History

• 1952 - 1960

  • 1952

    - Francis Bouygues founds Entreprise Francis Bouygues a Paris-based company specialising in industrial works and construction. He sets up design and process engineering departments and applies the principles of industrial production.

  • 1956

    - The company starts property development with Stim.

  • 1959

    - A subsidiary is set up and specialises in industrial precasting and the development of special concrete treatment processes (EPI).

• 1960 - 1969

  • 1963

    The Compagnons du Minorange guild is created to promote an elite among site workers. 
     

  • 1965

    - Civil engineering and public works activities (engineering structures, earthworks, infrastructure projects, etc.) are developed.

    - Regional building and civil works subsidiaries are founded. They gradually cover the whole of France.
     

  • 1968

    - An information systems department is set up.
     

• 1970 - 1979

  • 1970

    - Bouygues is floated on the Paris stock exchange.

  • 1972

    - The Bouygues logo is created.
    - A scientific department is set up.

  • 1974

    - Bouygues Offshore is set up. It specialises in oil and gas contracting (sold to Saipem in July 2002).
    
    

  • 1975

    - Foreign subsidiaries are founded.

  • 1978

    - Maison Bouygues (catalogue homes) is set up and sold in 1990.

• 1980 - 1989

  • 1982

    - Francis Bouygues is named "Manager of the Year" by the magazine Le Nouvel Economiste.

  • 1984

    - Bouygues acquires ETDE and Saur, France's third-largest water supply company, specialising in energy supply and transmission. Saur was sold to PAI Partners on15 February 2005, with the exception of its African subsidiaries.

  • 1986

    - A Franco-British consortium is formed to design, build and operate a fixed link across the English Channel.
    - Bouygues acquires the Screg group, France's leading roadworks contractor, made up of Colas, Screg Routes and Sacer. Bouygues becomes the world's leading construction firm.
    - Bouygues acquires Dragages and Smac Acieroïd (waterproofing).

  • 1987

    - Acquisition of TF1 : Bouygues becomes the main shareholder (25%) and operator of France's leading television channel.

  • 1988

    - The Group moves into its new head office, Challenger, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris region).
    - Martin Bouygues is named Chief Executive Officer of Bouygues.
     

  • 1989

    - On 5 September 1989, Francis Bouygues stands down as Chairman of the Bouygues Board of Directors. On his proposal, Martin Bouygues is appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
    - Bouygues acquires Grands Moulins de Paris (GMP), sold on 2 October 1998 to a group of investors made up of AXA Private Equity Fund, Gilde Buy-Out Fund and Charterhouse.

• 1990 - 1999

  • 1990

    - Bouygues is the main shareholder of the concession company entrusted with design, financing, construction and 35-year operation of the Northern Lyon Bypass.

    - Bouygues acquires Losinger, Switzerland's third-ranking construction group, whose subsidiary VSL, is world leader in post-tensioning.
    - Compagnie Ivoirienne d'Electricité (CIE, subsidiary of Saur and EDF) is awarded the concession for the power utility in Ivory Coast.
    - Francis Bouygues founds Ciby 2000, a feature film production company, which discontinued its production activities in 1998. Its catalogue was sold in 1999. Films produced include: Une Epoque Formidable by Gérard Jugnot, High Heels by Pedro Almodovar, The Piano by Jane Campion, Underground by Emir Kusturica, Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh, and Taste of Cherry by Abbas Kiarostami.
     

     

  • 1991

    - TF1 takes over the theme channel Eurosport.

  • 1993

    - In February, Bouygues acquires a stake in South African construction firm Basil Read (sold in 2005).
    - Francis Bouygues dies on 24 July 1993
    - Bouygues establishes a national paging network under the ERMES standard. The first service, Kobby, is launched in 1994. (September)
     

  • 1994

    - Stim and Batir merge.
    - Bouygues increases its stake in TF1 from 25% to 34%.
    - Bouygues and EDF sign a strategic international partnership agreement (May)
    - LCI (La Chaîne Info) is launched, Europe's first rolling news channel and wholly-owned subsidiary of TF1 (June).
    - Bouygues gains a license to operate France's third mobile phone network under the DCS 1800 standard (October).
    
     

  • 1995

    - Bouygues Offshore and Saipem (50/50) form the company Saibos (turnkey construction and installation of platforms and subsea pipelines) (June).
    - TF1 opens its website (www.tf1.fr) (December).

  • 1996

    - Bouygues creates and launches the digital package TPS (Télévision Par Satellite) (January).
    - The French broadcasting authority (CSA) renews TF1's broadcasting license for five years.
    - Commercial launch of Bouygues Telecom (April).

    - 40% of Bouygues Offshore is floated on the stock exchange in Paris and New York (November).
    - The ownership structure of Bouygues is reorganised when Saur and Cise merge (December).
     

     

     

  • 1997

    - The Gustave Eiffel Apprentice Training Centre is opened in Chilly-Mazarin (Paris region) (September).
    - Bouygues Telecom signs a loan agreement for FF15 billion (October).
    - Bouygues is withdrawn from the CAC 40 index (November).
    - Bouygues Telecom launches high-resolution digital sound and Nomad, the no-commitment mobile.
    - Vincent Bolloré acquires a stake in Bouygues (December).
     

