From its origins with an Italian family to its current work building the country’s largest hospital, construction and real estate company Félix Giorgetti has shaped modern Luxembourg.
Immigrant Origins
Like many people working in Luxembourg, thecompany’s founders came from abroad.Italian cousins Achille and Francesco Giorgetti came to the Grand Duchy in the 1890s to make their fortunes. Following Francesco’s death at the age of 26, Achille became the head of the business and the mind behind its early success. Eustache, Francesco’s brother came back to Luxembourg for a second time in the 1920s, to help with post-warbuilding. He led the construction of the Arbed (now Arcelor-Mittal) headquarters in Luxembourg City, one of the company’s most prestigious early achievements. Following the turmoil of the Second World War, Eustache restarted construction work in 1946, alongside his sons Félix and Paul. By the time he retired in 1957, they were ready to take over a growing company.
A Changing Nation
As Luxembourg seized the possibilities of the later 20th century, the Giorgettis shaped some of the nation’s most important construction projects, from the children’s hospital to the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg. The company adopted the latest developments in construction while throwing in their own innovations, such as a dedicated cable car to transport stones for the Théâtre. They excelled in technical projects such as the Beggen water treatment plant, as well as the day-to-day work of house building.From the 1970s, they acquired land for themselves and built on it, to meet the demands of the housing market and reduce their reliance on big public projects. During the economic turmoil of the oil crash, the company refused to lay off workers and even pre-financed projects, taking bold risks to keep running. That gamble paid off when the recovery came
"We always think 5 years ahead."
Into the Modern World
The 1980s saw dramatic expansion, and the company evolved into its modern form in the early 1990s, with a selection of subsidiaries.Paul and Marc Giorgetti, sons of the head of Félix Giorgetti, created tower rental company Skyliners in 1988 after joining the family business in1986. By the early 2000s, the company was a recognised leader in civil engineering, building roads, bridges and tunnels. Félix Giorgetti led construction of Tower A on the Kirchberg for the government, using company funds and without any rental guarantee, a building which served first the European Parliament and then the Luxembourg government. With new services and methods, the company continues to transform the face of Luxembourg, with work such as the national stadium at La Cloche d ́Or. Over a century since an Italian family arrived in Luxembourg, a fourth generation has joined a business going from strength to strength
Key Figures
Founded: 1890s
100.000+ m2 in development in the Group.
740+ Giorgetti employees
2000+ in the Group.
Notable Projects: Arbed Headquarters, KPMG, National Stadium at La Cloche d’Or, RTL Headquarters, Arendt.
