The delegates at the 2014 Global BBR Conference in Interlaken used the occasion to celebrate BBR’s 70th Anniversary in great style, also have explored innovations for the future. Back in 1944 three innovative Swiss engineers founded the BBR business pushing the boundaries of contemporary knowledge to meet market needs introducing with new technology aimed at using less construction materials.
Over the years, the partnership continued to develop the BBR post-tensioning technology to suit market needs – from the post-tensioned small beam or lintel, they progressed to large scale post-tensioning of bridges and other structures. Along the way, BBR further adapted the technology for use in railway sleepers and reinforced concrete pipes for water distribution. The founders were quick to understand the role that their technology could play in stay cable bridge construction. Here, they have clocked up a number of ‘firsts’–thanks to BBR innovations, construction teams have been able to pioneer the use of wire stay cables (1958), strand stay cables (1964) and carbon stay cables (1994). Today there are well over 400 cable-stayed structures in the BBR global portfolio. In their passion for technology and solutions delivery, the three partners also founded Stahlton AG to manufacture their product and Proceq AG to produce associated measuring and other equipment. Both companies have successfully evolved in response to the market place and continue to thrive from their Swiss bases.
The same enterprising spirit has been applied to the BBR business model in creating the world’s largest franchise of its kind – the BBR Network, now approaching its tenth anniversary. This move, away from authorizing international licensees to a fully-fledged worldwide franchise arrangement, has promoted closer working relationships, best-in-class quality, greater dissemination of information and sharing of costs across the entire international business. Along with the technology, know-how and unique business approach, BBR people at all times recognised the importance of taking part in industry dialogues and international collaborations and last but not least in listening to customers. This approach ensured that BBR’s offering has remained not only relevant, but also fresh and leading edge.
Today, BBR’s post-tensioning, stay cable and associated technology includes the BBR VT CMX range – which was specifically developed, from scratch, to reflect modern design, application and environmental requirements –and the BBR HiAm CONA strand stay cable system which fulfils latest international standards and recommendations.
In the true spirit of BBR enterprise and engineering, the company continues to seek new opportunities to expand its network of franchisees and is examining new technologies to enhance the built environment during the next 70 years.
