Backdrop of geopolitical instability doesn’t hold back climate and infrastructure investment at Arcadis.
With record revenues of €3,019m and organic growth of 8.9%, the Arcadis annual results suggest a strong year for the company as it acquires new firms and works with governments and other clients to deliver more sustainable outcomes.
Peter Oosterveer, CEO of Arcadis, said: “We have made significant progress in delivering on our strategic priorities by fully implementing our Global Business Area (GBA) structure and significantly advancing our strategic repositioning, notably adding attractive companies and new talent to our business. Providing sustainable solutions to clients remains integral to successful project delivery and with the launch of our new GBA, Intelligence, we are poised to become a digital leader in our industry.”
Geopolitical instability has had a significant impact on many industries and the infrastructure sector has been no exception. The energy price shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has hit construction prices around the world. But the drive to tackle climate change and the sharp focus on the need to overhaul energy infrastructure and economic security, has seen infrastructure investment rise.
Oosterveer explained: “The recent US Inflation Reduction Act, US and European CHIPS Acts and the REPowerEU energy plan in Europe are examples of investment packages which provide plentiful opportunities for Arcadis to offer our expertise and create sustainable results for our clients and the communities in which we operate.”
Arcadis is working on numerous such projects, including a high-pressure hydrogen network in the Netherlands, where the government announced €750m last summer to develop a national hydrogen network. To roll out the network, efforts are being made to reuse existing natural gas pipelines wherever possible. It is estimated that about 85% of the hydrogen network will consist of recycled natural gas pipelines.
Niels Schallenberg, resilience director for Arcadis in the Netherlands, explained: “The start of the hydrogen network in the Netherlands is an important step towards achieving a carbon neutral energy supply in the future. By reusing existing infrastructure as much as possible, the impact on the environment remains limited. This hydrogen network is a relevant part of the energy transition for industry, and we are proud to be working with Gasunie on this crucial project.”
