in Sint-Niklaas (Belgium). (read more on p. 33)07Vanhout and its partner Mourik reach 3 million man-hours without lost-time incident at INEOS’ Project ONE site for an ethane cracker in Antwerp (Belgium). (read more on p. 26)06The Hyowind team pours the slab of the process building, involving 350 m³ of concrete. The project includes the construction of Belgium’s ﬁrst 25 MW renewable hydrogen production plant in Zeebrugge (Belgium).05The team working on the Port of NEOM development in Oxagon (Saudi Arabia) receives the Quality Award by the client, recognising its outstanding performance. Meanwhile, pile installation is fully underway. 09BESIX commercialises mobile installations to treating PFAS-contaminated groundwater. The innovative units are fully engineered by BESIX Unitec (Belgium).03Jacques Delens completes the renovation of 65 homes in Brussels’ Marolles neighbourhood (Belgium) for the Logement Bruxellois.04The façade of the new 9-storey St George Hospital building in Sydney (Australia) is unveiled after BESIX Watpac reached the highest point in December 2024. The project will provide state-of-the-art facilities, bringing together a range of ambulatory and outpatient services. 05BESIX NL and its partners of the TriAX joint venture pour the ﬁrst underwater concrete for the construction pit for four new movable bridges. The works are part of the reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer intersection in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). 06BESIX Watpac installs the ﬁnal modules of the steel superstructure of the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, using the largest crawler crane in the country. 06BESIX RED France, through its subsidiary Madeleine Properties, sells PURE - La Madeleine to Swiss Life Asset Managers France. This 8,000 m² oce building, designed to meet new work practices and environmental challenges, is set for delivery in mid-2027.10BESIX Group receives the SDG Pioneer Award as part of the CIFAL-UNITAR SDG Trajectory programme, highlighting our eorts in bringing the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our operations. (read more on p. 32)05The Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo (Egypt) is awarded the Highly Commended Award in the Worldwide Project of the Year category at the FIDIC Users’ Awards 2024.15The Kangaroo Point Bridge opens in Brisbane (Australia). This 460-metre-long cable-stayed pedestrian and cycle bridge provides a vital link between the city centre and Kangaroo Point peninsula.20The BRAVO4 consortium is awarded the European Infrastructure Deal of the Year by PFI, recognizing the innovative ﬁnancing structure applied to the R4 Ring Road project in Ghent (Belgium).2024-2025MILESTONES I. Buysse10The fourth edition of BESIX Radio takes place, connecting thousands of BESIX employees who tune into the 8-hour radio show ﬁlled with stories from across the Group. (read more on p. 33)06The BERERIX team working on the Rail Baltica Central Station in Riga (Latvia) is moving forward with track laying works to integrate the Baltic States in the European railway network. 22BESIX RED launches its ESG Advisory Board to assess, improve and guide its real estate projects according to the highest sustainability and ESG standards.29CAR-T achieves the prestigious LEED Gold Certiﬁcation under the new LEED v4 building standard. Vanhout built this new production facility and warehouse for cell therapy to treat cancer in Ghent (Belgium) in 2023. (read more on p. 21)17BESIX RED launches Matisse 16 Living, a residential project that combines sustainability, connectivity and modern urban living in Brussels (Belgium).23BESIX Group is recognized as Top Employer for the sixth consecutive year. (read more on p. 32)24Following the inundation of the ﬁrst Scheldt Tunnel element on Antwerp’s Left Bank, the COTU joint venture now breaches the old Scheldt dyke in preparation for the Scheldt Tunnel elements’ transport later this year. The Scheldt Tunnel is a crucial component of the Oosterweel link and will complete the Antwerp Ring Road.28The Guggenheim Museum team in Abu Dhabi (UAE) celebrates 35 million working hours without lost-time incident30Earthworks commence for the Ebel-Abanga bridge in Gabon. The new bridge is part of a broader project for two ﬂyovers and four footbridges in the capital, Libreville, of which one was inaugurated in December 2024.31The ﬁrst bottom ﬂab of the 1.4-kilometre cut-and-cover Nordhavn Tunnel is cast in Copenhagen (Denmark). 4 5INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122

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R4WO Ring RoadIn a nutshell, how would you summarise the year 2024 for BESIX Group?Pierre: I would say that last year has been marked by hard work, resilience, and shared victories. The political and economic context remains tough and unpredictable, so it is fair to say that we had to tackle some challenges. The fact that we closed the year slightly above our budgeted forecast and above last year is the tangible evidence of what is possible when we collaborate with purpose and determination.What can you already tell us about the Group’s ﬁnancial results?Our performance last year has been solid. BESIX Construction recorded a positive net result, showing signiﬁcant improvement compared to the past four years. Net income is expected to surpass 2023 levels, and our order book has nearly doubled, with improved tendered margins across all business units due to our strategic emphasis on net margin and quality over volume.Overall, the BESIX Aliates recorded a strong performance notably thanks to strong margins, despite adverse weather aecting a signiﬁcant part of their activities last year. With a well-ﬁlled order book and positive prospects for the future, our Aliates will once again collectively contribute to approximately one-third of the Group’s 2024 turnover.BESIX Invest has experienced a successful year, with major contracts including the start of works on the R4WO Ring Road (Ghent, Belgium); the ﬁnancial close and start of works on the state-of-the-art sludge treatment facility, also in Ghent; the ﬁnancial close for two PPPs in the ﬁeld of school infrastructure in the Middle East; and the contract to develop, build, ﬁnance, operate and maintain renewable energy facilities comprising wind, solar and ﬂoating solar PV projects at De Watergroep (the largest water company in Flanders, Belgium) sites.The real estate market remained challenging, shaped by economic uncertainty as well as increased construction costs and interest rates. Permit delays added further complexity, testing the resilience of our business model. Yet, BESIX RED continued to rise to the occasion, achieving signiﬁcant milestones across Europe while resisting better than many competitors.If you could choose only three achievements to summarize 2024 for BESIX Group, what would they be?If I had to pick only three, I would ﬁrstly mention our commitment to public-private partnerships (PPPs), which have once again demonstrated the signiﬁcant value we deliver to our clients. The ﬁnancial close of the PPP project of the R4WO Ring Road was an important milestone. In the Middle East, we have been involved in three PPPs in the ﬁeld of school infrastructure: we delivered the Zayed City Schools in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s ﬁrst PPP in this ﬁeld, to the client; and we reached the ﬁnancial close for the Khalifa University Accommodation, designed to provide high-quality student living facilities, and for the augmentation contract for the Zayed City Schools, which comprises the ﬁnancing and 18-year operation and maintenance of a new campus which will accommodate 3,380 students in Khalifa City. These are only a few examples of our unique combination of capabilities: equity investment, EPC expertise, and long-term O&M leadership.Secondly, our colleagues from BESIX Watpac can be proud of the remarkable turnaround of the business they have achieved after three challenging years. This was driven by four pillars: building strong, meaningful client relations; strengthened ties with key Tier 1 subcontractors; integration of design and works preparation; ﬁnally, the quality and dedication of the delivery teams. I really would like to congratulate our Australian colleagues for their strong, very positive results.Finally, I am very happy about the successful realignment of our governance model with our strategic objectives. At Group level, we have conﬁrmed our four Business Lines and our governing bodies. At activity level, we have notably created an Operational Committee led by COO Jan Van Steirteghem and two Deputy COOs, Jean-Pol Bouharmont and Mathieu Dechamps. The composition of the Aliates’ Board of Directors has also been reviewed. Sound governance is crucial to prepare BESIX Group fur the future.To conclude, what are your hopes and expectations for 2025?As we look ahead to 2025, we are encouraged by the strong pipeline of projects with healthy margins. However, we must remain vigilant in managing our cash ﬂow and addressing the remaining legacy issues. Finally, I would like to, once again, emphasize the importance of safety. Last year, despite improvements in many ﬁelds, we experienced two fatal accidents on our sites. Unfortunately we have started 2025 with a fatal accident in Tanzania, one fall, two major road accidents, and six incidents involving heavy duty equipment or falling objects. We must put an end to this trend without delay. We need everyone’s help to maintain a safe working environment, to ensure that everyone goes home safe, every day. Together, we can do this. As the Group's 2024 ﬁnancial results were not yet consolidated at the moment of writing these lines, we had a chat with our CEO Pierre Sironval to get an early glimpse into the successes and challenges that have deﬁned the past year. From the signiﬁcant turnaround in Australia to securing key PPPs and ﬁnetuning our governance, the Group has demonstrated resilience and innovation.STRATEGY T. DossogneIn 2025, let's maintain the same energy and commitment to excellence as last year.Pierre Sironval, CEO of BESIX Group7INSIDE Magazine #1226INSIDE Magazine #1222024 in review: Insights from Pierre Sironval

