Early challenges met

Alexandria Egypt

In 2000, Alexandria decided to improve its urban environment on behalf of its five million residents. The resulting 15-year partnership agreement signed with Veolia Environnement marked the first such contract in the country. Managed by Veolia Environmental Services, the agreement covers a comprehensive package of services, namely: cleaning of streets, monuments and beaches; collection of 2,500 metric tons of waste per day to be treated at one of the city’s three composting plants or transported to landfills (with landfill gas capture and energy recovery); collection and treatment of medical wastes, and training of 4,500 employees.

Poznan Poland

Poznan decided to privatize its district heating network, which serves one-third of city residents. In 2002, municipal authorities commissioned Veolia Energy for the job. The privatization agreement signed in 2004 for the two production sites (heat and power) includes a commitment by Veolia Energy to invest in production infrastructure to guarantee the continuity of heat production. It calls for providing greater comfort at the lowest possible cost, with lower energy consumption and less environmental impact, along with optimization of the heating network.

Pudong China

The business capital of Pudong, east of Shanghai, needed to address the growing water needs of its 2.5 million inhabitants. In 2002, the city teamed up with Veolia Environnement to establish the Shanghai Pudong Veolia Water Corporation. This is the first Chinese joint venture that includes distribution and customer service aspects. The entity is modernizing infrastructure, improving the quality of service and developing transfers of know-how. It manages six treatment plants and eight pumping stations that supply 1.4 million cubic meters of water per day, via a network totaling 2,500 kilometers.

Bordeaux France

In 2003, the Bordeaux metropolitan area inaugurated its new light rail system and entrusted Veolia Transport with the management of its three lines (which will ultimately total more than 43 kilometers) and the renovation of its bus system. Project deployment called for specialist expertise that included consulting ahead of the project, development of intermodal facilities, stakeholder information and personnel training.

Arcelor Iron and Steel industry

When it built its cold rolling plant in Vega do Sul (Brazil), Arcelor preferred to focus on its own business. The Company sought a partner with the capabilities to design and run a multi-utility technical platform. The contract signed in 2002 gave rise to CLE Brasil, a subsidiary of Veolia Environnement. In addition to the construction of this plant-within-a-plant, the scope of the agreement includes utilities services (production, transformation and distribution of electricity, industrial gases, compressed air and water) and waste management services for 15 years.

Boston United States

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which runs the Greater Boston rail system, sought the best solution for enhancing its service offering and capturing new clients. In 2003, it signed an agreement with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company, an entity partly owned (60%) by Veolia Transport. The company’s responsibilities include maintaining the system’s tracks, stations and infrastructure; training the personnel; providing passenger information and modernizing management procedures.

Michelin Warrior Automotive industry

To comply with water quality discharge standards, Michelin and Shanghai Tyre and Rubber Co. in 2003 signed a contract with Veolia Water for the Bao Shan plant, which produces metal tire carcasses. In addition to rolling out an Environmental Management System (EMS), the Veolia Environnement subsidiary is building and operating facilities for the production of industrial water, cooling water and effluent treatment. The Michelin workers assigned to this activity have been transferred to Veolia Water.

PSA Peugeot Citroen Automotive industry

PSA decided to collaborate with Veolia Environnement to mitigate the environmental impacts and lower the costs of its operations by pooling skills in its plants in eastern France. SENSE, the joint venture between the two companies, provides customized solutions and manages the full range of environmental services. All of the Company’s know-how is brought into play: production and distribution of energy and fluids, general and industrial cleaning, waste management, power supply, water and wastewater treatment, rail management, etc.

Novartis Pharmaceutical industry

In line with its decision to refocus on its core businesses, Novartis now outsources the environmental management aspects of its four plants in Basel (Switzerland). In 2000, the Company signed a comprehensive agreement with Veolia Water covering water supply and management; steam generation; production of superheated water, compressed air, chilled water and ice; collection and treatment of industrial wastes and solvent recovery. These responsibilities are accompanied by targets for service quality and cost reduction. The 320 Novartis employees dedicated to these operations have been transferred to Veolia Environnement.

Goalmari (Bangladesh)

To help achieve the Millennium goals, Grameen Bank’s “social business” is combining with Veolia Water’s expertise to provide drinking water for Bangladesh’s poorest communities. In March 2008, Grameen-Veolia Water Ltd was created to supply the 25,000 residents of Goalmari village with water that meets WHO standards, at a fair price. Profits will be reinvested in full, to finance the project’s expansion and benefit more than 100,000 Bangladeshis.