Iinforma

# 159 vol XXXIX MARCH/APRIL 2012 English Edition

The transport and logistics projects that are making it possible to ship and receive whatever the

imagination can devise, and development demands

Barge in the Port of Belém laden with equipment bound for the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant construction site

THIS IS HOW THE PATH IS BUILT

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Online edition Online archive iPad & smartphone Video reports Blog

> Braskem’s “green” logistics enable it to use electric forklifts whose technology is 100% sustainable and helps reduce polluting gases

> In the United States, 95% of Braskem’s production reaches clients by train, optimizing costs and time spent on shipment operations

> Operational since 1985, the Carajás Railway is undergoing works to widen some sections and add 114.7 km of track

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Read posts by the magazine’s reporters and editors on the Odebrecht Informa blog.

> Thiago Nehrer, 31, discusses the challenges of being part of a major company

> The Port of Santos, the largest in Latin America, marks its 120th anniversary in 2012

> Read about the Angolan tailor who is transforming traditional fabric from his country into artworks

> When scientific research is put into practice, reforestation takes on a whole new meaning

> In the fourth interview for the Savvy project, Gilberto Neves, Odebrecht’s CEO in the United States, recalls the highlights of his career in the countries where he has worked

> The Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, under construction on the Xingú River in Pará, Brazil, uses the waterway as an alternative means of transportation for materials and equipment

> The construction of metro lines in Caracas and Los Teques are the highlights of Venezuela’s investments in urban mobility

BELIEVE IN SUCCESSThe Acreditar (Believe) Project graduates skilled workers and contributes to the development of communities near the Teles Pires hydroelectric plant

> Access all back issues of Odebrecht Informa since no. 1, and download full issues in PDF

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CapaIlustração de Rico Lins&PeoPle

News

#159TRANsPoRT & loGIsTICs

Construction of Lisbon beltway and porto Metro expansion symbolize a new era of progress for portugal’s transport infrastructure

Ruta del Sol and Electric Train are iconic solutions for improving mobility in Colombia and peru

Communication programs are the highlight for Odebrecht Transport’s concessionaire subsidiaries

Transnordestina Railroad: bringing development by linking the interior of northeastern Brazil with the region’s seaports

accessibility solutions that will benefit populous regions in pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro

Concessions: providing high-quality services for users of trains, subways and highways in four Brazilian states

paulo Cesena and the challenges facing Odebrecht Transport, a company increasingly focused on direct relations with the public

Construction and logistics systems enable the fast-paced execution of the Jardins Mangueiral housing project in Brasília

Basic petrochemicals reach Braskem’s clients via highways, railways, waterways and pipelines

In Caracas and Los Teques, an overview of Venezuela’s investments in better urban mobility

The challenges and stories of Olex, a company that is present in every move the Organization’s teams make

The argentine engineer Diego Casarin: family, work and memories of magic moments provided by basketball

Belo Monte: highlights of the dam’s construction in northern Brazil include a multi-modal logistics strategy

Imports of equipment and materials for the pTa pOY pET project in northeastern Brazil involve up to 17 countries and 30 cities

In angola, highways, expressways and boulevards in major cities and the interior are opening up avenues for growth

people: find out what makes Juliana Lima, paulo Brito and Juliana Calsa always feel motivated to do more and better

Tackling bottlenecks: the contributions of the Embraport Terminal in the port of Santos, and the pipeline developed by Logum

OOG is the first Brazilian company to build and operate pLSVs, ships used to install flexible pipelines in deep waters

Gustavo prisco writes about the (urgent) need for Brazil to overcome its infrastructure bottlenecks in transport and logistics

ORGaNIZaTION

GERMaNY

SUSTaINaBLE DEVELOpMENT

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eDIToRIAl

It’s right there in the dictionary

he Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a “bottleneck” as “someone or something that retards or halts free movement and progress.” Therefore, in the life of a nation, bottlenecks create an obstruction that could present a major obstacle to

growth and development. The urgent need to improve transport and logistics infrastructure is a

challenge confronting Brazil and other countries with similar potential to advance and grow their domestic and foreign markets. Just having good products is not enough. We must get those products to clients on time, with guaranteed quality. To do so, it is key to have a complex transport and logis-tics system in place that functions effectively and efficiently. Getting products from the hubs of production to the roads and railways and from there to the ports – that is how we build the pathways that enable nations to meet their people’s needs and boost their competitiveness in the global marketplace.

While seeking solutions focused on better serving clients, Odebrecht Orga-nization companies are taking part in the efforts underway in Brazil and other countries to expand and upgrade their transport and logistics infrastructure.

In this issue of Odebrecht Informa, the spotlight is on the Organization’s projects in the Transport & Logistics sector. Here you will find emblematic stories of the efforts of cities, states and nations to overcome their bottle-necks, which can involve shipping products to the domestic market as well as imports and exports, but also has to do with issues like providing good public services through road concessions, and improving the quality of mass transport by expanding light-rail and commuter rail systems and building urban roadways.

