Skanska dates back to 1887 when Aktiebolaget Skånska Cementgjuteriet was established in Sweden. The company was founded based on experiences from its predecessor which specialised in manufacturing concrete products.
The company quickly diversified, and within ten years the now fully-fledged construction company received its first international orders, as well as playing a key role in building Sweden’s infrastructure. In 1984 the company changed its name to Skanska.
In the mid 1900’s, the company was also established as a developer of commercial properties and residential projects such as apartment houses and single family homes. The company was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange A-list in 1965.
In the 1970’s the company entered the US market. Today, the US is Skanska's largest market, and Skanska ranks among the largest in the construction sector.
During the 1990s, Skanska initiated its most expansive phase ever, with sales doubling in only a few years. While the major portion of this growth was organic, a string of successful acquisitions also paved the way for Skanska’s growth into a global company. Today, the company focuses on construction operations and development of Commercial, Residential and PPP-projects in selected home markets in the Americas, Europe and the Nordics.
Skanska in the UK began its life as part of Trafalgar House, owning companies like Trollope and Colls, established in the London construction market in 1778.
In 1996 Trafalgar House was sold to Kvaerner who then sold its construction business to Skanska in 2000. And so Skanska UK was born.