PURPOSIA Group grew out of the construction and property development sectors, but today it is also developing technologies, private transport, and premium travel. Jan Hasík, the General Manager of PURPOSIA Group, discusses the holding company’s strategy, its 300-year plan, 3D concrete printing, and the integration of business and culture.
Jan Hasík started his business over twenty years ago, when he founded HSF System together with other colleagues. HSF System originally focused on roofing and facade cladding but gradually established itself as a general contractor covering the entire construction cycle. In 2022, Jan Hasík brought his business activities under the PURPOSIA Group holding company. The holding company now comprises 46 subsidiaries with an annual turnover exceeding CZK three billion. The group comprises construction, property development, and technology firms, as well as companies in the transport and tourism sectors. The latest addition to the PURPOSIA family is VELLARIA Premium Travel, which provides premium tourism services to a discerning clientele.
The PURPOSIA Group was established as a holding company focused on construction and property development, but today it brings together dozens of companies and is also entering new sectors. How would you describe the group’s main strategy today?
The group’s strategy is to build and develop the construction and technology companies in our portfolio. We are also continuing our property development activities under the brand Antracit, both through the acquisition of new projects and the sale of successfully completed and occupied projects. Following the 2024 launch of Foredeck for private transport, we are diversifying our services through a new venture, Vellaria Premium Travel. This brand offers experiential travel to both internal and external clients. Our holding company’s multi-directional growth strategy ensures that our decisions remain independent of short-term financial pressures. To support this longevity, we have established a multi-generational ownership structure. This aligns with our ambitious 300-year roadmap, modelled after historic enterprises that have thrived for centuries.
What is the strategic rationale for a construction-focused investment group to diversify into high-end travel and private transportation?
Anyone who has ever worked in the construction industry, whether as a sales representative or on the front line as a site manager, knows that construction is all about travel. And in our case, not just in the Czech Republic but across Europe. Foredeck and, more recently, Vellaria will, on the one hand, serve the needs of our subsidiaries, primarily for business trips abroad, including trade fairs outside Europe. On the other hand, there are our business partners, clients, consultants, and suppliers, who are potential, but at this point also current, clients of this service. This is therefore a completely natural business synergy, into which our Antracit property development group, which operates the hotel, also fits.
How do you approach the projects of the Antracit development group strategically, and what role do they play in your future growth?
Both HSF System and Antracit have established a significant presence in the residential sector, highlighted by projects such as the Biskupská residence, Dvořákova villas, and the Václav mixed-use development. Moving forward, our strategy includes diversifying into hotel services and affordable rental housing. We remain committed to excellence by pairing prime locations with leading architectural firms to ensure that every design is as functional as it is aesthetic. Our goal is to create timeless developments that genuinely serve the needs of their residents.
Does this focus on functionality and timelessness also drive the development of 3D concrete printing at Coral Construction Technologies? Furthermore, is this technology currently being utilised in commercial projects, or is it still primarily in the testing and experimental stage?
We already routinely use 3D concrete printing technology on many of our construction sites, particularly where the main contractor is the HSF System group, which is a 50% owner of Coral. We have three printers at our disposal, and all are in constant use. Further printers are currently being manufactured, for the time being mainly for international clients who are not as conservative in their approach to new technologies.
However, HSF System already uses 3D concrete printing quite routinely for various building components and smaller structures, such as waste management shelters. They are currently building the Church of the Holy Trinity in Neratovice, whose tower and rectory will be printed using our 3D concrete printing technology, and we are printing a family home in Cerhovice near Žebrák.
It is a fully functional and reliable technology, because we are still talking about concrete, a material that is strong, durable, and long-lasting. So it is not an experiment but a technology we have tested, with so many indisputable advantages that it will soon find widespread application. Robotisation and automation in the construction industry are another of our pillars of development.
HSF System, part of the PURPOSIA Group, is also building the KVIFF.TV Park in Karlovy Vary. What does the combination of construction, architecture, and a cultural event of this scale mean to you?
With KVIFF, it is an integration of building our group’s brand alongside the opportunity to provide a wonderful festival experience for our clients and partners. Our dedication to culture has led to prestigious alliances with global icons like the Colours of Ostrava music festival and the Czech Philharmonic. Supporting the Philharmonic, in particular, reflects our broader ambition to transcend our European roots and establish a truly global presence.