  • 1998

    - Bouygues builds two railway tunnels in Hong Kong as part of a FF 2.6 billion contract (October).
    - Bouygues receives a work order for Europe's biggest office development scheme: Coeur Défense in Paris, France (October).
    - Vincent Bolloré sells his stake in Bouygues to François Pinault (November).
    - SCDM (Martin Bouygues and Olivier Bouygues) and Artémis sign a 3-year shareholders' agreement (December).
     

  • 1999

    - The capital of Saur is reorganised (January).
    - Bouygues signs contracts for the construction of part of the CPC oil export terminal and pipeline in Russia (March and April)
    - The Group spins off its construction business to form Bouygues Construction (June).
    - Bouygues raises its stake in Bouygues Telecom from 34% to 54%.
    - €540 million capital increase (June).
    - Bouygues Telecom welcomes its two millionth customer (July).
    - Francis Bouygues is named entrepreneur of the century in the construction sector by L'Usine Nouvelle magazine (October).
    - Bouygues is relisted on the CAC 40 index (October).
    - The Bouygues parent company sells 51% of Bouygues Offshore  and 100% of ETDE to Bouygues Construction (December).
    - €229 million capital increase through Bouygues Confiance, a mutual fund reserved for employees (December).
     

• 2000 - 2009

  • 2000

    - €1.5 billion capital increase (March).
    - Bouygues makes a share exchange offer for its subsidiary Colas (25 July to 31 August), after which Bouygues holds 96.5% of Colas.
    - Bouygues Telecom passes the five million customer milestone (December).
     

  • 2001

    - Bouygues Telecom decides not to apply for a UMTS licence in France (30 January).
    - TF1 acquires 100% of the Eurosport group (31 January).
    - The Pinault group and SCDM extend their shareholders' agreement (12 September).

    
     

  • 2002

    - Bouygues increases its interest in Bouygues Telecom from 54% to 65% by acquiring Telecom Italia's stake (13 February 2002).
    - Bouygues Telecom applies for a UMTS licence. Bouygues Telecom and NTT DoCoMo sign an agreement to develop on i-mode™ services (17 April 2002).
    - Bouygues Construction sells its majority stake in Bouygues Offshore to Saipem (9 July 2002).
    - i-mode™ is launched (15 November 2002).
     

  • 2003

    - Bouygues acquires E.ON's holding in Bouygues Telecom, raising its stake from 67% to 73% (17 January), and to 83% (December).
    - The shareholders' agreement between Artémis and SCDM is extended (22 May).
    - Colas develops an ultra high-performance noise barrier (July).
    - The Compagnons du Minorange guild celebrates its 40th anniversary (September).

  • 2004

    - Bouygues Construction signs a 250 million euro contract to build Masan Bay bridge in South Korea (June)
    - TF1 acquires 100% of Histoire, a thematic channel on French and world history from prehistoric times to the present day (1 July).
    - On 23 July, the Bouygues Board of Directors approves an exceptional payout of €5 per share, submitted to the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting on 7 October.
    - Bouygues Telecom passes the seven million customer milestone (1 October).
    - On 19 November, Bouygues signs an agreement to sell Saur to PAI Partners. The agreement is approved by the competition authorities on 15 February 2005.
    - Delivery of Groene Hart Tunnel

  • 2005

    - An exceptional payout of €5 per share is made on 7 January 2005.
    - Bouygues, Bouygues Telecom, TPS, Orange and France Télécom join forces to test a TV-over-mobile service using the new DVB-H standard (March).
    - Founding of the Francis Bouygues Corporate Foundation, which helps motivated school-leavers with financial difficulties to finance their studies and fulfil their professional ambitions (June).
    - Bouygues Confiance 3 is launched – the third leveraged share ownership plan reserved for employees of the Group's French companies (November).
    - On 16 December, Vivendi Universal, TF1 and M6 announce a draft commercial agreement to merge the pay-TV businesses of Group Canal+ and TPS in France.

     

  • 2006

    - Bouygues Telecom reaches the eight million customer mark at the beginning of 2006.
    - Bouygues Telecom introduces Neo and Exprima, two new price plan ranges, on 1 March.
    - On 26 April, Bouygues acquires the French government's 21% stake in Alstom, and signs a cooperation agreement with the company.
    - On 26 April, Bouygues signs a sponsorship agreement on the restoration of the Hôtel de la Marine with France's Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Culture and Communication.
    - On 26 June, the European Commission authorises Bouygues to acquire the French government's remaining stake in Alstom, taking Bouygues share of Alstom's capital and voting rights to 23.26%.
    - Bouygues SA opens its new Paris headquarters, an HQE-certified (High Environmental Quality) building (June).
    - Bouygues Immobilier launches its line of affordable housing, Maisons Elîka (November).
    - Bouygues announces Bouygues Partage, the fourth leveraged capital increase (December).
    - Bouygues SA joins the Group's other subsidiaries in the UN Global Compact. The entire Bouygues group now holds membership (December).
    - The Code of Ethics is distributed to all employees in France (December).