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In recent years, BESIX Group has committed to bridge the gender gap by increasing female representation within the company, particularly in project operations management roles. The results of this ambition are tangible: in 2024, women accounted for 23% of our new hires worldwide, this ﬁgure even reaching 43% in Belgium. Our BESIX Young Professional Days — recruitment events for graduates in Belgium — have also resulted in a nearly equal number of men and women hired in recent years.The celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March was the perfect opportunity to shine a light on our female workforce! Catriona Monoghan (AUSTRALIA)What’s your function at BESIX Watpac?I’m an HSE Manager for New South Wales. My responsibility is to ensure that all our activities meet the highest standards in terms of health, safety and environmental practices. What do you like the most about working at BESIX Watpac?BESIX Watpac genuinely values its people, and encourages an environment where collaboration, innovation and professional growth are central. It's inspiring to be part of a company that realises large-scale, complex projects while maintaining a strong emphasis on health, safety and the environment. Working alongside colleagues who share this commitment makes every achievement feel like a shared success.If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self when you started your career, what would it be?Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. These moments teach you the most. I’d also remind myself to be patient and trust the process. And to never underestimate the importance of communication and collaboration. Success in our sector relies on strong relationships and teamwork, so always strive to learn from others and share your knowledge generously.Karen Mourad (FRANCE)Tell us a bit more about what you do at BESIX.I’m currently providing support in ﬁnancial control at the Saint-Denis Pleyel station project in Paris. I also handle the following-up of some subcontractors. What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction sector?My father was a real estate investor and contractor in Lebanon, so I was introduced to the world of construction at a young age. I have always been fascinated by how engineering is not just about building structures, but also about problem-solving, logic and innovation. That curiosity led me to study civil engineering.What advice would you give to young women aspiring to join the industry?Don’t be intimated by its reputation as a male-dominated ﬁeld. Your skills, knowledge, and perspective are just as valuable. Be conﬁdent in your abilities, speak up, and never hesitate to take on challenges.What’s it like working in a male-dominated sector?It has its challenges, but it’s also very rewarding. The key is to focus on your contributions rather than any gender gap. The industry is really evolving and I’m proud to be part of this change.Celebrating women at BESIX COVER STORY I. Buysse8INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #1219INSIDE Magazine #1218

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Virginie François (BELGIUM)What’s your job at Franki Foundations?I work as a Pump Operator. This means that I'm handling the concrete pump during pile installation and testing the concrete before each pour.What motivates you in your daily work?I take pride in my responsibility as a woman in this ﬁeld. Being part of Franki Foundations has been a great opportunity. As a single mother, the journey hasn’t always been easy, but this job has allowed me to improve my quality of life while continuously learning and growing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Female power in TangaFinally, we spoke with Isabela, Angelina, Anneth and Nadhan, four proud women of the lifting team working on the Tanga Jetty project in Tanzania. Here’s what they had to say about their experience in our industry: AngelinaFor me, it’s a source of pride to show that we can do this job as well as our male colleagues. I’m happy that I can be an example to other women.IsabelaWomen shouldn’t be intimidated. Go for what you want. The goal is to work hard and excel in what you do. Your gender doesn’t deﬁne your capabilities.Bronte Neal (AUSTRALIA)What’s your role at BESIX Watpac?I’m a Contracts Administrator on the Woodford Youth Detention Centre project. My main responsibilities at this stage involve procuring and managing trades.What do you enjoy most about your work?I have a great rapport with my team and we work very well together. I also love that every day is dierent. This keeps things interesting and helps me to continuously learn and grow in my ﬁeld.What’s the best advice you were ever given?To widen my horizons and get actively involved on-site. Before entering the industry, I had little knowledge of construction processes. By spending time on-site and learning ﬁrsthand, I found that my understanding grew much faster.AnnethBESIX's commitment to inclusion and diversity creates a supportive environment. I really encourage other women to join. Have conﬁdence, work hard and never give up on your dreams.NadhanWorking as a woman in this industry can be challenging. However, if you build a strong foundation, prioritise safety and seek guidance from experienced pro-fessionals, it’s highly rewarding too! Bernice Africa (UAE)What do you do at BESIX?I’m a PPP Bid Manager at BESIX Middle East. My role involves preparing bids for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and, when we become the preferred bidder, managing the legal and ﬁnancial processes until we reach the ﬁnancial close and hand over the project to the project team to build and operate.What are you most proud of at BESIX?I was fortunate to lead the Khalifa University Accommodation PPP project just after joining BESIX. So I was involved from the very beginning in tendering through to signing the contracts and securing the funding in 2024. Also, the project holds great value for the client, helping to position them among the world’s top universities. Being part of something so impactful is truly rewarding.What advice would you give to young women aspiring to join the construction or engineering industry?Women often hold back, but our contributions are valuable. Don’t be afraid to sit at the table and trust yourself. What you bring to the table is far more important than your gender.Don’t be afraid to sit at the table and trust yourself. What you bring to the table is far more important than your gender.Bernice Africa, PPP Bid Manager, BESIX Middle EastCOVER STORY I. Buysse10INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #12211

