| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering Consultancy |
| Founded | Copenhagen, Denmark (1945) |
| Headquarters | Orestad, Denmark |
| Key people | Flemming Bligaard Pedersen, CEO[1] |
| Revenue | DKK 6,074.9 million (2010)[2] |
| Net income | DKK 296.7 million (2010)[2] |
| Employees | 8,970 (2010)[3] |
| Website | www.ramboll.com |
Ramboll Group A/S (also known as just "Ramboll") is a consulting engineering group with worldwide operations.
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Ramboll was founded in October 1945 as "Rambøll & Hannemann" in Copenhagen.[4] In 1991 the company merged with "B. Højlund Rasmussen A/S" into "Rambøll, Hannemann & Højlund A/S".[5] In 2003 the company merged with Swedish Scandiaconsult making it the largest consulting engineering business in the Nordics.[6]
In the summer of 2007, Ramboll broadened its geographical presence by acquiring the UK based engineering firm Whitbybird. When Whitbybird was acquired the company employed 680 people and had offices throughout the UK and in Italy, India and the United Arab Emirates. In April 2008, Ramboll's presence in India was strengthened by acquiring the Indian telecom design company ImIsoft.[6]
Ramboll was founded in October 1945 as "Rambøll & Hannemann" in Copenhagen.[4] Børge Johannes Rambøll (1911–2009) received a degree in civil engineering from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in 1935. In 1944 he defended his doctorate in engineering. He had worked for several different firms, amongst others Wright, Thomasen & Kier. In 1937-1944 he was employed by Professor Christian Nøkkentvedt at DTU, where he later also became a professor.[7] Johan Georg Hannemann (1907–1980) completed his studies at DTU in 1930. He then took a position under Anker Engelund at DTU and worked for him part-time, also after the establishment of “Rambøll & Hannemann”.[8] In 1947 they opened a branch office in Aarhus. Their first important work was with the Danish broadcast engineering services (Radioingeniørtjenesten), which at the time was erecting a large number of towers and transmitters. “Rambøll & Hannemann” designed and erected a lot of broadcast towers in Denmark and Norway after 1950. This field of speciality also led to their involvement in the work with high-tension-line towers for major power plants and work for the Norwegian telephone directorate. The number of jobs for the Norwegian national broadcasting company (NRK) increased and in 1976 “Rambøll & Hannemann” opened their first Norwegian branch office in Oslo. The company grew and their scope of work extended across a wide variety of projects in the 1950s and 1960s. They had 20-30 employees in the 1950s; this grew to about 170 in the 1960s.[9]
In 1991 the company merged with "B. Højlund Rasmussen A/S" into "Rambøll, Hannemann & Højlund A/S".[5] The year 2003 was a turning point for the company; the merger with Scandiaconsult made it the largest consulting engineering business in the Nordics.[6]
In 2006 the company acquired Storvik & Co in Norway.[10]
In August 2007 Ramboll bought privately owned UK based engineering firm Whitbybird. At the time of the acquisition Whitbybird employed 680 people, with offices throughout the UK and in Italy, India and the United Arab Emirates, making this the largest acquisition made by the Ramboll Group since the merger with Scandiaconsult in 2003.[11]
In March 2011 Ramboll bought privately owned UK based engineering firm Gifford (company). Gifford also has offices around the world. [12]
Also in March 2011, Ramboll acquired the power engineering section of Dong Energy, Dong Energy Power.[13]
All shares in Ramboll Group A/S are owned by the Ramboll Foundation (approx. 93% of the shares) and by Ramboll employee shareholders called Ramboll Partners (approx. 7% of the shares).[14]
Ramboll Group A/S includes business units with their daughter companies in several European countries, including all the Nordic countries, as well as companies and offices in the Baltics and project offices all over the world.
The Ramboll Group Directors' Forum (GDF), comprising Group CEO, Group CFO, Group Chief Development Officer, Group Chief Market Officer, Managing Directors from the eight Strategic Business Units and the four Service Area Directors, is the operational managing body of the Ramboll Group.[15]
Ramboll is involved in many international large scale projects. They have for instance had a key role in the work on the Oresund Bridge (1995–1999), connecting Copenhagen, Denmark with Malmö, Sweden.[18] The bridge is one of the most important infrastructures in Denmark. The international European route E20 runs across the bridge, as does the Oresund Railway Line.
They were also involved in the planning and construction of the Great Belt Bridge (1988–1998).[19] This bridge connects Halsskov on Zealand with Knudshoved on Funen, 18 kilometres to its west, a two-track railway and a four-lane motorway had to be built, aligned via the small islet Sprogø in the middle of the Great Belt.
Ramboll was the leading engineer on the new Royal Danish Opera, The Copenhagen Opera House.[20] As the lead consultant on the project, Ramboll delivered engineering design, fire & safety, project management, structural engineering, geophysical engineering, geotechnical engineering, HVAC engineering, electrical engineering, bridge engineering, traffic engineering, traffic planning and traffic safety services.[21] This was carried out between 2001 and 2004.
A characteristic feature of the Opera building is the gigantic roof covering the entire building stretching all the way to the harbour front. Measuring 158 metres x 90 metres, the Opera roof is one of the largest roof constructions in the world. The innovative design of the roof, which Ramboll has projected in cooperation with Henning Larsen Architects, was the reason for the Opera winning "The 2008 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award". The Committee that selected the Opera as the winner compliments the design of the roof and the use of bridge construction principles. These principles provide strength, stability and stiffness to the 43 metre long roof all the way from the columns of the foyer to the furthest corner of the roof.[21]
Ramboll is currently working on several projects concerning linking the infrastructure of the Nordic countries.[22] Among these are projects under the Trans-European Networks.