Company Report: TAV Construction
World leading airport contractor Construction Digital catches up with the giant of airport contracting and discovers a firm undeterred by recession

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TAV Construction is a big name when it comes to airport contractors — in fact, the firm is one of the leading airport contractors in the world. It is not hard to see why when you see a list of the projects the company has taken on. From Cairo to Ankara, the airports completed by TAV Construction form a long list of the highest quality end products on the airport construction scene.

As the website states, the initial TAV Group Company was established by Tepe Construction and Akfen Holding as a joint venture. The immediate aim of the new company was to complete the new Istanbul airport construction, financing, passenger terminal operations and related consulting and management services in the international arena.

But it isn’t just airports that get the attention of TAV Construction. In Dubai, there is some work for Emirates, but also high rise works are on the agenda in the form of Dubai Marina 101, which will stand at approximately 500 metres tall, making it one of the tallest in the world.

There may be more of that kind of work in the future. But for now, the main focus remains on airports. “So far, we have completed Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara airports in Turkey, all under operations by TAV Airports Holding. Overseas we have completed Tblisi and Batumi terminals in Georgia and most recentlyCairo Terminal 3,” outlines Deputy General Manager Ali Haydar Ozak.

“We are also the main contractor for airports in Tripoli and Sabha in Libya, Enfidha in Tunisia and we have recently been awarded a contract in Muscat in Oman.” These, it turns out, are just a few of the projects on the table, just a few of the countless massive undertakings for the company.

As you might expect from such big projects, the financial figures make for impressive reading.

“In 2008 we had a turnover of $680 million, in 2009 we are expecting $900 million,” explains Ozak. “It’s interesting that in 2009 the economic crisis boomed but we’re actually having more projects.”

Indeed, we may have been having a recession, but apparently no one told TAV Construction. As Ozak explains, 2008 and 2009 were years in which the company was awarded new projects and in terms of the construction industry there wasn’t such a downturn in the market. “In Dubai yes,” says Ozak. “In other countries like Qatar, Libya and Oman, governments are still investing in the airport infrastructure.”

The competitive advantages of a firm like TAV Construction are manifold. “The first advantage is we’re only focusing on airport construction,” says Ozak. “This means we have a very good connection with the supplier and subcontractors of specific airport systems — baggage handling systems, passenger boarding bridges, IT systems and so on. He goes on to explains that all the engineers working for TAV Construction are experts in airport construction, which is as good a way as any of standing out from the crowd.

Since its inception, it has been the policy of TAV Construction to conduct its activities in full compliance with all relevant legal requirements, as a minimum starting point, as well as to comply with all client demands in this regard.

For example, health and safety. TAV Construction is fully committed to making whatever effort is necessary in order to protect its employees and any other persons affected by its activities from work-related injuries and illnesses. Moreover, the firm always aims to prevent damage to its property or that of any third party. Beyond this and equally important, TAV Construction works hard to ensure that there is no environmental pollution as a consequence of its construction projects and company activities.

So what is next for TAV Construction, a company which, according to its website, has already succeeded beyond its highest hopes and farthest dreams? “Our aim is to continue the work we do in building airports and constructing high rise towers. We also hope to expand into new areas,” explains Ozak.

“Our achievements so far have only served to instil the desire and will to scale higher heights and we will look to build on these accomplishments”

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