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QHSE J. Blond & A. LarocheThe incident analysis process Reporting an incident when it occurs is the ﬁrst step. This may seem obvious, but it doesn't always translate into reality. Associated with the failure – and sometimes the guilt – of those involved, the negative perception of an incident can sometimes slow down the reporting process. It is therefore crucial to recognise its inestimable value. Even harmless incidents are opportunities to learn and to achieve our health and safety objectives.Once reported, and depending on the potential of the incident, we invest time and resources in investigating and analysing it. These analyses help to identify the root causes of incidents. When these are identiﬁed, corrective actions are deﬁned at dierent levels within the company. They apply to subcontractors, project teams and our risk management processes. At this point, the incident becomes an important source of improvement.How can I report an incident?Since the roll-out of the OASIS digital platform, designed to help us manage Quality, Environment, Health, Safety and Security risks, it could not be easier.Any employee with access to OASIS can report an incident they have witnessed. The people responsible will then be able to follow it up until the analysis and feedback are ﬁnalised.In 2024, OASIS was equipped with a new module, called ROX (‘Return On Experience’), which provides access to our library of feedback and best practices. The learning potential within our Group has increased considerably with the addition of this new module, which is part of our eorts to add value to our knowledge.How can you contribute?Would you like to contribute to an incident-free working environment? Nothing could be simpler:• If you witness an incident: report it to your manager, QHSE representative or simply on the OASIS platform if you have access to it.• If someone reports an incident to you: thank them and deﬁne the resources you want to use to analyse it. The higher the potential impact, the more advisable it is to invest time and resources in the analysis.Find out about feedback that might be relevant to your activities, and invest the eort to make personal improvements where you think it's important.Every day, we work to prevent accidents, suering, damage, ﬁnancial loss and sometimes even legal action. Our strategic approach is to apply our four fundamental safety principles every day and in all our processes: Be Safe, the Life Saving Rules, Subcontractor Engagement and the Management Safety Walks.Unfortunately, this is not always enough, and when incidents do occur, it is vital that we learn the causes and pass on the beneﬁts to our employees, partners, clients and subcontractors. Working in an incident-free environment: a learning processCARE IS AT OUR COREBE SAFEMANAGEMENT SAFETY WALKSLIFE SAVING RULESSUBCONTRACTOR ENGAGEMENTConsolidating our safety culture means learning from our mistakesThe maturity of our safety culture evolves every day as a function of our investment in the ﬁeld. Incident management and the way we deal with our mistakes are still characterised by an empirical approach which can make a signiﬁcant contribution to our objectives.Learning to identify the root causes of accidents and avoid repeating mistakes is the basis for positive collective responsibility. This state of mind shows that to err is human and that it's important both to dare to question ourselves and to improve our work processes. Today at BESIX, with the support of management, the perception of incident analysis has evolved towards a positive, guilt-free approach aimed at helping people to grow from these adverse events. We are counting on our collective eorts to pursue our goal of zero accidents on our construction sites. OASIS reaches major milestoneLaunched in 2024, BESIX’s solution OASIS brings all QHSE processes together on one single digital platform where risks, incidents, non-conformities, etc. can be recorded, managed and solved. On 2 February 2025 we reached the impressive milestone of 25,000 observations reported in OASIS! The 25,000th observation was reported by Muhammad Ayaz, HSE Inspector on the Aramco Stadium (Saudi Arabia). Thank you and congratulations to him, and to everyone else who has contributed to a safer worksite by using the platform!Muhammad Ayaz, HSE Inspector, BESIX Middle East.12 13INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122

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BESIX’s geotechnical team in Brussels, BelgiumBESIX’s geotechnical team in Dubai, UAEAt BESIX Engineering, our geotechnical team ensures every project, no matter how complex, has a solid foundation. We sat down with a few of their members in Brussels (Belgium) to shed light on their work. Their passion is palpable, as is the critical role they play in the company’s success."Geotechnics is everywhere," begins Hans Verbraken. "Whether it’s on land or under water, everything we build interacts with the ground." From the Mohammed VI Tower in Morocco, built on seismic ground requiring foundations to plunge 60 metres deep, to the A27 highway in the Netherlands, whose widening requires a carefully balanced interplay with civil works, geotechnics is a common thread running through every BESIX project.Involvement both in tenders and executionThe team’s work is a mix of science, risk management, and problem-solving. "Our role begins early, at the design phase," explains Hans. "We analyse soil data, run simulations, and identify risks before the ﬁrst machine hits the ground." This proactive approach helps BESIX anticipate challenges and propose solutions, as was the case in Saudi Arabia. "Our geotechnical team in Dubai (UAE) provided strong expertise on the Oxagon project," speciﬁes Christophe Mary-Rispal. "We conducted detailed geological studies and supported tender preparations with optimised quay wall design solutions. We carried out advanced simulations and resolved unforeseen soil challenges. Our robust designs contributed signiﬁcantly to risk mitigation."When you think of engineering marvels —skyscrapers, bridges, quays — you likely picture yourself structures above ground. But every one of these feats of engineering rests on something less visible but equally critical: the ground itself. Geotechnics, the study and application of earth sciences to engineering, is the unseen backbone of construction. Behind the groundwork: A conversation with BESIX’s geotechnical teamOf course, the team’s work doesn’t end once the design is approved. "Geotechnics isn’t just about starting a project; we’re involved all the way through," adds Maggie Palaiologou. "We’re on-site, providing guidance when things don’t go as planned. It’s a ﬁeld where the word ‘risk’ is omnipresent, and managing that risk is our primary mission." On the Nordhavn cut-and-cover tunnel in Copenhagen (Denmark), which runs partially under the port, the geotechnical team provided strong support during the tender phase. "But we’re also actively involved during execution," says Maggie. "We assist the site team in controlling signiﬁcant risks associated with deep and wide open excavations in the sea. The team also tackles the challenging task of driving sheet piles through sti glacial till and varying rock conditions — a complex challenge for us all!"Relationships with colleagues, peers, and clientsRisk management often requires delicate communication with clients. Geotechnical issues can sometimes be perceived as additional costs, but the team likens their role to that of a doctor explaining a diagnosis. "We hold up the mirror and present the facts. It’s up to the client to decide, but we ensure they have all the information needed to make an informed decision," adds Patrick Ganne.Internally, the geotechnical teams in Brussels and Dubai work closely together as well as with aliates such as BESIX Infra and Franki Foundations, encouraging a culture of knowledge sharing. "On a project basis, we exchange knowledge and look for opportunities for collaboration, such as in Portonave (Brazil), where experts from Franki Foundations brought additional expertise on-site," says Valerie Whenham. "This collaboration is incredibly valuable and boosts our eciency. Together we solved the client’s problem and even broke a record: we used the longest, strongest anchors ever!"BESIX geotechnical engineers are recognised by peers and academia alike, often lecturing at universities and contributing to global conversations on geotechnical advancements. This network of expertise builds conﬁdence both within the company and beyond.Take the Oosterweel project in Belgium, where BESIX Engineering coordinates multiple external design oces. "We act as the guarantor of consistency," explains Patrick Ganne. The trust placed in BESIX to oversee such a massive project is a nod to the team’s credibility and precision. "Our in-house design oce gives us an edge," notes one team member. "We have strong connections with experts in our sector, nationally and internationally, and with our colleagues in the Technical Oces during execution. This ensures that our designs are not only cutting-edge but also practical and grounded in reality."Dream job for a dream teamDespite the challenges, there’s a clear sense of pride among the team. "We’re always innovating, always expanding boundaries," they emphasise. So, what’s next for BESIX’s geotechnical engineers? "We want to continue pushing the envelope," they say. "Each project is a puzzle, and solving it is what drives us. We love passing on our knowledge as well," adds another team member. "We are a mix of super experts and younger proﬁles, who rotate in the team to build a basic but solid knowledge of geotechnics. As BESIX takes on very complex projects, it’s crucial to grow a team of dedicated geotechnical engineers. They aren’t easy to ﬁnd, but it’s a dream job! If you’re reading this, join us!". 14 15INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122ENGINEERING F. Bribosia

