History & Milestones

150 years of Waagner-Biro company history are also a piece of Austrian contemporary history of economics: from an Austrian locksmith’s workshop to a modern specialist company for engineering, steel construction, mechanical engineering and plant engineering with an international reputation.

1854   
On October 16th, 1854 Rudolph Philipp Waagner is awarded the Eisenhandelsgerechtigkeit by the Municipality of Vienna. This is the date of foundation of Waagner-Biro. In the same year the locksmith’s workshops “Anton Biró” and “Albert Milde & Co.” merge.

1905    
Merger to “Aktien-Gesellschaft R. Ph. Waagner – L. und J. Biró & A. Kurz"

1906
Stage equipment of the Vienna State Opera

1924    
The company name “Waagner-Biro”, still valid today, is used for the first time

1910-1932    
Numerous important bridge constructions in Vienna: Schwedenbrücke, Floridsdorfer Brücke, Friedensbrücke, Augartenbrücke etc.

1946
Reconstruction of the roof of the Vienna State Opera which had been destroyed at the end of World War II

1948
New roof truss for the Viennese St. Stephen’s Cathedral which had also been completely destroyed in 1945

1954
Reconstruction of the Vienna Burgtheater

1960
Stage equipment of the Sydney Opera House

1962    
Europabrücke (Europe Bridge) Innsbruck

1964
Nordbrücke (North Bridge) across the Danube in Vienna

1969
Roofing of the Olympic Stadium in Munich

1974
General Hospital and UNIDO Conference Centre in Vienna 1979     Danube bridge in Vienna, Wien-Floridsdorf

1980
Danube bridge in Vienna, Wien-Brigittenau

1982
Establishment of a Foreign Branch Office in Dubai

1985
Roofing of the Vienna Prater Stadium

1987
Delivery of 91 road bridges to Indonesia

1989
Further 91 modular bridges for Indonesia, stage equipment of the Teatro Real, Madrid

1991
European Steel Design Award for the refurbishment of the Palmery at Schönbrunn, Vienna

1998
Establishment of Waagner Biro Bin Butti Engineering L.L.C. in Abu Dhabi

1999
Foundation of the Waagner-Biro Holding and of separate public limited companies for the individual divisions

European Steel Design Award for the cupola of the Reichstag Building in Berlin

2000    
Establishment of Waagner-Biro Gulf L.L.C. in Dubai

2001
Establishment of Waagner Biro Limited in London

2002
Delivery of the first panel bridge developed by Waagner-Biro

2003
Establishment of Waagner Biro Spólka z o.o. in Warsaw

Merger of the stage engineering companies under the name “Stage Systems”

European Steel Design Award for the roofing of the Queen Elizabeth II. Great Court at the British Museum, London

2004
150th anniversary of Waagner-Biro

2005
Merger of the divisions of steel and glass engineering, bridge construction and installation in the new Waagner-Biro Stahlbau AG

2007
European Steel Design Award for the Zlote Tarasy project in Warsaw

2008
Gulf Building Award in the category “Specialist Contractor of the Year” for the projects “Dubai Festival City” and “Capital Gate Building” in Abu Dhabi