The begining of Ramboll

Two engineers stood on a rooftop in Copenhagen in 1945 and talked about starting their own company. The rest is – as you say – history.

This year, Ramboll turns 75. Over the course of the years, Ramboll has grown from two passionate engineers to a global company with an exciting history. Not only are we now 16,000 experts in 35 countries – we have also built a strong and diverse business contributing to the sustainable development of the society. To know how we got here, you need to know how it all started.  

No one really knows the exact date of birth of Ramboll, but it is said that in the month of October 1945 Børge Ramboll and Johan Hannemann stood on the rooftop of the Technical University of Denmark and looked down at Copenhagen while talking about the company they wanted to establish. 

Then they printed a stack of business cards with the inscription “Ramboll & Hannemann. Consulting engineers”, and this was the beginning of a long journey to the Ramboll of today.

The two young engineers had, like so many others at that time, seen enough destruction throughout World War II and felt a strong urge to help start a new development and rebuild society. 

So, from the very beginning, the company was permeated by a strong humanistic and social vision to help rebuild the societies and improve the conditions for people and nature. This fundamental purpose remains the same even today, which is reflected in our current vision and mission statements.

Through the years, Ramboll has advanced as a company by joining up with colleagues from most corners of the world. Our shared culture relies heavily on us respecting Ramboll’s original founders’ approach to work, society and employees. Their legacy is very much alive and kicking, and it ties us together. We are therefore proud to share of 75 years of history with you.