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Why is BESIX Group stepping up its sustainable development reporting?Geert: The Group has been publishing reports on its sustainable development activities since 2011, on a voluntary basis. However, new rules, known as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), were introduced by the European Union in 2023 and transposed into Belgian law in 2024. The EU is pushing large companies to go further by requiring them to communicate their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in a standardised way.Instead of just presenting ﬁnancial ﬁgures, we will have to clearly explain our impact on the environment, the way in which we treat our employees and how we contribute to society, based on speciﬁc performance indicators deﬁned by the EU. The Group's ﬁrst CSRD report will be the subject of an external audit in 2026.What will be the impact on Group entities outside Europe?Although the CSRD is a European directive, its impact is global, as the Group is required to submit consolidated reports. This means that the performance and initiatives of all our teams, wherever they are in the world, will be integrated into our sustainability report.In addition, Group entities outside Europe operate in markets that are increasingly focusing on ESG issues. Clients are increasingly asking their business partners to play an active part in this collective eort, and to prove it by performing well on sustainable KPIs.Who to contactFor each ESG pillar, a colleague is available to answer your questions about the Group's ambitions and action plan:• Environment: Bart De Bruyckere, QHSE Manager, BESIX• Social: Geert Aelbrecht, Chief People Ocer and Group Sustainability & ESG Ocer• Governance: Patrick Baeten, Secretary General of BESIX GroupA contact person has also been appointed in each Group entity.SUSTAINABILITY M. SacréNon-ﬁnancial reporting:our compass for a sustainable and prosperous businessWe go beyond traditional reporting. By working together, BESIX can make better environmental and social decisions, while seizing new sustainable business opportunities.Geert Aelbrecht, Chief People Ocer and Group Sustainability & ESG OcerGeert Aelbrecht, Chief People Ocer and Group Sustainability & ESG Ocer.How can employees contribute to this new approach to sustainability reporting?Everyone has an important role to play. You don't have to be an expert in non-ﬁnancial reporting to make a dierence. You can share ideas to improve operational eciency, develop opportunities for innovation and growth, get involved in community initiatives or help gather speciﬁc information or initiatives about what your team is doing. What has already been achieved and what's in store for this year?Since 2023, we have been laying the foundations for solid non-ﬁnancial reporting through rigorous work. By involving our employees and stakeholders through surveys and interviews, we have deﬁned our ESG priorities and assessed the risks, impacts and opportunities of our activities on the climate, and vice versa. This in-depth work has enabled us to draw up a clear action plan.We are making signiﬁcant strides for 2025. We will be working as a team across the Group to meet the deadline set by the European Commission for publishing our ﬁrst CSRD-compliant report in 2026. We will also put in place the tools and systems needed to measure our environmental, social and governance performance.At Group level, three teams will focus on the following priorities:1. Environment: reducing our carbon footprint (climate change). This is our greatest challenge. Indirect emissions data, for example, are dicult to collect.2. Social: managing our sta well (human rights, health and safety, diversity, training, etc.). Our initiatives in this area are already well advanced.3. Governance: ensuring the proper conduct of business (anti-corruption, etc.) We have already revised our ESG policies and launched the code of conduct course.16 17INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122BESIX Group has embarked on a strategic journey aimed at better assessing and enhancing its impact on society and the environment. To understand what this means for us, we spoke to Geert Aelbrecht, Chief People Ocer and Group Sustainability & ESG Ocer about the major regulatory changes that will transform the corporate landscape, both in Europe and internationally.

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Ajman Sewerage (ASPCL) (UAE)Our industrial projects cover numerous areas of expertise, and are often backed by an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) – to deliver maximum added value. This ensures transparency, ambitious expectations, and sound decision-making, and serves to expand our project portfolio. Water and sewage projects for environmental and social beneﬁtsIn the Middle East, sustainable water management is vital for the region’s future. BESIX has made a name for itself by delivering several technologically advanced water treatment and reuse facilities, which combine a positive environmental impact with industrial eciency. One example of this is the SAFI Water Recycling Station in Ajman (UAE), the ﬁrst branded water station in the world supplying recycled water for industrial and commercial applications. It processes up to 10,000 m³/day of tertiary-treated wastewater using cutting-edge micro ﬁltration and reverse osmosis technologies.For these projects, BESIX Middle East often acts as an industrial equity provider and develops long-term PPPs. In Abu Dhabi (UAE), for instance, the ISTP2 Independent Sewage Treatment Plant, which provide high-quality sewage treatment and reusable water services to nearly 1.5 million residents, was developed under a 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme. Another example is Ajman Sewerage (ASPCL), which was established in 2006 as a joint venture between BESIX, the Government of Ajman, and Veolia. As the ﬁrst PPP in the Middle East for wastewater management, ASPCL built and manages the emirate's entire wastewater collection network and treatment facilities, which were previously non-existent.BESIX also demonstrated its expertise in water treatment elsewhere in the world, such as in the Netherlands, where we have delivered in 2019 a 100% energy-neutral sewage treatment plant in Tiel, integrating cutting-edge technologies into the design. In 2021 we have improved the drinking water supply of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) through our civil engineering works at the La Mé Drinking Water Treatment Plant. A very recent example is the large-scale sludge processor the BESIX-Indaver consortium is currently building for water treatment company Aquaﬁn. This major contract encompasses the design, build, ﬁnancing, operation and maintenance (until 2046) of a state-of-the-art plant in the port of Ghent (Belgium), which will recover energy from the wastewater of 4 million inhabitants for reuse on site.It’s not by coincidence that several BESIX Group companies have ﬁrmly established themselves as global experts in highly complex industrial construction projects. The quality and timely delivery of our work, backed by the international experience and dedication of our colleagues, are what ensure our repeated global success in this increasingly strategic business segment. From wastewater treatment to sending satellites into space: BESIX’s extensive expertise across industrial sectorsCOVER STORY T. DossogneINSIDE Magazine #12218INSIDE Magazine #12219SAFI Water Recycling Station (Ajman, UAE)Sewage treatment plant (Tiel, the Netherlands)

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Subsidiary expertiseSolid industrial expertise also characterises four of our aliates active in Belgium: • Vanhout manages technically complex projects involving numerous stakeholders. Their projects include the extension and renovation of a control building for Chevron Phillips Chemical in Beringen, alongside constructing a new technical facility. The company also constructed a production facility and warehouse for cancer treatment centre using CAR-T cell therapy, in Ghent, and is currently active on two buildings for INEOS' Project ONE in Antwerp (see pp. 26-27).• In recent years, BESIX Unitec has carried out several projects in the ports of Antwerp-Zeebrugge and Ghent, for a diverse portfolio of clients including BASF, Lanxess and ArcelorMittal. These projects mainly encompassed new high voltage links. The works included connecting transformers, laying and pulling high voltage cables, horizontal directional drilling and laying/blowing ﬁbre optic cables.• Socogetra’s projects cover a range of industries, notably nuclear, chemical, mining and steel, and backed by certiﬁcations in safety, quality and environmental management. Their achievements include the CUP quarries in Lessines where they built a concrete structure to accommodate the new crusher. In the soon-to-be completed water treatment plant in Visé, Socogetra is also in charge of the design and build for a lifting structure and stormwater basin. • Franki Foundations can count on its in-house engineering oce to design foundation solutions in open communication with clients. Their impressive portfolio includes: Project ONE in Antwerp; Oil Tanking AGT - Daddy Cool; Air Liquide in Rotterdam, and others. Australia: from industrial warehouses to military capabilitiesBESIX Watpac has used its extensive experience in Australia to deliver major industrial facilities. One standout project is the award-winning Axis Alexandria, a complex industrial warehouse and oce pod facility completed in 2022-2023 in Sydney. For the Australian Defence Force and one of its aircraft ﬂeets, BESIX Watpac is providing a modern facility enabling the RAAF to maintain, repair and overhaul its aircrafts in north Adelaide (DMMF; see pp. 24-25). In the MILVEHCOE (Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence) project, our Australian colleagues adopted a staged delivery model to deliver a +39,000 m2 specialist facility in 2020.An increasingly diversiﬁed, evolving portfolio In the nuclear energy sector, BESIX and Socogetra recently delivered Spent Fuel Storage Facilities at the Belgian nuclear sites of Doel and Tihange. These facilities use steel barrels called casks to safely store the nuclear waste in concrete bunkers with natural ventilation, ensuring long-term safety and minimal maintenance. In November 2022, BESIX was chosen by PALLAS as the contractor to build the pit and foundation for their new nuclear reactor dedicated to researching and producing medical isotopes, in Petten (the Netherlands). BESIX is currently looking for new opportunities in this ﬁeld with the highest standards in terms of quality assurance.Still in the energy sector, BESIX (as part of the Hyowind consortium) has secured the design and build contract for a green hydrogen production unit in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Green hydrogen is a crucial for renewable energy economy, as it can be used as a raw material for industrial processes and for a variety of mobility applications.Green construction materials is another ﬁeld explored by BESIX in recent times, as illustrated by the GO4ZERO project, signed in November last year. BESIX teamed up with DENYS for the civil works of this new plant in Obourg (Mons, Belgium), which is set to produce almost 2.3 million tonnes of carbon-neutral cementitious materials/year by 2029. With some 11,000 data centres popping up worldwide, BESIX sees this as a strategic sector. We have already constructed several facilities in Australia in recent years, and are currently involved in others throughout Belgium, notably a 30,000 m² hyperscale data centre in Hainaut. At the end of last year, BESIX’s appeal for data centres was conﬁrmed, as we have signed another contract for such a facility in the Charleroi region (Belgium) (see p. 34).Finally, when it comes to industrial projects, the sky is not the limit for BESIX, as we are even exploring space! Since May last year, BESIX is indeed proud to have joined forces with Galère in the ﬁrst phase of Aerospacelab’s state-of-the-art Satellite Megafactory in Charleroi (Belgium), where we are responsible for the foundations, shell, facades and ﬁnishing works. GO4ZERO (Obourg, Belgium)Many thanks to Hana El Nammari, Jen Morrison, El Blaney, Hanne Van Laer, Valérie Obbiet , Margaux Maréchal and Kirsten Willems for their contribution to this article!Pallas (Petten, the Netherlands)COVER STORY T. DossogneINSIDE Magazine #12221INSIDE Magazine #12220DMMF (Adelaide, Australia)CAR-T cell therapy buildings (Ghent, Belgium)

