UPB turnover in the export countries keeps growing. In 2015, the market division was the following: 30% — Latvia and 70% — export. Despite the high rate of export activities, we are satisfied that last year the State Revenue Service recognised UPB as the largest taxpayer in the construction sector in Latvia.
Last year, the most remarkable project put into service in Latvia was the reconstruction of the building of Ventspils Vocational Secondary School and the newly erected building of the hall of residence. The Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Riga International Airport was a large-scale and complicated construction object, which included design elaborated by UPB, UPB-manufactured building structures — glass, metal, concrete — and UPB-performed assembly. The metal span-length of the hangar is 98 metres, which is one of the longest in the Baltic States.
Phase 1 of Jaunmārupe Water Management Development Project, which included the construction of a sewerage system in the length exceeding 4600 metres and the construction of a water-pipe in the length exceeding 2050 metres, was the largest project among engineer networks-related projects last year.
Last year, we completed several voluminous projects abroad. The project “Studio” implemented in Malmö (Sweden), which includes a 10-storey office and hotel building on the coast of port channel with several large consoles constructed on the sides, was technically the most complicated one. Within the scope of this project, UPB ensured the design and assembly of UPB-manufactured reinforced concrete and metal structures.
The 17-storey apartment and office building “Munksjöstaden”, located in Jönköping (Sweden) was one of the highest constructed buildings. Within the scope of this project, UPB ensured the design and assembly of all three parts of UPB-manufactured building structures — glass, metal and reinforced concrete. The visually impressive office building “Lysaker Polaris” (Oslo, Norway), within the scope of which UPB ensured a full facade of the building, the newly erected administrative building of Uppsala University with UPB reinforced concrete and metal structures, as well as the largest to the date UPB element-facade project in Karlsruhe (Germany) — office and apartment building “Park Tower” — were also among the referred to large-scale projects.
We have successfully completed the first construction projects in the new market of UPB — in Great Britain, and we have also resumed active work in Iceland’s market where growth in the construction sector after the economic crisis is being observed.
In the energy field, we have commenced sale and installation of 500 kW cogeneration modules both in Latvia and abroad.
Currently there are large industrial projects in progress in Latvia, for example, the energy complex “Veckroģeļi” that includes the construction of the largest biomass cogeneration station in Kurzeme (electric capacity — 3.98 MW, thermal capacity — 15.9 MW) and pellet production unit; “Latvijas Finieris” impregnation workshop “Lignum”, as well as several projects ordered by the Ministry of Defence. Construction of public buildings also remains active, for example, newly erected building of energy efficient sports hall and outbuilding of Ādaži Free Waldorf School.
The largest UPB export portfolio of 2016 in terms of the concluded contracts exceeded the level of 2015 already at the beginning of the year. The most voluminous contracts run as far as 2018. One of the largest projects in terms of contractual volume currently in progress is the 10-block apartment building complex “Embryot” in Huddinge (Sweden). The work on the design of reinforced concrete and metal structures is finished, and assembly works have been commenced.
The buildings designed and constructed by UPB hit new records both in terms of complexity and volume. We are planning to keep going that way, and next year we will turn to construction of skyscrapers. First foreruns have been commenced in the capital of Sweden.
Innovations form part of UPB success criteria. Last year we introduced new products — motorised facades, metal ventilated facades, and established the first prototypes of light transmitting concrete.
UPB has gained wide experience in Scandinavia and Germany on matters of sustainable construction. We have worked with the international green construction systems BREEAM, LEED, and others. We have already commenced the transmission of this competency to the Latvian market.