     

  • 2007

    - On 4 January 2007, TF1, M6 and Vivendi sign a final agreement on merging the pay-TV businesses of Canal+ Group and TPS in France as part of Canal+ France, a new group controlled by Vivendi.
    - Bouygues Construction uses the world's two largest tunnel-boring machines on a project in China (February).
    - Bouygues Construction wins a contract for the construction of a second port in Tangiers, Morocco (June).
    - On 30 May 2007, Colas acquires Spie Rail.
    - On 10 September 2007, Bouygues acquires the 6.5% stake owned by BNP Paribas in Bouygues Telecom.
    - Bouygues owns 30.07% of Alstom at 5 October 2007.
    - Bouygues Confiance 4, the fifth leveraged capital increase reserved for employees of the Group's French companies, is carried out in December.

  • 2008

    - In May 2008, Colas gains a new foothold in Australia with the acquisition of a 51% stake in the Australian company SAMI.

    - TF1 Publicité enters the radio advertising market by winning the bid on independent radio stations on 24 June 2008.

    - In July 2008, Colas acquires Gouyer and its subsidiaries, a group of companies operating in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

    - On 20 October, Bouygues Telecom becomes an internet access provider. 
    - 24 October 2008, Bouygues Immobilier launches the Positive Energy Consortium to improve the performance of positive-energy buildings.

    - 3 November 2008, the Group launches its first advertising campaign “Building the future is our greatest adventure???. Created alongside the campaign, the website www.construirenotreavenir.com presents Bouygues know-how in sustainable development.

    - 17 November 2008, Bouygues Telecom provides 3G+ mobile broadband access for all customers. 72% of French population should be covered by Spring 2009.

  • 2009

    - Colas wins a €150-million design-build contract for a section of highway in Romania (March).
    - The Group's first advertising film, featuring 41 employees, is shown on television and in cinemas (April).
    - Bouygues Construction is to build the new civil aviation department headquarters in Hong Kong for €180 million (May).
    - Bouygues Immobilier has laid the foundation stone of the future Orange retail park, incorporating Europe's biggest photovoltaic power plant (May).
    - Bouygues Telecom invents All-in-One service with ideo, the best of mobile phone and broadband box in a single package (May).
    - Bouygues Construction to build second port facility in Tangiers (Morocco) (June).
    - Bouygues Telecom ranks No. 1 in customer relations for the third time running (June).
    - Settlement of an agreement between TF1 and AB Group (June).
    - Colas has signed a consortium contract to build the second phase of Line 3 on the Cairo, Egypt Metro (June).
    - Bouygues Construction launches Terre Plurielle, its corporate foundation, enabling the Group to provide financial support for projects backed by employees, both in France and elsewhere (September).
    - Bouygues Telecom passes the 10-million mobile customer mark and sells more than 200,000 Iphone (September).
    - Bouygues Construction wins a major contract in the United States for a tunnel in Miami worth €440 million (October).
    - Bouygues Immobilier inaugurates its new headquarters, Galeo, in Issy-les-Moulineaux, outside Paris. Galeo was awarded a Pyramide d'Argent prize in the Corporate Property awards organised by the French Developers and Builders Federation (October).
    - Bouygues Construction wins a contract worth €950 million for a giant real estate complex in Qatar (November).
    - Bouygues Immobilier wins a prize for the future Ginko eco-neighbourhood in Bordeaux at France's first National Urban Sustainability Conference (November).
    - Bouygues head office becomes one of the first office buildings to be granted “NF Office Building Operation Certification – HQE® Approach??? (December). It was already the first office building in Paris to receive HQE® certification in 2006.
    - Bouygues Telecom announces that it is to offer Very High Speed fixed Internet service in 2010 (December).
    - TF1 sells its 9.9% interest in Canal+ France to Vivendi, for €744 million (December). 

• 2010 - 2010

  • 2010

    - January – Bouygues Construction wins a contract to build 63 works and maintenance centres throughout France for a total contract sum of €355 million.
    - February – TF1 and La Française des Jeux announce the signature of a strategic partnership for online gaming in France.
    - April – Colas and the Château de Versailles sign a long-term sponsorship agreement for the restoration of the alleys of the Park.
    - May – Bouygues Immobilier inaugurates the Orange les Vignes retail park, incorporating Europe's largest photovoltaic power plant.
    - 24 May – Bouygues Telecom launches ideo 24/24, the first all-in-one offer to integrate mobile phones with a box gateway, including 24/7 unlimited calls to all operators.
    - June – Bouygues Construction signs a €490-million design-build contract in Hong Kong for a cruise ship terminal along with supporting facilities. Dragages Hong Kong (a Bouygues Construction subsidiary) also wins a €360-million contract for the construction of a rail tunnel.
    - After having obtained necessary authorisations from the relevant authorities — French Competition authority, French broadcasting authority (CSA) and the Conseil d'Etat — Groupe AB and TF1 announce in June the completion of the acquisition by TF1 of 100% of NT1 and 40% of TMC held by Groupe AB.
    - June – Bouygues Telecom ranks No. 1 for customer relations for the fourth year running and passes the 500,000 Bbox customer mark.