Go to Hochtief’s headquarters in Essen and it is easy to see why German companies are renowned for understatement and keeping a low profile.

Employees say the headquarters for more than 80 years, an inconspicuous concrete building, has the air of a tax office. Behind the facade, however, operates the most international construction company in the world, building everything from state-of-the-art airports in Dubai to skyscrapers in Russia. It is also one of the few large European companies looking resilient amid the drastic global downturn.