Freyssinet

Created in 1943

Picture with legend
Sketch of the Laon bridge by Eugène Freyssinet (early 1920s).

Created to market prestressed concrete (1943-1962)
Freyssinet was founded in 1943 under the name Société Technique pour l’Utilisation de la Précontrainte (STUP). Edme Campenon, the founder of Campenon Bernard, wanted to apply the patents for prestressed concrete filed in 1928 by Eugène Freyssinet. Prestressed concrete is reinforced concrete whose performance is enhanced by built-in stress, which offsets the external stress the concrete is subjected to. The new process, which allowed for substantial savings in steel and concrete, proved extremely useful in France during the reconstruction period that followed World War II. In just a few years, STUP became a recognised specialist in the construction of bridges and runways, but the company's performance was largely driven by Eugène Freyssinet exceptional creativity.

Breaking into international markets (1963-1981)
In the early 1960s, STUP lost its founder and faced increased competition in prestressed technology. The company overcame these difficulties by accelerating expansion abroad, as reflected in the change of name from STUP to Freyssinet International in 1976. Innovation, as demonstrated by the Rio-Niterio bridge in Brazil, and the Montreal Olympics centre, remained a key value for Freyssinet International engineers and a major asset.

Global leadership (1982-2000)
In the early 1980s, Freyssinet experienced problems and was forced to divest some of its foreign subsidiaries. The company's technological expertise continued to be highly valued and the company eventually recovered its momentum. Projects such as the Normandy bridge in France, the Vasco de Gama bridge in Portugal, Cardiff stadium in the United Kingdom, and the Hibernia platform off Newfoundland all represent spectacular achievements that make Freyssinet the world leader in specialised civil engineering.