Driving towards the 21st century
Colas enters the new millenium with this video clip shot for the 2000 Group’s Meeting.
Creation of Colas Rail, the new Railways division
The Group's new rail division, with 3,000 employees, provides a comprehensive range of services including railroad construction and maintenance, freight (aggregates), catenary systems, major project engineering and management. Colas Rail is established in 8 countries (France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Romania, Venezuela, Egypt, Algeria, Marocco) and performs a significant part of its business abroad.
Colas acquired its first foothold in Australia
In 2008, Colas acquired a foothold in Australia with the acquisition of Sami Bitumen Technologies, a specialist in the import, storage and sale of bitumen as well as in the manufacture and distribution of special bituminous binders. This was a major step in the development of Colas' bitumen business in the Asia-Oceania region.
Innovation: Vegecol® the first plant-based road binder
In the 2000s, Colas formalized a sustainable development approach. In its laboratories, the drive includes research and development efforts to save materials and energy as wel as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among the "green" innovations born at the Group's Campus for Science and Techniques, Vegecol® stands out. Based on plant resources, without petrochemical derivatives or bitumen, Vegecol® binder is designed to serve as a substitute for bitumen in many road and civil engineering applications. Manufactured at temperatures that are 40°C lower than conventional products, Vegecol ensures a significant energy and environmental gain, notably by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