From importing the massive equipment required to build the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in northern Brazil, to the expansion of the Caracas Metro, including the shipment of Braskem’s basic petrochemical products and the construction of expressways in Angola: every day, Odebrecht teams are us-ing their know-how and spirit of service to carry out the task of helping their local communities find solutions and stop their dreams from being bottle-necked. Because giving up on goals and hopes of better times ahead is cer-tainly not in the vocabulary of the Odebrecht Organization’s members.

Good reading.

“while seeking solutions focused on better serving clients, odebrecht organization companies are taking part in the efforts underway in Brazil and other countries to expand and upgrade their transport and logistics infrastructure”

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historyIn hArmony wITh

written by Luiz CarLoS ramoS photos by Edu SimõES

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historyMetro and road construction projects in Porto and Lisbon harmonize with the preservation of the nation’s cultural and architectural heritage

City of Porto: Metro expansion connects the historic center with the Douro River and the nearby town of Vila Nova de Gaia

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he tremendous advances Portugal has

made in improving its infrastructure over

the past 25 years, since it joined the Euro-

pean Union in 1986, mean that the country

is now traversed from north to south by

modern highways and fast trains, in contrast to the limi-

tations of the 1970s. Bridges, overpasses and tunnels

shorten distances and increase the presence of tourists

from other parts of Europe, attracted by the warm cli-

mate and scenic beaches, mountains, plains and cas-

tles, as well as the exciting cuisine, and wines that are

among the best in the world.

Over the years, during this new era of development,

the nation’s two largest cities, Lisbon and Porto (Oporto),

have gained subway lines and extensive highways while

retaining the narrow streets of their romantic and historic

neighborhoods. Odebrecht International is taking part in

the construction of this scenario through Bento Pedroso

Construções (BPC), the contractor responsible for several

projects in Portugal. Three of its most recent projects have

just been completed: two in the Lisbon region and one in

the Porto area.

The complex of highways in the Portuguese capital be-

came even more extensive and dynamic in 2011 with the

inauguration of a new section of the Lisbon Beltway (CRIL),

marking the completion of that circular route, which con-

nects the Vasco da Gama and 25 de Abril bridges on the

River Tagus. Leading from Almada, on the outskirts of Lis-

bon, on the other bank of the Tagus, the 25 de Abril Bridge

is connected to the Baixo Tejo Highway. BPC has also built

the most recent section of that route, facilitating access to

a region of beaches that are popular with Lisbon residents

and tourists alike.

As for the northern city of Porto, its Metro system is

composed of six lines, and one of the busiest has just been

extended, connecting the city’s historic center to the Douro

River and nearby Vila Nova de Gaia, a major industrial town.

Portugal’s transport and infrastructure projects will

continue in the next few months. Working through BPC,

Odebrecht International is among the six companies that

form Elos, Ligações de Alta Velocidade S.A., the joint ven-

ture responsible for the construction of portions of the

future high-speed train line that will make the trip from

Lisbon to Madrid in just three hours. The original design

has undergone changes and is awaiting approval by the

governments of Portugal and Spain, which are interested

in increasing the flow of tourists in the Iberian Peninsula.

Challenges of an urban projectThe Lisbon Beltway (CRIL) is 21 km long and runs

through the northern part of the city, providing a quick

route between the International Airport, Oriente Station

and the Vasco da Gama Bridge, as well as connections

to other expressways. This circular route was all but

completed in April 2011 with the delivery of the 3.7-km

stretch between Buraca and Pontinha, passing through

the cities of Lisbon and Amadora Odivelas and nine dis-

tricts, including Benfica, where the popular soccer club’s

stadium is located.

Estradas de Portugal S.A. contracted BPC to build

this stage of the complex, and the Odebrecht compa-

ny carried out its mission in just over three years. The

completion of the road works required the demolition

of houses and the removal of 1,600 families living in the

area, the redevelopment and opening of tunnels, inter-

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CRIL: beltway passes through northern Lisbon

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changes and access routes, and the preservation of two

historic aqueducts: Águas Livres and Francesas. The

Águas Livres Aqueduct and its famous arches are nearly

300 years old. The structure survived the devastating

earthquake of 1755 and is still in use, as well as being a

tourist attraction.

Project Director José Joaquim Ferreira Martins ex-

plains: “It was a very challenging job because of the ur-

ban development situation, which required moving large

amounts of earth. For this stretch, which is nearly 4 km

long, we had to build two tunnels: Benfica, which is 1,446

m long and runs alongside an aqueduct, and Venda Nova,

which is 300 m long.” The project involved 181 workers,

85% Portuguese and 15% from other nationalities.