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22 23INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122"That’s complex, because you have to manoeuvre over those elements every time. Every new technical element is in the way for the works that still need to be carried out. This created a circular build process in which we had to access the space under the ﬂoor repeatedly, which required extra coordination. To guarantee no technical elements would obstruct the later placement of support posts for the raised ﬂoor, we utilized our in-house BIM-printer. It drove across the ﬂoor and printed each support post at its exact location. There was also a major focus on airtightness. With a target value of 0.55 Vol/h, the bar was set high, but thanks to close monitoring and optimisation, the team managed to achieve a value of 0.30 Vol/h in the ﬁrst test. Just by way of comparison, a passive building is permitted to reach a maximum of 0.60 Vol/h."Teamwork and a positive mindsetStarting up during the Covid-19 pandemic created more than a few challenges. Supply problems, renegotiation of material prices and rapid digitalisation within the media industry all had an impact on the build. This put large demands on the site team. "At one point, I noticed negativity creeping into the team. Together with the People Department, we organised sessions around positive energy, giving the team a chance to share experiences and revitalise," Tom says. "A structured approach was used, with only a core team present for discussions with the client and architect, followed by clear communication to the entire team. Personally, as Project Director, I also work with an open-door policy and assured the team that they really could come to me with anything."The role of management: a crucial support pillarAccording to Tom, the support of management was indispensable in these circumstances. "I felt supported unconditionally throughout the project. That support was also made clear to the site team through regular site visits, extra meetings that were scheduled and their regular attendance at site meetings. BESIX is truly a ‘team of teams’, and you can sense that at all levels." The diversity within the site team also contributed to the successful cooperation. "The mix of dierent cultures and diverse personalities at our site helped us to ﬁnd constructive solutions." PROJECTS C. VerloigneFollowing the successful completion of the BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters, BESIX and Eiage (Valens) are once again working together on a prestigious project in Brussels. The new head oce of RTBF (Belgian radio and television broadcaster of the French-speaking Community) is intended to accommodate no fewer than ﬁve television networks, six radio channels, a news service and a streaming platform. The result is a multifaceted building that involves special technical requirements.Acoustics, modularity and an unprecedented number of doorsRTBF’s diversity of broadcasts placed high demands on the construction techniques. The new building contains six big TV studios, the largest of which has a capacity of 600 people, and many smaller recording studios. This resulted in complex acoustic requirements. "We built these studios as soundproof boxes," says Tom Michiels, Project Director. "Each studio is surrounded by multiple layers of sound-absorbent material and concrete to exclude external vibrations and noises completely. During execution, we even had to ﬁne-tune things because the original design didn’t meet the strict acoustic standards. What’s more, some studios are so big that they extend over several ﬂoors. To keep those gaps structurally sound during construction, we had to provide temporary assemblies until the end of the structural works." The scale of the project becomes even more apparent when we look at another striking detail: doors. The building has more than 600 of them, each with dierent and speciﬁc characteristics. Due to a design choice, even the height of the doors varied depending on the direction of opening, making for an intricate logistics operation.Sustainability and innovative construction techniquesSustainable construction techniques were also employed, such as concrete core activation, whiwch uses the thermal mass of concrete to provide energy-ecient heating and cooling. "Usually, technical elements such as ventilation and cabling are located in the ceiling, but due to the concrete core activation, we had to integrate them in a raised ﬂoor of 80 cm," Tom explains. BESIX’s culture, where mistakes are allowed as long as they are reported on time and a solution is actively worked on, helps us to grow together in challenging circumstances.Tom Michiels, Project DirectorBESIX and Valens build the future of RTBF,the French-language public service broadcaster in Belgium

