Veidekke ASA: Block Berge Bygg to build the Nordic region's largest car centre

Block Berge Bygg AS, a Veidekke subsidiary, has been awarded the contract by Brødrene Kverneland Eiendom AS to build a new car centre at Forus in Sandnes. The car centre will be the Nordic region's largest car centre for the Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, Ford and Lexus brands. The building will have a floor area of 29,000 m² and the contract is valued at NOK 320 million, excluding VAT.

The car centre will include areas for new and used car sales, in addition to workshops, tyre storage and other car-related activities. 200 people will work at the centre, and annual turnover is expected to be NOK 1.5 billion.

Block Berge Bygg AS was selected as contractor following a tender where the ability to perform and capacity were important criteria, as the building is to open in September 2016. Over the years Block Berge Bygg has built several car centres, and has significant expertise in the execution of such projects. Excellent capacity in the production line and one of Norway's largest and most modern concrete element plants are important criteria in order to complete a job of this scale.

"Cooperating with a local contractor is important to us. It assures that the final result will be according to our expectations. Our long-term collaboration with Block Berge Bygg and our common values provide a good basis for succeeding with the project. We are very satisfied that it is Block Berge Bygg who will be undertaking the project," says chairman and owner Ådne Kverneland.

"We are of course very happy on being selected as contractor. This provides a good basis for the further development of the company in the years ahead, which in turn will make us even more competitive. It is particularly satisfying that our customer care strategy once again yields results, and we are looking forward to cooperating with Brødrene Kverneland Eiendom AS," says managing director Yngvar Karlsen of Block Berge Bygg.

For more information, please contact:

Yngvar Karlsen, managing director of Block Berge Bygg, tel. +47 916 64 951, yk@blockberge.no

Helge Dieset, Communications Manager of Veidekke, tel. +47 90 55 33 22, helge.dieset@veidekke.no

Veidekke is one of Scandinavia's largest contractors and property developers. The company undertakes all types of building and construction contracts, maintains roads and produces asphalt, crushed stone and gravel. The company is characterised by involvement and local knowledge. Turnover is NOK 21 billion (2013), and half of the 6,300 employees own shares in the company. Veidekke is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and has always posted a profit since it was founded in 1936.