Nicholson's Parent Company, The Soletanche Freyssinet Group, Expands

PITTSBURGH, PA – January 4, 2012 – The Soletanche Freyssinet Group, to which Nicholson Construction belongs through parent company Soletanche Bachy, has recently acquired three companies in the foundation and soil technology fields, further expanding the firm's global presence and expertise. As a part of Vinci Construction, Soletanche Freyssinet, headquartered in France, is a world leader in the areas of soil technology and structures.

These targeted acquisitions will help to consolidate the firm's development outside of France, and open up new global opportunities.

In July of 2011, the firm acquired The Roger Bullivant Group, which, with annual revenues of $78 million, is currently the largest foundation engineering company in the United Kingdom. Established in 1971, The Roger Bullivant Group specializes in foundation construction using pre-cast, small diameter and ground improvement techniques. The company is able to offer turnkey solutions for both residential and commercial developments.

Zetas, a foundation engineering firm headquartered in Istanbul with annual revenues of $59 million, was acquired by Soletanche Freyssinet in September of 2011. The firm, which was established in 1988, provides a full range of foundation engineering services, including soil investigations, design, consultancy, implementation and monitoring. In addition, Zetas has recently added the manufacturing of tools and machinery to its offerings. The firm performs work in the Industrial, Power, Water Treatment, Transportation and Structural markets. Zetas is also present in the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar), as well as in Central Asia (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan).

Most recently, Soletanche Freyssinet acquired Bermingham Foundation Solutions. Established in 1897, Bermingham is Canada's oldest foundation and marine specialty contractor, focused on the transportation, energy and mining markets. Bermingham, which is headquartered in Toronto, also manufactures specialty foundation equipment and provides engineering services to more than 40 countries under the trade name Berminghammer. The acquisition of Bermingham, a firm with $45 million in annual revenue, completes The Soletanche Freyssinet Group's geographical coverage of Canada.

By aligning itself with companies that are strongly rooted in expanding markets and have a marked international focus, The Soletanche Freyssinet Group, which is already present in close to 100 countries, is reinforcing its international position in the foundations sector.


About Nicholson Construction Company:
Nicholson has been both a leader and an innovator in the geotechnical construction industry for more than 50 years. With regional offices across the country and headquarters located in Pittsburgh, Nicholson is a nationally renowned specialty contractor, offering proven expertise in the design and installation of deep foundation elements, earth retention systems and ground treatment solutions. We pride ourselves on our ability to consistently provide our clients with innovative, high-quality design-build options for projects of varying size and complexity. Nicholson is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, one of the world's leading geotechnical contractors, and is part of a global network of unparalleled geotechnical resources and expertise.

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Contact: Gretchen Connelly, 412-221-4500, gretchen.connelly@nicholsonconstruction.com

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