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24 25INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122The optimised geometry of the new truss achieves similar structural performance to the original design, but with steel tonnage reduction, improved transportability, and easier erection and assembly on site.• Removal of precast elements: the original design consisted of four vertical steel cross bracing bays (per hanger) and non-structural precast walls for ﬁre separation between hangars. A value-adding alternative involved replacing the precast panels with a Speed Panel system for all non-structural walls – while retaining the ﬁre compartmentation and separation requirements. In addition, the existing bracing between the ﬁre separation walls was removed and the mega frame superstructure design was further reﬁned to carry the lateral loads. In addition to steel tonnage savings, this alternative eliminated the need to coordinate between the construction of dierent structural elements, de-risking the impact on programme.• Lateral bracing optimisations: the original design included two vertical steel cross bracing bays (per hanger). The project team has further reﬁned the lateral bracing design to one vertical steel cross bracing bay (per hanger). The reﬁned design resulted in a reduction of steel tonnage, bracing connections and bracing bays foundations. • 2+2 Hangars: the buildings were designed as four, structurally independent hangars. The revised design of the same plan area now consists of two, structurally independent, double-sized hangars with a ﬁre separation Speed Panel wall system in the middle. This design reﬁnement allowed the removal of a full grid of steel columns at two dierent hanger areas (total of 20 columns), resulting in signiﬁcant steel tonnage, foundations and construction time savings.• Structural steel connection types: originally designed with welded connections for the roof trusses, the revised design now utilises more bolted connections, which are faster and more cost-ecient to erect and assemble on site.Project statusThe installation of the ﬁrst box truss, which is located over the hangar sliding doors, was completed towards the end of 2024. Each truss is 58 metres long and weighs an impressive 130 tonnes. Given the size of the ﬁrst truss, it required 12 truckloads of steel. Each truss takes over 2,140 hours to fabricate and an additional 2,000 hours in the paint shop, using more than 3,000 litres of paint. In January 2025, the team completed the structural steel for the ﬁrst hangar, with the second hangar having been completed in February. Rooﬁng and cladding works have started on the ﬁrst hangar in early February. PROJECTS J. Morrison & E. BlaneyBESIX Watpac was appointed as the design and construction contractor to deliver one of the largest construction projects ever undertaken by Renewal SA, the South Australian Government's urban development agency. The project, the Deep Maintenance and Modiﬁcation Facility (DMMF), is located adjacent to the Royal Australian Air Force Edinburgh base in northern Adelaide. A sod-turning and smoking ceremony were held on site in September 2024 to ocially mark the beginning of construction. The DMMF is designed to accommodate the long-term maintenance and modiﬁcation requirements for the Defence Force’s ﬂeet of Boeing 737-variant military aircrafts, including the P-8A Poseidon and E-7A Wedgetail. Strategically located as an extension of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Edinburgh Base, the AUD 200 million facility includes a 240m-long, 60m-wide, 25m-high four-bay hangar with warehouses and workshops.The 2.1-hectare purpose-built facility will be built on a 16-hectare parcel of land owned by the South Australian Government, with a tow-way to connect the project area to RAAF Base Edinburgh. Once complete, the operational facility will enhance Australia’s sovereign capabilities and enable maintenance and modiﬁcations to be carried out in Australia rather than sending the planes oshore.Engineering value throughout the tender phase During the tender phase, BESIX Watpac’s Engineering Solutions Team and project team collaborated with two structural engineering partners, Innovis and SAMARAS, to propose a revised design that will deliver time and cost eciencies throughout construction, particularly in transport, lifting, and assembly.Revised design highlights:• Reducing number of roof trusses: originally designed with nine trusses per hangar, the revised solution now requires only ﬁve internal trusses. By optimising the spacing between the revised truss layout, the overall fabrication time, on-site assembly time and overall number of connections have been reduced. • Change from monoslope to gable roof truss: the original design split each truss into three modules, assembled by two splices, with a maximum height of 5.65m at the front end of the monoslope truss. The revised gable roof design features a pitched truss with maximum height of 4.40m at the mid span and 3.30m at the ends. Delivering vital sovereign capabilitiesFrom left to right: BESIX Watpac CEO Mark Baker joined The Hon Stephen Mullighan, Treasurer of South Australia, The Hon Pat Conroy, Commonwealth Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Air Commodore Ken Millar, and Amy List, Managing Director of Boeing Defence Australia, for a sod turning and smoking ceremony to ocially mark the beginning of construction.

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26 27INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122With Project ONE in Antwerp, Belgium, INEOS Oleﬁns Belgium is setting a new standard in the petrochemical sector. This advanced ethane cracker will produce 1,450,000 tonnes of ethylene annually. Thanks to innovative technologies, CO₂ emissions will be less than half those of the best European ethane cracker. Project ONE not only contributes to Europe's competitiveness against China and the US, but it marks an important step towards sustainability in the sector. Construction of the plant should be completed by the end of 2026.A 'small town' of infrastructure and expertiseBesides the ethane cracker itself, Project ONE's site consists of infrastructure and buildings reminiscent of a small town: paved roads, utilities and structures such as oces and workshops. These works form the backbone of the cracker's industrial facility. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people are working daily on site to realise this ambitious project. Crucial buildings for Project ONEVanhout is responsible for the GRID Intake Station (GIS) and the Central Control Building (CCB). Both precast concrete structures, each three storeys high, are designed to withstand extreme conditions.• The GRID Intake Station (GIS)This building forms the heart of Project ONE's energy supply. Two 380,000-volt high-voltage cables enter here, after which transformers convert the electricity to lower voltages for use in various factory units.• The Central Control Building (CCB)This building houses the central control room for the plant, along with server rooms and oce facilities. The control room is designed Vanhout and Franki Foundationshelp build the largest investment in European chemistry in the past 25 yearsPROJECTS H. Van Laer, V. Obbiet& P. KindtWhat does an ethane cracker do?An ethane cracker converts the odourless and colourless gas ethane into ethylene, a crucial building block for numerous applications such as packaging, lightweight materials for the automotive and construction industries, medicine and household appliances. Thanks to its innovative design, Project ONE will become one of the most ecient and environmentally friendly plants in Europe.Did you know?• Total order JV Vanhout-Equans and JV Vanhout-Mourik: EUR 105 million. The total turnover of all Franki Foundations projects adds up to about EUR 52 million.• Safety: So far, nearly 200,000 man-hours were achieved by the VHM and VHE teams without LTIs (Lost Time Injuries). At Franki Foundations, more than 100,000 man-hours were achieved without LTIs.• Teamwork: - Vanhout is working with Mourik (civil works) and Equans (buildings) for the two contracts.- Franki Foundations worked with EPC contractors WOOD, Technicas Reunidas and TGE. For execution, the company worked in temporary joint ventures with De Waal Solid Foundations and CIT Blaton.Sources and more informationfor maximum eciency, with ergonomic workstations and robust safety features. Thanks to an autonomous design, the CCB remains operational even during emergencies.Civil works: foundation for successFranki Foundations realised the 'Project Wide Agreement' (foundation piles for the entire project) in temporary partnership with De Waal Solid Foundations. Together with contractors WOOD and Technicas Reunidas, they drilled 20,851 foundation piles using three dierent techniques: soil displacement screw piling, CFA piles and Kelly piles, with lengths ranging between 10 m and 34 m. During the peak period, they worked with 14 foundation machines at the site at the same time. For the ethane cracker itself, 609 CFA piles with a diameter of 1,000 mm were realised. A third major work for Franki Foundations was the 'Water Retention' (catch basin for rainwater and ﬁrewater). Here, Franki Foundations took care of the design, engineering and execution of diaphragm walls, vertical tie rods and piles. Thanks to technical excellence, such as the use of underwater concrete, the basin was successfully realised.Vanhout, in temporary partnership with Mourik, realised extensive civil works on the foundations such as concrete works, precast wells and underground infrastructure. The project includes:• more than 22,000 m³ of reinforced concrete and 2,300 tonnes of reinforcement steel;• 5,250 metres of HDPE pipes, with diameters of up to 1,200 mm, for complex underground infrastructure;• 250 prefabricated pits, some weighing up to 75 tonnes;• 37 kilometres of earthing cables, essential for safe and reliable installation.

