IXAS Zuid-Oost Reaches Financial Close for Project A9 Gaasperdammerweg

NIEUWEGEIN, The Netherlands, November 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

IXAS Zuid-Oost B.V., a special purpose company (SPC) created by Ballast Nedam, Fluor, Heijmans Capital (a joint venture between Heijmans and 3i Infrastructure plc) and 3i Infrastructure plc, has reached financial close for the A9 Gaasperdammerweg public-private-partnership (PPP) project. The project includes the design, build, management, maintenance and financing of the existing and new infrastructure of the A9 motorway between Diemen and Holendrecht in the Netherlands.

With this milestone the required project financing is secured. The financing comprises debt and equity. The short term debt of € 140 million and half of the long term debt of around € 410 million has been made available to the project by BNG Bank, DZ BANK, ING, KBC, SMBC and Société Générale. The European Investment Bank will provide the other half of the long term debt. The equity investment will be made by the four shareholders of IXAS Zuid-Oost B.V., with an equal share.

The project consists of all the work to be performed in connection with the reconstruction and expansion of the A9 motorway between the junctions of Holendrecht and Diemen in the region of Amsterdam, including the bridge over the river Gaasp, the road surface on the A9 Gaasperdammerweg and the construction of an approximately three kilometre overground tunnel. The work will start after the summer of 2015 and the tunnel will be available for traffic in 2020.

The project has a total nominal value of approximately € 700 million, including a 20-year management and maintenance period after the new infrastructure becomes available. Ballast Nedam, Fluor and Heijmans will participate in the construction and operation phase with an equal share of one third each. The contract with Rijkswaterstaat was signed in September 2014.

The A9 Gaasperdammerweg project is the third section of the Schiphol-Amsterdam-Almere (SAA) road expansion. Additional lanes will improve the flow of traffic and the accessibility of the Northern Randstad area. The approximately 3 kilometre tunnel will increase the quality of life in the area, ensuring cleaner air and reduction of noise.

Ballast Nedam targets its strategic focus at successfully acquiring and carrying out integrated projects in the working areas of housing, mobility, energy and nature in the Netherlands and internationally. We will expand related activities in niche markets and work on projects where we can make a difference for the client with our expert knowledge and skills. Ballast Nedam applies a differentiated market approach for its three divisions.

With further industrialization of the building process through the use of innovative modular concepts and standardization Ballast Nedam creates enduring quality at the lowest possible life cycle costs for its clients and society. The Ballast Nedam share is included in the Amsterdam Small Cap Index (AScX) of NYSE Euronext. http://www.ballast-nedam.com

Fluor Corporation Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) is a global engineering and construction firm that designs and builds some of the world's most complex projects. The company creates and delivers innovative solutions for its clients in engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, maintenance and project management on a global basis. For more than a century, Fluor has served clients in the energy, chemicals, government, industrial, infrastructure, mining and power market sectors. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Fluor ranks 109 on the FORTUNE 500 list. With more than 40,000 employees worldwide, the company's revenue for 2013 was $27.4 billion. Visit Fluor at http://www.fluor.com and follow on Twitter @FluorCorp.

Heijmans 

Heijmans is a listed company that combines activities in the fields of property development, residential building, non-residential, roads and civil. Heijmans is active in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Our focus on integrated projects and quality execution enables us to create added value for our clients. Heijmans realises integrated projects for major clients such as companies and public sector bodies, as well as homes for investors and private home buyers. With more than 7,100 employees and more than € 820 million in revenues in the first half of 2014, we are building the spatial contours of tomorrow.

For more information, please visit http://www.heijmans.nl.

3i Infrastructure plc 

3i Infrastructure plc is a Jersey-incorporated, closed-ended investment company, listed on the London Stock Exchange and regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. The Company is a long-term investor in infrastructure businesses and assets. Its strategy is to maintain a balanced portfolio of investments in order to deliver stable returns to its shareholders, through a mix of income and capital appreciation. Its objective is to provide shareholders with a total return of 10% per annum and, within that overall objective, it targets an annual distribution yield of 5.5%. The Company's market focus is on core economic infrastructure in developed economies, principally in Europe, in the utilities and transportation sectors, investing in operational businesses which generate long-term yield and can provide capital growth. It also has investments in social infrastructure and is building its exposure to primary PPP and renewable energy projects.  3i Investments plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of 3i Group plc, is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and acts as Investment Adviser to 3i Infrastructure plc.