When the Turkish economy was in recession in the 1970s, STFA went abroad in order not to lay off its personnel and leave its existing machinery assets idle.

[6] STFA took until 2007 to resolve all of its debts and, as part of its restructuring, sold a minority interest to ADM Capital, a Hong Kong–based fund manager.

Since Libya, its international operations to date include projects in Saudi Arabia (1978), Egypt (1981), Iran (1983), Tunisia (1984), Pakistan (1992), and Oman and Qatar (2000).

STFA Construction Group's completed projects include marine works such as container terminals, commercial and naval harbours,[12] water intake and outfalls,[13] and LNG terminals, as well as bridges,[14] dams, highways, tunnels, railways, hydraulic structures, water and wastewater transmission, residential buildings and overhead electric transmission lines,[14] foundation works, project management and engineering consultancy.

[4] STFA has evolved, with independent business units today specialising in constructing marine structures, highways, bridges, tunnels, oil-gas-power plants, power transmission lines, deep foundations, residential-commercial-industrial buildings, water and sewage treatment plants, urban infrastructure, engineering and construction management services.