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28 29INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122PROJECTS P. de Truchis & P. HeneffePROJECTS T. DossogneThe new year started strong for BESIX in the Middle East, as we have reached the ﬁnancial close for the Zayed City Schools PPP Augmentation project, marking a major step forward in our commitment to develop education infrastructure in the region. Jacques Delens stand out for their ability to take on ambitious challenges, as demonstrated by their current involvement in three major construction projects at the Peterbos Park in Anderlecht (Brussels, Belgium). These works, which are part of an urban and social transformation perspective, illustrate both technical and human expertise. Total value: 40 million euros. A key education initiativeThe Zayed City Schools project is an essential part of the UAE’s ongoing eorts to expand and modernise their education system. This public-private partnership encompasses a new campus which will accommodate 3,380 students in Khalifa City.Through this PPP, BESIX together with its partner Plenary Group will ﬁnance the new campus, and BESIX will also operate and maintain it for 18 years. BESIX’s solid PPP expertisePublic-private partnerships continue to play a crucial role in BESIX’s portfolio. The Zayed City Schools demonstrate our ability to navigate the complexities of PPP structures, managing ﬁnancial, legal, and operational elements with precision. This milestone highlights our expertise in structuring long-term, high-value projects that meet the needs of both public services and private investment. Congrats to all the colleagues involved!Delivery planned in record timeThe successful ﬁnancial close of this partnership is just the beginning. Construction is scheduled to begin shortly and the delivery is planned to be completed in time for the 2026 academic year, building on the success of the original Zayed City Schools project, which already delivered three state-of-the-art schools on time last year. Three projects, one common visionThe ﬁrst project, Peterbos 7, involves an occupied building with 96 apartments which is undergoing major renovation and extension in three successive phases. The second, Peterbos 12, involves the complete refurbishment of a vacant tower block with 64 apartments spread over 18 ﬂoors. The building will also be slightly enlarged to meet current standards and requirements. Between these two buildings, a former car park will be replaced by a modern sports hall and other shared infrastructure for the community.Expertise for unique projectsPeterbos 12 has some remarkable technical characteristics. "We have to demolish the two gables to create new bays in the concrete curtain walls. This requires a perfect balance between safety, shoring, speed of execution, costs and compliance with the schedule," explains Pierre Henee, Works Manager. In addition, the future façades will be installed on top of the existing balconies using a reinforced metal structure. The new façade will be built entirely with timber – which is unusual – over a height of 17 ﬂoors. There are also numerous organisational challenges. "We are coordinating the ﬂow of lorries, cranes and materials across three adjoining sites in a sensitive neighbourhood. It’s a job that demands rigour and anticipation," adds Pierre.A focus on the residentsRenovating occupied apartments in such an environment requires careful cohabitation. "Residents suer from the nuisances of the construction site: noise, dust, vibrations, in a sometimes-tense social climate. We rely on honest, regular dialogue to make their day-to-day lives as comfortable as possible," says Pierre.A boost for the neighbourhoodThe Peterbos site, the largest social housing estate in the Brussels region, is beneﬁting from these works, which are part of an ambitious transformation plan aimed at providing quality homes and living spaces.These projects also reﬂect BESIX Group’s ESG commitments to sustainability, social inclusion and urban regeneration.TeamworkSeveral BESIX Group entities contributed their expertise to the Peterbos project: in addition to Jacques Delens, Franki Foundations carried out the deep foundations, BESIX supplied the concrete reinforcing steel and Cobelba provided the metal framework. It’s a ﬁne illustration of how we can complement each other to deliver ambitious projects! A new school campus in Abu Dhabi througha public-private partnershipJacques Delens at work on three major projects in the Peterbos neighbourhoodPeter Lembrechts,General Manager of BESIX Middle East.Our strength lies in our unique combination of capabilities: equity investment, EPC expertise, and long-term operations and maintenance leadership.Pierre Henee, Works Manager.Sophie Lechien (left), Project Manager, and Pierre Henee (right), Works Manager.From left to right: Mirko Trapani (Assistant Site Manager), Ryan Fiordaliso (Assistant Site Manager) and Jean-Charles Decelle (Site Manager).

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30INSIDE Magazine #122INSIGHT S. SaintonPROJECTS S. Van Damme & K. WillemsHow would you deﬁne the role of your department in a few words?Sylvain: Our role is above all to help the operational teams while making sure that we support the projects of the Group in full. Speciﬁcally, this means:• Working out procurement strategies that align with the goals of the company in ﬁelds where we have high added value;• Securing our supplies by choosing the right partners and negotiating sound agreements, anticipating and managing the risks associated with procurement, whether ﬁnancial, operational or environmental;• Optimising costs while never compromising on quality or deadlines;• Developing the skills of our teams to work in synergy, improving their eciency, and encouraging responsible and sustainable procurement practices. What are your goals in the short term?Strengthening the cooperation with the Construction teams by remaining close to their immediate needs, such as on the Mohammed VI Tower, Aramco Stadium, NEOM port, One NZ Stadium, R4WO, Oosterweel link, three data centres in Belgium, POST Rotterdam or Triangle projects. We also want to strengthen the team of Category Managers in areas where the department can make a real dierence (structural steel, sheet piling, piles, facades, lifts, long lead time MEP equipment, international logistics). Finally, we will continue to implement framework contracts in dierent parts of the world, to ensure that they are known and used by site teams.And in the longer term?Our ambition is to be a key partner that is on hand as soon as a project needs strategic procurement! To this end, we want to integrate Procurement even better into BESIX Construction’s global strategy. On the one hand we do this by co-creating value with our internal clients and our suppliers right from the tendering and execution phases. And on the other, by using our framework contracts more systematically to increase BESIX’s importance in the market: our Group records 2.5 billion euros in procurement annually, so we should use this lever to good eect! Finally, we’re developing an internal Procurement community, where ideas about good practices and innovation can be shared. In a Group like ours, the Procurement department plays an essential role in the company’s competitiveness and resilience. But how does it speciﬁcally create value for our operations? INSIDE met up with Sylvain Sainton, who has been our Chief Procurement Ocer for two years now, to better understand his mission and challenges.The Procurement department: a key partner that works for you!Fluvius, a Belgian company that builds and manages public utility lines, is investing in strengthening local electricity grids as part of the Ultranetter project. By 2032, 40% of the low-voltage grids will be upgraded. BESIX Connect and partner CAS-VOS, together in the temporary joint venture Power4All, have been awarded a quarter of this renewal.Power4All has six teams active in the Schelde-Lieve, Leie-Schelde and Mechelen regions. Expansion to 11 teams is planned for 2025. Over the next ﬁve years, with a possible three-year extension, our cable experts will lay at least 225 km of 400-volt cables annually. These cables will replace the current ones to provide sucient power for the expected increase in electric facilities such as EV charging stations, heat pumps and solar panels. This number will soon be scaled up to 250 km per year, with potential capacity growth of 200% in the coming years. If that is conﬁrmed, 450 km of cables will be laid annually.Connecting everything to everyoneFor BESIX Connect, this is a long-term project with major capacity growth and a great deal of autonomy. "The ‘turnkey’ principle gives us a lot of autonomy as a contractor and puts us in control of everything from A to Z," explains Andrew Raemdonck, Managing Director of BESIX Connect. "The future is literally being worked on." BESIX Connect will provide the necessary connections: from the connection at the substations to the connection at some houses with digital meters (possibly installed by our colleagues from 3DM).Strategic partnershipPower4All is a partnership between BESIX Connect and CAS-VOS, a strategically interesting collaboration. CAS-VOS was involved in the pilot project and therefore had the necessary prior knowledge to start this project quickly. The collaboration also ensures that both partners will have the necessary time in the coming years to expand their teams further in order to meet the requested capacity growth. An additional advantage is that both partners operate in the same regions.With this project, BESIX Connect is taking an important step towards a more sustainable and resilient energy grid for the whole of Flanders. BESIX Connect works on future-proofelectricity gridsAndrew Raemdonck, Managing Director of BESIX Connect.Sylvain Sainton, Chief Procurement Ocer.31INSIDE Magazine #122

