Week of 14 April 2025
1. Milestone alert in Ghent (Belgium)
Between 4 and 8 April, the BRAVO4 consortium installed a culvert as part of the R4 ring road project in Ghent (Belgium). Within a tight window of just 74 hours, the team removed and re-laid 45 metres of track, excavated 6,000 m³ of soil, installed a concrete culvert weighing an impressive 1,700 tonnes, and backfilled with 4,500 m³ of earth. Thanks to thorough preparation and the team's careful execution, the railway line running above the culvert was reopened four hours ahead of schedule. Congratulations, team BRAVO4!
This culvert plays a key role in enhancing water management in the area surrounding the Nieuwe Kale. In addition, integrated eco-passages allow wildlife to safely cross beneath the rail infrastructure.
The R4 West & East project is a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving traffic flow, safety, and environmental sustainability along the R4 ring road around Ghent. The project includes the redesign of 22 intersections. BRAVO4 consists of BESIX, Stadsbader, Rebel, EPICo and I4B.
2. The countdown is on for One New Zealand Stadium (New Zealand)
Construction of the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch (New Zealand) has entered its final stretch, with just one year to go before this long-anticipated multi-use arena opens its doors. Since work began, 2,780 people have been employed on the project, contributing more than 1.7 million work hours to date. With up to 350 people on site each day, the stadium features 32,700 m³ of concrete and 16,300 tonnes of steel. Discover more impressive figures in the video below.
3. Team of the month for data center team (Belgium)
Great news from the Google data centre project: our team has been named Team of the Month by the client! This well-earned recognition reflects the excellent progress made in recent weeks, as well as the consistently high standards of safety and quality maintained on site. It’s a testament to the team’s dedication, professionalism, and strong collaboration on what is both a technically complex and fast-paced project. A big congratulations to everyone involved!
In the southwest of Belgium, BESIX is building the core and shell of a hyperscale data centre for Google, helping to meet growing digital demands with a fast-track delivery.
4. Pit & Foundation for PALLAS nears completion (the Netherlands)
In Petten (the Netherlands), our BESIX NL colleagues have reached the final stage of the pit and foundations for the new PALLAS medical isotopes reactor. This important facility will help ensure a reliable supply of medical isotopes for 30,000 patients every day.
Last week marked a key milestone with the start of the foundation floor pour for the reactor building – the final step in their scope of work. The 1.5-metre-thick floor will be poured in five sections, and once completed, the full foundation for the reactor’s construction will be in place.
And then this... Our social responsibility in Ivory Coast
Last week, the OPCO management team gathered in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) for a special meeting. Alongside a visit to the impressive Tour F project, they had the pleasure of meeting Cavoequiva, one of the winners of the BESIX Foundation Staff Award, to present the cheque of €25,000! Founded in 2003, Cavoequiva is an NGO committed to defending human rights and promoting well-being, particularly for women and children. Since its creation, the organisation has rescued 1,123 girls, providing them with shelter, education, and a brighter future.
This month also marks two years since we signed our partnership with Jobo Academy to offer a literacy programme for workers at Tour F. The initiative focuses on strengthening skills in French and mathematics, helping to foster greater independence both on site and in daily life.
Since the launch, several participants have completed the programme after acquiring essential skills, while new learners have joined, encouraged by their peers and the clear, tangible benefits of the training. Thanks to this collaboration, Jobo Academy has also been able to enhance its teaching methods, better meet the needs of workers, and build new, robust partnerships based on this valuable experience.
