Rhomberg Group with Strong Performance

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Rhomberg Group with Strong Performance
Timber System Construction Strengthens Building Division with Innovative Solutions – Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group Increasingly in Demand for Tunnel Equipment and Refurbishment

Bregenz, 19 September 2025 – Despite strong economic headwinds, the Rhomberg Group once again demonstrated strength, resilience, and entrepreneurial foresight in the past financial year. As of the balance sheet date of 31 March 2025, total output stood at EUR 1.4 billion, an increase of around 7.5 percent compared to the previous year. The number of employees within the Group remained stable at just under 4,000.

Once again, the rail technology division proved to be a consistent growth driver. The Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group (RSRG), in which Rhomberg and Swiss entrepreneur Konrad Schnyder each hold a 50 percent stake, achieved an increase in output of EUR 56 million, reaching EUR 816 million. The construction division was also able to raise its operating performance to EUR 584 million (2023/24: EUR 542 million) – a success attributed to the Rhomberg Bau Group’s focus on life-cycle-oriented solutions.

The construction industry as a whole continued to face pressure during the reporting period, with signs of slight stabilization only appearing this year. “As expected, the general contractor business, including refurbishment, provided positive impetus,” reports Mag. Ernst Thurnher, Managing Director of the Rhomberg Group. “In contrast, the property development business as well as building construction and civil engineering are still struggling with the well-known adverse conditions – from high construction costs to strict lending criteria, even after the expiration of the KIM regulation.” In addition, the resources sector felt the decline in industry: “When production is reduced, this means less material for processing.”

Redefining Timber Construction: One System, Many Solutions
Looking ahead, Rhomberg continues to rely on the most sustainable of all building materials: “Wherever feasible and sensible, we work with timber,” emphasizes DI Bmst. Hubert Rhomberg, Managing Director of the Rhomberg Group, “in our core markets of Vorarlberg, German-speaking Switzerland, southern Germany, and Vienna, as well as in project business across Germany.”

Accordingly, timber system construction is being consistently advanced with great innovative strength. The result is tailor-made solutions for a variety of applications, designed to broaden the use of timber construction – from residential, commercial, office, and administrative buildings to care and healthcare facilities, kindergartens and educational buildings, hotels, densification, extensions, and serial thermal refurbishment. Completed projects include employee housing for Silvretta Montafon and Hotel Taube (Schruns and Tschagguns), a daycare center for Porsche AG in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, and a five-story office building in Ravensburg.

Rhomberg Bau Vienna
Rhomberg is giving new impetus to a piece of Viennese history at the Funkhaus Wien. Following the revitalization of the first section on Argentinierstraße in 2021/22, this year saw the careful redesign of the centerpiece of the building complex. The goal is to open the Funkhaus to all residents of Vienna and transform the listed ensemble into a vibrant new cultural venue and an urban hotspot for creativity, culture, hospitality, gastronomy, and modern living. The aim is to create a careful symbiosis between historical significance and a diverse, contemporary use.

In the rear part of the listed building, 22 apartments are being built, including spacious maisonettes with fabulous views over the Theresianum park. Unique in inner-city Vienna: an additional residential building with 35 apartments, built using the innovative, efficient, and prefabricated CREE timber-hybrid system, is being constructed at the rear of the site with top sustainability standards. The plans submitted for building approval were designed by the renowned Viennese firm BWM Designers & Architects.

Living Spaces – Holistically Conceived, Built, and Operated
In Vorarlberg, Rhomberg Bau is creating exclusive living space with the Parkvilla Dornbirn and the Pfänderhöhe project in Lochau. In Germany, stylish condominiums are being built in Burgberg at the foot of the Allgäu Alps and in Kempten. Rhomberg Bau is also successful with investors: as general contractor, the company has implemented the “Kohler Quartier” in Schwarzach, which includes 14 new apartments, a residential building, and commercial space, as well as a residential complex with 28 rental apartments and office space in Dornbirn’s Hatlerstraße.

What becomes possible when the full expertise and innovation of the company are applied is demonstrated by the Stiglingen project in Dornbirn. “Here we are planning a flagship project for holistic planning, construction, and operation – conceived in a modular, smart, and sustainable way,” explains Thurnher. The aim is to realize a forward-looking overall concept that ideally combines Rhomberg products such as the timber system solution for multi-story residential construction, DAVID micro-apartments, energy solutions from Rhomberg Energie, and intelligent building operation using Building Operating System (BOS) and Longlife Service. “In this combination, we see the future of real estate and attractive solutions for investors,” says the Managing Director. “With our all-in-one offering, we are taking the next step – towards becoming a total service provider and product-oriented company.” The four-story building is planned to include 14 DAVID apartments, each with 33 square meters of living space.

Innovation Meets Sustainability
According to Thurnher, BOS are gaining increasing importance, particularly in Switzerland. For example, the Zelgstrasse neighborhood development in Uster (Canton Zurich) was implemented in this way. The intelligent control center enables energy-efficient and cost-effective building operation – increasing efficiency in planning, construction, and operation, improving the ecological footprint, and extending the lifespan of buildings.

