BREAKTHROUGH CYCLIC TUNNEL ADVANCE

Dear colleagues,
dear friends,

As they say, all good things come in threes.

Last year, in September 2025, we achieved the first underground connection between Austria and Italy at the Brenner with the breakthrough in the exploratory tunnel (EKS) heading south. Now, with the second and third breakthroughs, we have followed up with the main tunnel tubes. This completes all three cyclic tunnel advances heading south.

Around 9,500 running metres of cyclic tunnel advance in the main tunnel tubes, and more than 11 km of cyclic tunnel advance including the exploratory tunnel heading south, have been achieved.

Even if it has already been said many times before: the Brenner, the “project of the century”. Yes, it truly is.

The project connects nations.
The project connects countries.
The project, the site — that is US, the site is YOU.
You connect nations, you connect countries.

At the Safety Day I already mentioned that people from a total of 21 nations work for us at ARGE H53. Hands from so many nations allow us all to grow a little closer together. There is hardly a stronger symbol than that.

It's impressive — because it only works when YOU becomes a team, a true togetherness.

Today we are celebrating a milestone of the cyclic tunnelling works heading south, with the breakthroughs of both main tunnel tubes. Cyclic means: a cycle. A cycle that we live, day after day, across the entire site.

A daily exchange and interplay between planning, work preparation, procurement, logistics and the workshop — from above ground to below ground, all the way to the tunnel face and the miners — creates a cycle, and from there the information travels back to the site office, all the way to the client, the site supervision and everyone involved in the project. A cycle is created that repeats itself day after day. It only works if we keep our shared goal in sight. A common thread that accompanies us always.

On behalf of the project management, the executive management and the works council, I want to thank you for your achievement — for YOUR commitment.

From the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU!

A symbol of this is also the banner on the tunnel lining – some of you may have already noticed it – with a heart, which can also be seen behind me on the screen.

Thank you to ALL of you who worked so hard to make these breakthroughs such a success.

I am, in any case, very proud and grateful to work together with you on this site.

Be proud of YOURSELVES!

With your commitment on this site, YOU are making visions and dreams come true that were born decades ago.

Finally: a heartfelt THANK YOU!

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
GLÜCK AUF!
The ARGE H53 project management