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German engine maker Deutz reports a strong financial performance for 2017, with a marked increase in new orders, revenue and operating profits. With a view to the future, the firm is also positioning itself as a leader for innovative drive systems for off-highway applications. The firm’s new orders amounted to €1,556.5 million, up by 23.4% on the prior-year figure of €1,261.4 million. All of the major application segments, including the service business, registered an increase in new orders. Almost 162,000

A massive programme for infrastructure development is being planned by Côte d'Ivoire in a bid to help continue the country’s steady economic progress. The plans call for US$7.04 billion to be spent on developing infrastructure, with a strong focus on new and improved transport connections. Rural roads, trunk roads and highways are all being planned as well as new bridges. The programme includes the construction of 330km of highways as well as an improved road link with Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou

Paraguay is making progress with key public works projects as key contracts are now being awarded. Of prime importance is the contract for a stretch of the Corredor Bioceanico highway that will run across the country, which has been awarded to a consortium, Consorcio Corredor Vial Bioceanico. This 227km stretch of the bi-oceanic highway runs from Carmelo Peralta to Loma Plata and the deal was awarded by Paraguay’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC). The consortium is made up of the firms

Interest has been strong in the tender process for Uruguay’s Road Corridor Number 5 project.

Work is well underway on Colombia’s US$453.43 million Conexion Pacifico II highway project. The construction work for the 96.5km highway is around 33% complete at this stage. Work is also underway on the 2.5km-long twin tube Mulatos tunnel, with around 700m having been driven so far and this portion of the project is costing nearly $127 million. The new highway will reduce journey times between Colombia’s Antioquia Department and the country’s coffee producing regions, as well as to its port of Buenaventura

A series of road repair contracts are being carried out now in South Africa. Bakwena, a road construction and maintenance firm, is maintaining and upgrading road infrastructure along the 385km of the N1N4 in a deal worth US$84.6 million. Meanwhile the contractor Raubex Construction is working on a $49.22 million project for a new link between the M17 and R512 routes. In addition, Raubex Construction is carrying out $4.65 million of improvement works on the R511 interchange. Resurfacing of a stretch of the

Interest is strong in the project to build a new tunnel connecting Argentina and Chile. In all 26 firms have entered into the bidding process, joining together to comprise 10 consortia. The project is likely to cost US$1.5 billion, with much of the necessary financing being supplied by the IADB. The consortia include: Astaldi, FCC and Rivas; CCCC and JCR; China Railway Construction and Panedile; Dragados, Techint and Besalco; OHL, Condotte and Rovella; Power China and Sacde; Sacyr Construccion, SK

Construction work is restarting on Melbourne’s West Gate tunnel project. Construction of the tolled tunnel link is costing US$5.2 billion (A$6.7 billion). The project is controversial and has met with considerable political opposition in Australia. Those against the link say that building a second river crossing is not necessary and that it will merely increase travel costs for drivers as it will be tolled. However those in favour of the link say that it is required due to the heavy traffic congestion. A

Amman has teamed up with an Austrian firm to develop digital construction solutions. The Austrian construction process specialist hiQ solutions and the Ammann Group’s Digital Products team have established Q Point, which will provide an independent, open digital platform for the construction industry. The new firm, Q Point, is intended to increase construction efficiency and quality, while also cutting costs. The plan is to establish an open, manufacturer-independent platform that has open standards. This

Armenia is facing a crisis in road safety, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The rate of road traffic fatalities in Armenia is 18.3/100,000 population according to the WHO 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety. This is the highest rate in any Eastern European or Caucasus country, and costs an estimated 4.62% of GDP/year. Establishing partnerships with local authorities is a vital step towards improving road safety, saving lives and developing the economy. EASST partner Poghos Shahinyan,