With the support of the Rhomberg Bau Group, logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is currently building its new logistics and IT center. Goldbeck Rhomberg is responsible for construction in Wolfurt. The specialist for cost-effective, fast, and flexible solutions in industrial and commercial construction is using “Blue Concrete” for the first time in Austria – a low-emission concrete. Rhomberg Energie, a specialist in comprehensive energy solutions, is making the new building even more sustainable: in autumn, one of the largest PV systems in Vorarlberg will be installed on the roof of the logistics hall.

Zechwald Site Enters Next Phase
The Lindau Zechwald site, developed by Rhomberg Bau through a broad participation process, is considered a model example of redevelopment and land recycling. “The winning design from the architectural competition has now been decided,” reports Thurnher on the current status. The next step is design planning and then submission to the city council. Construction of the green, car-free neighborhood could start in 2028.

All Systems Go at the Rheintal Resource Center
The wet processing plant commissioned a year ago at the Rheintal Resource Center (RCR) has proven to be a real driver of the circular economy. “With a processing capacity of up to 200 tons per hour, the innovative recycling plant for excavated material is now operating at almost full capacity,” Hubert Rhomberg reports with satisfaction. The facility has also attracted attention from industry experts: the “Forum mineralische Rohstoffe,” the interest group of construction raw material companies, named it the winner of its Sustainability Award. In addition, the plant was nominated for the TRIGOS Award 2025 in the category “Social Innovation & Future Challenges” and for the Sustainable Development Awards of the European Aggregates Association UEPG.

Together with fittings manufacturer Blum, Rhomberg operates the Stöcken industrial railway in Dornbirn’s Wallenmahd district. Around 100,000 tons of sand, gravel, and building materials are transported to the RCR every year – and the trend is rising. With a second track currently being laid by Blum in cooperation with Rhomberg at Plant 7, capacity will nearly double by the end of the year. “By shifting more of our transport to rail, we are making our supply center for Vorarlberg a forward-looking model of true circular economy,” Rhomberg explains.

Excellence Underground: Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group Successful with Tunnel Expertise
High levels of investment in rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility continue to boost the rail technology division of the Rhomberg Group. “The project business remains strong – both in the DACH region and in international markets,” explains Hubert Rhomberg. In particular, the expertise of the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group (RSRG) is in high demand for railway tunnels.

In Austria, the complete equipment of the Koralm Tunnel, in partnership with PORR Group, is nearing completion. “Together, we are also responsible for the rail equipment of the 27.3 km, twin-tube Semmering Base Tunnel,” says Rhomberg. “Here we have now secured a follow-up contract for the installation of slab track.” With innovative complete solutions, RSRG has made a name for itself in tunnel refurbishment. From November 2024 to July 2025, the rail equipment and signaling technology of the 115-year-old Tauern Tunnel were renewed. Almost simultaneously, the refurbishment of the Connaught Tunnel of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Rocky Mountains was completed.

Tunnel Refurbishment at the Highest Level
The Rail Technology Group also continues to be involved in tunnel modernizations for the Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland. “To enable modern trains to run, the profiles of a total of 115 tunnels must be upgraded and the tracks converted to slab track over the next 50 years,” Rhomberg explains. “The Toua Tunnel on the UNESCO World Heritage Albula line is our third project. To measure the tunnel profile and create a high-resolution 3D image, our ‘Digital Rail Services’ are being used.” This digital expertise also feeds into the planned Mattertal Tunnel: with a highly precise as-built model, RSRG provided a reliable basis for further planning.

For Deutsche Bahn, the rail technology specialists are involved in several alliance projects under the Partnership Model Rail. The “Residenzbahn” project comprises several subprojects on the Stuttgart–Karlsruhe rail corridor. In a consortium with long-standing partner Reif Bauunternehmung, civil engineering, cable works, and track construction as well as the construction of stations are being carried out. Newly awarded contracts also include the expansion of the Gäubahn and the access route to the Fehmarnbelt fixed link between Germany and Denmark.

The past financial year also provided two anniversaries to celebrate: for 20 years, RSRG has shaped the Australian rail industry with innovation, growth, and a sustainable contribution to the reliability of the rail network. And 75 years ago, the then Bahnbau Wels – today RSRG in Austria – introduced mechanized track construction to the country, setting new standards.

About the Rhomberg Group
Headquartered in Bregenz, Austria, the Rhomberg Group operates in the construction, resources, and rail technology sectors. Founded in 1886, the family-owned company in its fourth generation currently employs around 4,000 people and maintains locations and subsidiaries in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark. The holding functions are performed by Hubert Rhomberg and Ernst Thurnher. Sustainability criteria are firmly anchored in the company’s philosophy – whether in the holistic life cycle approach to buildings, the responsible use of resources, or the strengthening of rail transport. To this end, the Rhomberg Group relies on the opportunities offered by technological developments and digitalization as well as on partnerships. In the 2024/25 financial year, the Rhomberg Group achieved an operating performance of EUR 584 million in the “Construction and Resources” segment. The Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, in which Rhomberg holds a 50 percent stake, achieved an operating performance of EUR 816 million.

For more information, visit www.rhomberg.com.