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33INSIDE Magazine #11932INSIDE Magazine #122NEWSFLASHES I. Buysse & T. DossogneBESIX Group celebrated as Top Employer 2025 In January, BESIX Group received the Top Employer Award for 2025 by the Top Employers Institute. This marked the sixth consecutive year that we received this prestigious certiﬁcation! It applies to BESIX Group, BESIX NV, BESIX RED and Flamant.This recognition shows that BESIX is all about creating a great workplace where people can grow, learn, and succeed. Companies are awarded the label after an in-depth survey of their HR and people practices, covering six key domains, covering 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Wellbeing. With an impressive score of 90.65%, we were about 5.7% above the Top Employer benchmark!This achievement reﬂects all the initiatives we have implemented to foster a welcoming, positive, and supportive work environment for our people. Thank you to each of you who makes BESIX a great place to be. Let’s keep this momentum going!PERSONALIABESIX Group recognised as an SDG Pioneer by CIFAL-UNITARIn December 2024, BESIX Group was honoured with the SDG Pioneer Award as part of the CIFAL-UNITAR SDG Trajectory programme. This prestigious recognition highlights our signiﬁcant progress in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reinforces our commitment to integrating the SDGs into our operations.CIFAL-UNITAR is a global network of training centres dedicated to promoting the SDGs by strengthening the capacity of local governments, businesses, and civil society organisations. BESIX Group has been a proud member of this network since 2023.Achieving the SDG Pioneer level is an exciting milestone and we’re eager to keep pushing forward towards a more sustainable and responsible future. Discover BESIX Group Academy, our new training platformBESIX Group Academy was launched on 31 January 2025 and is accessible to BESIX, BESIX RED, BESIX Environment and BESIX Group colleagues at the following address: besixacademy.besix.com. It will be accessible to the rest of the Group* as from 1 April 2025. The platform oers tailored features for dierent types of user, enhancing the learning experience and simplifying training management. Users can access a wide range of courses, e-learning modules, and replays of past webinars. Their personal dashboard will display upcoming courses, completed training, and hours spent in learning, giving them a clear overview of their progress. Managers can track their team's learning activities, provide guidance on skill development, and notify employees about expired certiﬁcations that need renewal. They can also generate detailed reports to monitor team performance and training progress.Overall, the platform serves as a powerful tool for driving professional development, providing a central hub for users, managers, and trainers to optimize their learning and training eorts. And for even greater accessibility, BESIX Group Academy is also available on smartphone!Stay curious and discover everything this new platform has to oer!Another successful edition of BESIX RadioA huge thank you to everyone who tuned in and supported BESIX Radio on 10 December 2024! Your stories and messages were inspiring, your requested songs were uplifting, and it was great to see so many of you interacting with our hosts through the chatbox.Thousands of colleagues from across BESIX Group listened to or watched this unique, company-wide show, proving once again the universal power of radio to bring us all together. We hope BESIX Radio helped you feel connected to everyone working for BESIX Group around the world. Missed a moment or want to relive your favourite highlights? No worries! The replays are accessible and neatly divided by the hour for easy access. Check them out now on www.besixradio.com. Enjoy!BESIX Unitec wins CSR Award for its support to Belgian youth centreIn December 2024, BESIX Unitec received a CSR Award from Embuild Foundation for its support to non-proﬁt organisation ‘De Gemeenschap’ in Sint-Niklaas (Belgium). The Embuild Foundation Awards highlight construction and installation companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to social responsibility by collaborating with non-proﬁts, government bodies and other businesses.‘De Gemeenschap’ is a youth centre founded and ran by individuals with a migration background. It provides support to vulnerable and unqualiﬁed young people, helping them build a brighter future. Thanks to the support of BESIX Foundation, BESIX Unitec contributed to the renovation of De Gemeenschap’s building, ensuring the organisation can continue its valuable work in a safe and inspiring environment.* With the exception of BESIX Watpac colleagues who are using another tool.You can access the ‘Personalia’ online via the QR codes:Staff movementsYears of serviceNew colleaguesTransfersRetired colleagues

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EUROPEMIDDLE EASTOosterweel linkAntwerp, BelgiumInstallation of over 130 bored piles, 80 of which are under restricted height, for the Oosterweel Link. Additionally, construction of more than 110,000 m² of diaphragm walls, each up to 1.5 m wide and 70 m deep, and vertical shoring work of approximately 2,500 m³.DESIGN & BUILD: FRANKI FOUNDATIONSData centreWallonia, BelgiumConstruction of the ‘Core & Shell’ for a large data centre in the Charleroi region for an international client.BUILD: BESIX & JAN DE NULCampuses De Hutten & De MarktMol, BelgiumExtension of the Closed Youth Institution De Kempen for the Agency for Growth (Flemish Government). Campus De Hutten: thorough renovation of the main building, in addition to ongoing new construction work. Campus De Markt: construction of a 140-metre-long and 4-metre-high perimeter wall. Both will be realised in Bouwteam.BUILD: VANHOUTBorgerwijk Arcus & HortusSint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumResidential project encompassing 230 patio and park flats as the final phase in the redevelopment of this former seminar site.PROJECT DEVELOPMENT: VANHOUT PROJECTS / ESCO: COMTIS ENERGY / BUILD: VANHOUTMaison SérésienneSeraing, BelgiumRenovation and energy optimisation of 128 flats in nine buildings.BUILD: WUSTIlôt Saint-Roch – Phase 2 BNivelles, BelgiumConstruction of a 130-unit residential complex.BUILD: WUST & COBELBALiv-De Molens – Phase 2Deinze, BelgiumMixed-use real estate project which includes a 16-storey tower with 60 apartments and commercial spaces on the ground floor, along with three additional buildings of seven, eight and four floors, and a two-level underground car park. BUILD: BESIX Outflow construction power plant MoervaartGhent, BelgiumRenovation of the concrete outflow channel of Engie's cooling tower. In the limited area of this site, several civil engineering techniques are involved: piling, drainage, water treatment, concrete works and even dredging.BUILD: BESIXFoundation work and temporary bypass constructionGhent, BelgiumFor the R4 infrastructure project, including a tunnel and a temporary bypass across the Ring Canal, execution of slurry walls, Franki Groutinjection piles, anchors and Omega piles with grout injection.BUILD: FRANKI FOUNDATIONS & RODIEPZayed City Schools PPP AugmentationAbu Dhabi, UAEDevelopment of a fourth school in Khalifa City. Set to open in the 2026–2027 academic year, it will accommodate 3,380 students and leverage BESIX’s expertise in EPC, equity investment, and O&M.FINANCE: BESIX-PLENARY GROUP CONSORTIUM / OPERATION & MAINTENANCE: BESIXREGIONAL & SPECIALISED ENTITIESLine 162Florée, Léglise and Chapois, BelgiumThree projects on the line between Brussels and Luxembourg:• Florée: construction of a new underpass and conversion of the old one into a pedestrian underpass;• Léglise: demolition and reconstruction of the underpass as well as the addition of a retaining wall;• Chapois: removal of the level crossing, creation of a new roadway and two pedestrian crossings under the tracks.BUILD: SOCOGETRASTIB/MIVB operations buildingBrussels, BelgiumRenovation of the operations building at the lxelles tram depot for the Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company (STIB-MIVB).BUILD: JACQUES DELENSMarolles LiftBrussels, BelgiumEnergy renovation works on several buildings in the centre of Brussels. This project is part of the capital's climate plan, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.BUILD: JACQUES DELENSCross ventilation Waasland TunnelAntwerp, BelgiumRenewal of the Waasland Tunnel ventilation system, and maintenance of this installation during three years.DESIGN, BUILD & MAINTAIN: BESIX UNITECResurfacing and sewerage HoogkamerenSint-Niklaas, BelgiumResurfacing and sewerage including pressure sewerage, pumping stations and waddis, for the City of Sint-Niklaas and Aquafin.BUILD: BESIX INFRAMain new contracts© Agentschap Wegen & VerkeerRail tunnel area South-WestThe NetherlandsReplacement of tunnel controls and a number of (ancillary) installations.BUILD: BESIX UNITEC NEDERLANDDriven piles installation for Limestone storageVaulx, BelgiumInstallation of 500 driven piles (20-35m depth), cast in situ, for the Limestone storage at the Gaurain-Ramecroix stone quarry.BUILD: FRANKI FOUNDATIONS© Gatien Baron34 35INSIDE Magazine #122INSIDE Magazine #122NEW CONTRACTS T. Dossogne

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