Our Heritage

Building Europe’s world-class buildings and infrastructure since 1969.

Since 1969

With decades of experience, GBS is an international contractor working with both private and public investors, among which are various international institutions.

GBS is the largest Bulgarian building and engineering corporate group, with a footprint in Germany, Morocco, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Ukraine, and other countries across Europe and the world. Take a look at what we have achieved so far:
Our story
1969
1969

GBS is established

Glavbolgarstroy (GBS) is established. On 19th November 1969, the first contingent of construction workers leaves Bulgaria for the territories of the former Soviet Union.
1971
1971

8 new regional divisions

Glavbolgarstroy created 8 new regional divisions. From 1971 to 1991, a total of 126,000 people worked in these divisions over the entire period. 

1976
1976

Rebuilding of Uzli

GBS participates in the rebuilding of the city of Uzli in Uzbekistan after a devastating earthquake.
1986
1986

‘Progress’ Yamburg-West

GBS begins work on the ‘Progress’ Yamburg-West border gas pipeline and building underground gas and oil storage depots and compressor stations.
1987
1987

The name ‘Glavbolgarstroy’ appears for the first time

After hundreds of construction projects completed by Bulgarian building groups, a decision of the USSR Council of Ministers establishes the Glavbolgarstroy Economic Union.
1989
1989

GBS’ headquarters

GBS moves its head office to Sofia, Bulgaria.
1991
1991

New construction projects in Kazakhstan

With work on the Oil-Iron Agreement now complete, GBS undertakes new construction projects in Kazakhstan: the Kumkola oil field sites and a 660-bed multi-functional hospital in Kyzylorda.
1992
1992

Housing construction programme

GBS starts work on its most complex project ever – a housing construction programme in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus for troops returning from Germany as part of the Programme for the Liquidation of Nuclear Weapons.

During the same year, GBS enters the Bulgarian construction market with branches of the company being established in Bulgaria’s major cities.

1996
1996

6 towns project

Working alongside a German construction company, Hochtief, GBS completes a 600-million-dollar construction project of six towns, with complete infrastructure including roads, water supply, sewage, treatment plants, schools and hospitals.
1997
1997

GBS is privatised

GBS is privatised and transformed into a private joint-stock company.
1999
1999

GBS is ISO 9001 certified

GBS becomes the first ISO 9001 certified construction company in Bulgaria, awarded for its excellence in quality management in compliance with European standards.
2004
2004

Vasil Levski Stadium

GBS completes the work on the Vasil Levski Stadium. The building now includes services such as multifunctional sports halls, restaurants, cafés, a museum, a medical centre, a press-conference hall and a warehouse.

2005
2005

GBS takes on a holding structure

GBS transforms its business into a holding and introduces tourism and investment project divisions.
2006
2006

The Bulgarian Construction Chamber

The Bulgarian Construction Chamber, official representative of construction companies in the country, is established with the active participation of Simeon Peshov, President of Glavbolgarstroy.

2008
2008

St. Thomas holiday resort

GBS completes work on its award-winning St. Thomas seaside holiday resort. The 21-million-euro project is GBS’s biggest single investment and includes eight groups of dwellings, a five-star hotel, five outdoor pools and a shopping area. The complex also has its own wastewater treatment plant and the first deepwater discharges of purified waters in Bulgaria.

2009
2009

Arena Armeec

GBS is awarded the construction of the Arena Armeec, a multi-purpose sports hall in Sofia. The arena’s steel roof is the largest in Bulgaria, measuring 11,800 square metres – the area of two football stadiums.

2011
2011

Kosovo Palace of Justice

GBS is selected by the European Commission and the Ministry of Administration of Kosovo as main contractor on construction of the Kosovo Palace of Justice in Pristina.

2012
2012

GBS volunteers

GBS volunteers to help remove and dispose of 50 potentially hazardous buildings in the flood-stricken village of Bisser on the coast of Southeast Bulgaria. Construction of the new airport control tower at Sofia Airport is completed.

2013
2013

Lot 1 of Struma Highway

In less than two years, GBS completes the construction of the most environmentally friendly and complex infrastructural project for Bulgaria – Lot 1 of Struma Highway in the section between Dolna Dikania and Dupnitsa. Struma Highway is connecting Sofia to Greece as part of the European Transport Corridor IV and the North-South Trans-European Highway.
2014 – 2015
2014 – 2015

Sofia Ring Mall & Lot 2 of Struma Highway

Work on the Sofia Ring Mall, Bulgaria’s biggest shopping centre, is completed. Covering 328,000 square metres, the whole area is big enough to accommodate 50 football fields or 270 tennis courts. In 2015 GBS is ready with another key project for the country – Lot 2 of the Struma Highway, funded by the European Union. One of the main priorities of the whole Struma project is to improve the social, environmental and economic development of all the regions through which it passes.

2016 - 2019
2016 - 2019

Partnerships with Solar Turbines and Honeywell

GBS implements key energy projects in Bulgaria with US partners Solar Turbines and Honeywell – the first stage of the modernisation and reconstruction of the Strandza, Petrich, Lozenets and Ihtiman gas compressor stations and the 11-km long gas transmission pipeline from the Bulgarian -Turkish border to Strandzha gas metering station. In 2018 GBS completes work ahead of schedule on two major infrastructural projects as well – Struma Highway Lot 3.3 and the Plovdivtsi Dam and hydropower plant. With a volume of 2.45 million cubic metres, the Plovdivtsi Dam supplies water to more than 30 towns and villages in southern Bulgaria and is the first drinking water dam built in Bulgaria over the last 30 years.

2019
2019

GBS celebrates 50th anniversary

GBS holds its 50-year anniversary celebrations, with highlights including a presentation of its iconic projects across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and honours to its longest-serving employees. During the same year, GBS opens a satellite office in Brussels to work in proximity with EU institutions and sector leaders.

2020 – 2021
2020 – 2021

Largest construction projects in recent years

GBS completes work on some of its largest construction projects in recent years – Biovet’s industrial plants in Peshtera and Razgrad, the long-awaited Center for Plant and System Biology and Biotechnology in Plovdiv, the second stage of the modernization of Petrich, Lozenets and Ihtiman gas compressor stations and the mega projects of Nova Provadia and Rasovo CS.

2020 – 2021
2020 – 2021

Largest construction projects in recent years

Infrastructural projects are not left behind, as the team completes work on Sofia Ring Road (km 35+260 to km 41+340), Europe highway’s section from Dragoman to Slivnitsa, Struma highway Lot 3.1 from km 366+000 to 366+720, including the construction of a 540-meter-long bridge facility at Zheleznitsa tunnel using innovative hydraulic jacks’ technology.

2021 – 2022
2021 – 2022

Saint Ekaterina Hospital

GBS completes work on gas transmission pipeline in the section Valchi dol – Preselka, Videnov furniture factory in Yambol, the super modern surgical block of Saint Ekaterina Hospital in Sofia with an emergency helipad.

2022
2022

GBS invests in its own plant in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria

In 2022, Glavbolgarstroy invested in the construction of its own plant GBS Prefab for production of prestressed reinforced concrete elements with the most modern equipment in Bulgaria. In the same year, the company launched a series of donation initiatives in support of the Mountain Rescue Service of the Bulgarian Red Cross, standing behind those on whom it depends to save human lives in the mountain.

2023
2023

GBS begins work on two new strategic for the region projects