Ireland’s SIAC Construction wins Polish motorway contract

SIAC Construction based in Dublin, Ireland has won a PLN 1,75 billion (€ 438 million) contract to build a 35 km section of the 92 km long Krakow to Rzeszow motorway in Poland.

As well as construction of 35 km of four-lane motorway plus hard shoulders, SIAC will also be responsible for the construction of 28 bridges and accommodation roads alongside the motorway for farmers' access.

Operations director at SIAC, John Murphy told CE, "Preliminary work is already underway to check for any World War 2 munitions that may have been left undisturbed for the last 65 years. Officially we will start construction on 6 August and the project is scheduled for completion in August 2012."

SIAC previously won a € 10 million road contract in Poland, but this latest contract is the company's largest project in the country to date. Chairman Ronnie Foreman said, "With the downturn in the economy reducing major infrastructure project opportunities across Ireland and the UK, we took a strategic decision to try to develop international markets where we saw potential.

"We are therefore delighted to have secured this project in Poland," he said.

Mr Murphy told CE that while much of the workforce on the project will come from Poland, subcontractors from the UK and Ireland would probably be used for earthworks, construction of the central barrier and possibly even the paving.

"With these key elements we may well use our regular subcontractors because we know and trust the quality," he said.