GRK – A forerunner in sustainable construction

Why?

The smooth flow of everyday life, people meeting each other, and a more sustainable future all depend on roads, highways, railways, and bridges functioning well in all circumstances. This infrastructure must be maintained and upgraded as society develops. New infrastructure needs to be built, while the old needs renovating. The wheels must be kept turning.

Undeniably, though, building and maintaining infrastructure consumes materials, causes environmental impacts, and produces carbon dioxide emissions. These drawbacks can be reduced by operating professionally and making rational choices – for instance, by using recyclable materials.

What and how?

Successful infrastructure construction consists of chaining the activities involved, thereby linking the different phases seamlessly together. GRK’s wide-ranging expertise and experience in infrastructure construction projects provides both parties with significant opportunities for reducing environmental emissions. Unfortunately, the carbon footprint of construction using current methods is overly large.

Biochar is one of the few methods of reversing greenhouse gas emissions, and GRK is investing heavily in biochar production. Although biochar does not, per se, reduce emissions from construction, it can reverse the emissions produced by construction projects. Biochar can also be used in the emissions market, not only at GRK’s own worksites, by offering it for other companies to use.

Growth and internationalisation

GRK already operates internationally, aiming for profitable growth and net sales of over EUR 500 million by 2025.  Some 15% of the company’s invoiced sales came from the private sector in 2022. The company sees enticing opportunities for increasing this share over the next few years. In particular, the company is setting its sights on growing in Sweden.

In line with its new strategy, GRK aims to be the most versatile company in the infrastructure sector that grows profitably by 2025. Various rail projects in both Finland and Estonia are prime examples of how general societal trends generate new projects in the infrastructure sector. GRK is also investing substantially in environmental business, such as the reception, processing and re-use of industrial by-products and wastes, as well as in the manufacture and sales of biochar.

The importance of growth capital

Investments in biochar production, new technologies, and professionals will play a key role as the company systematically implements its strategy over the next few years. GRK plans to increase its investments in biochar plants and in processing circular economy products. Upcoming rail traffic projects will need skilled personnel and specialised equipment.  In order to achieve its goals, GRK is prepared to grow through corporate acquisitions also. External investors, such as Tesi, play a vital role in enabling achievement of these ambitions. As a state-owned investor, Tesi’s role is to help Finnish companies succeed and to promote sustainable and carbon-neutral growth.

General information

Operating in Finland, Sweden and Estonia, GRK designs, builds, repairs and maintains roads, highways, railways and bridges. The company also specialises in environmental business, such as biochar production. GRK’s fields of core expertise include implementing extensive infrastructure construction projects, project management of large-scale projects, and broad-based expertise in rail traffic.

The GRK Group comprises the parent company GRK Infra Plc and three national companies in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. The Group employs nearly 1,000 professionals in its companies. In 2022, the company generated net sales of EUR 450 million. GRK is a forerunner in sustainable construction, finding the most innovative and functional infrastructure solutions and carrying out projects in a way that is trouble-free for its customers.