Skonto Būvehas a firm leading position in the construction and real estate industry section of the Top Latvian Business Reputation.

Skonto Būvetakes 1^st position in the construction and real estate industry section of the Top Latvian Business Reputation organised by the newspaper “Dienas Bizness” and the public relations agency Nords Porter Novelli. The company has also improved its performance in the top total by climbing three places to occupy 86^th position.

Guntis Rāvis, Chairman of the Board of Skonto Būve:“Disregarding the publicity campaigns, the core of any company’s reputation is its actual work in business – the amount of work, its quality and, of course, keeping one’s word in all matters. Skonto Būve reputation is based solely on its work – the quality and the significance of its objects. By leading the Latvian construction industry we strongly believe that it is our duty to share our success with others. Environmental awareness is one of the key motives in both our professional operations in construction and the field of social responsibility.”

Within the framework of the Nativity of Christ Cathedralrenovation project “SVET”, initiated by the entrepreneur Guntis Rāvis, the central cupola of the cathedral is to be gilded.

Metropolitan Alexander emphasised that gold is a symbol of eternity and beauty, and beauty is God. It was said in the Holy Scriptures long ago that God commanded the gilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and this tradition is being continued today by gilding thebell-tower and the central cupola of this cathedral as well.

Guntis Rāvis, the initiator of the campaign “SVET” and the Chairman of the Board of the company Skonto Būve, has waited a long time for this moment to come. The project was launched 11 years ago and during this time he supported the renovation of the cathedral facade and the interior as well as the gilding of the bell-tower. Now the preparation works have started in order to gild the central cupola. The entrepreneur sees this campaign as a mission and is thankful to God for having the opportunity to accomplish such a project.

Metropolitan Alexander, the Chairman of the Riga City Council N. Ušakovs and his deputy A. Ameriks have thanked G. Rāvis for his support in the renovation of the cathedral and noted that he is one of the few entrepreneurs whose actions have contributed to making Riga more attractive in the eyes of local inhabitants and tourists.

The gilding of the 380 square metre cupola will be carried out by using 23 carat golden plates and by applying traditional gilding techniques. 5.5 grams of gold is to be used on each square metre; 2 kg of the precious metal in total. The estimated completion time of this work is at the end of this year. The renovation is going to be performed by highly qualified professionals under the guidance of experienced masters in gilding.

This campaign is open to everyone; each inhabitant may participate and help to renovate the cathedral by calling 90006288 and donating LVL.

The campaign “SVET” is the largest-scale campaign in Latvia, launched upon the initiative of G. Rāvis in 2002. Additional information http://www.grf.lv/lv/svet/

 

The flags of Liepāja were flying for the opening of a new tramline from Klaipēdas street up to the end of Mirdzas Ķempes street. The construction was carried out by Skonto Būve.

The new tramline is a branch of the existing 3.6 km long line up to the residential area of Ezerkrasts. The extension of this tramline is unique in its technical form – one of the most advanced noise isolation technologies in Europe has been implemented along the whole tramline – noise absorption material is placed between the rails and concrete plates.

There are also new water supply, sewerage and rain water collection, heat supply and illumination systems. Reconstruction of the public roads or road sections crossing the tramline and the city illumination has been carried out, new pavements, cycle paths and public transport stops have been developed, with green areas facilitated and traffic lights set up. The tram terminal and the public transport bus station has been constructed as well as a building for the needs of tram and bus drivers with a WC, lounge and a dispatcher station.

Visually appealing from the outside and technologically highly sophisticated inside, this building is designed for the production of high technology products of a special complexity for European and USA markets. Skonto Būve performed the construction upon the request of the Ventspils Free Port Authority.

At the opening of the plant, Aivars Lembergs, Chairman of the Board of Ventspils Free Port Authority and Ventspils City Council, announced that industrialisation in Ventspils is booming: “On the eve of last year we opened the “Malmar Sheet Metal” machine building plant and the “Ventspils Welding Plant”; less than a month ago we opened the “Heimdal Skonto Latvija” production unit of module houses and now the liquid crystal plant. They each represent a different industry, but demonstrate a united course of development.”

Ilmārs Osmanis, Member of the Board of “EUROLCDS” emphasised that “this is like a Silicon Valley company associated with great risk, but success is only possible if you are prepared to do what others aren’t.”

Guntis Rāvis, Chairman of the Board of Skonto Būve stated that it is particularly rewarding to build plants and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to promote the development of manufacturing and in particular the development of high technologies in Ventspils. The biggest challenge in the construction of the EUROLCDS plant was the “cleanroom” with a 1800 m2 area built in compliance with ISO class 6, 7 and 8 standards, which is the biggest “cleanroom” in Latvia for the production of electronics.

To renew the population of Brown Trout in Latvia the project “The Return of a Million Trout”, initiated by “Skonto Būve”, continues this year.

Since 2011 when “Skonto Būve” launched its project “The Return of a Million Trout”, the rivers of Latvia have already been replenished with 750 thousand Brown Trout fry. Within four years of the above mentioned project, a million Brown Trout fry will be stocked in the rivers of Latvia.

Participating in the first of the year’s release of Brown Trout fry in the river Mergupe, Guntis Rāvis, the initiator of the project and Chairman of the Board of “Skonto Būve”, appealed to the public for help in protecting the stocked Brown Trout fry. Thus we all could put our efforts in and make the idea of the project “The Return of a Million Brown Trout” come true, with the idea being to achieve the aim of Brown Trout becoming a common representative of fauna in the rivers of Latvia. G. Rāvis especially thanked all local authorities covering the basins of rivers involved in the project, society and environmental inspectors who provide the daily care of Brown Trout so that they can grow freely while surrounded by widely spread illegal and unfriendly fishing practises.

The godfather of the project and naturalist Māris Olte was pleased with the acclimatisation of the Brown Trout fry stocked during the first years of the project. As Māris Olte indicated, such a project and the resulting resonance with the public changes attitudes towards fish and the natural resources of Latvia in general.

Pursuant to the commission by “Skonto Būve” Brown Trout fry were bred by three Latvian hatcheries – “BIOR” hatchery “Tome”, SIA”Faps” and the farm “Sillakas”.