European Investment Bank

Visitors to the European Investment's Bank's prestigious Luxembourg City headquarters cannot fail to be impressed by the expansive thoroughfare that surrounds it - 5,500 sq metres of natural granite setts laid and grouted with tuffbau mortars.

A continuous supply of ready to use tuffbed rapid mortar delivered in silos, allowed the paving to be completed from start to finish in just 12 weeks at the beginning of 2008.

The EIB was founded in Brussels in 1958 when the Treaty of Rome came into force. It relocated to its current Luxembourg headquarters a decade later. By 1999, it had more than 1,000 staff members, a figure that had nearly doubled by 2012 and a huge increase on the 66 employees that were on its original staff.

The EIB is the European Union's bank. It is the only financial institution owned by and representing the interests of the European Union Member States. The EIB works closely with other EU institutions to implement EU policy.

EIB supports projects that make a significant contribution to growth and employment in Europe with their activities focusing on four priority areas:

• Innovation and skills
• Access to finance for smaller businesses
• Climate Action
• Strategic Infrastructure