Antonio Martins, the technical officer Responsible for

Community Relations, recalls: “We had to explain to mo-

torists why they were facing traffic jams during construc-

tion. It was also necessary to convince the residents who

had to be relocated because of the urban development

works that the freeway is vital to the city.” José Martins

adds: “One day before it was inaugurated, the route was

opened for pedestrians only so people could experience

it on foot.”

There is modern lighting inside the tunnels, and lit

traffic signs and loudspeakers warn drivers about the

risks of accidents and traffic jams. The concrete side

walls are decorated with graffiti art. “Our client, Estra-

das de Portugal, held a contest with a prize for the best

graffiti artists. By covering the walls with these drawings,

we avoided the risk of predatory graffiti,” recalls Martins,

who is preparing to join the management team for the

construction of the Portuguese stretch of the Lisbon-

Madrid Railway, in which ultra-fast trains will link the

capital cities of two nations.

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More access to beachesPortugal’s most popular beaches for foreign tourists,

especially visitors from Northern Europe, are in the Al-

garve, in the far south, where the sun shines all year round.

However, the Lisbon region is also blessed with beautiful

bathing spots in the Estoril and Cascais area, as well as

the other side of the River Tagus, in the region called the

Baixo Tejo or Lower Tagus. Inaugurated in 1966 and named

in 1974 in honor of the Carnation Revolution of April 25th,

which democratized the country, the 25 de Abril Bridge is

the most direct route to Almada and the beaches on that

bank, along the river and the sea.

A southern extension of the Lisbon beltway, the Baixo

Tejo Highway includes a total of 70 km of infrastructure

works and provides a direct route to the region’s beaches.

The client, Estradas de Portugal, has awarded the north-

ern section of that project to BPC and its joint-venture part-

ners Lena and MSF. Regarding the recent construction of

a 4-km section of divided highway for that complex near

the Caparica resorts, Project Director Bruno Medeiros ob-

serves: “There were huge high-tension power poles along

the route that had to be removed with the authorization of

the power company, which put the project a year behind

schedule. But we overcame that challenge with patience

and confidence, and the road was officially opened on

November 18, 2011, with a modern layout and almost no

curves.”

Gonçalo Matos, the officer Responsible for Engineering,

notes that tourism is not the only sector that has benefited

from this project. Many people live in that region and work

in downtown Lisbon. “It was necessary to demolish houses

and build bridges,” says Gonçalo. “Anyone who complained

about the traffic jams while construction was going on can

see how much faster it is to travel on the Baixo Tejo.”

Growing the porto MetroUntil 2002, the city of Porto had no Metro system at all.

Its mass transportation system consisted of old trams,

narrow streets and highways under construction. In just 10

years, six lines have been added to the Metro, including one

leading to the airport. There are 81 Metro stations, 14 of

which are underground, but the system runs mostly on the

surface, passing through 7 km of tunnels. Built with French

technology, its yellow trains are silent, sleek and mod-

ern, stopping in seven towns and cities – Porto, Póvoa do

Varzim, Vila do Conde, Maia, Matosinhos, Gondomar and

Vila Nova de Gaia. Thousands of cars are no longer clog-

ging the streets since their drivers began taking the Metro.

BPC, which has been participating in the expansion of

the Lisbon Metro for years, recently completed a two-year

project in Porto in partnership with Lena – the extension

of Line D, which links the Historic District with São Bento

Oriente Station: the CRIL enables faster connections with the International Airport and Vasco da Gama Bridge

Porto Metro train: the system has gained six lines in just 10 years

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Railway Station, Porto Central Hospital and the University

Campus. On October 15, 2011, in Vila Nova de Gaia, BPC

and Lena delivered a brand new station, Santo Ovídio, the

remodeled D. João II Station, and the stretch connecting

these two stations, built along the busy thoroughfare of

Avenida da República.

Luís Temido, who has built up long experience in road

works projects during his 19 years with Odebrecht, was the

Project Director for the Porto Metro contract. He recalls:

“The new station is underground, beneath a square where

two streets and the city’s main road intersect. Because of

that, we had to build a road tunnel that runs underneath

and parallel to the subway tunnel.” The road tunnel was

opened to traffic on January 30, 2012. “The biggest chal-

lenge of that project was the need to build it without in-

terrupting the daily flow of thousands of pedestrians and

vehicles in that area,” says Temido.

Almost all of Luís Temido’s direct team members

were Portuguese nationals. One young Brazilian engi-

neer, Mariza Maria de Souza Ferreira, was born in Bahia

but has lived in Portugal since her childhood. Mariza,

who joined Odebrecht three years ago, explains that the

modern Metro has made the city of Porto more attrac-

tive without detracting from its historic features. “The

recently extended line runs through the old iron bridge

built by Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in

Paris. This bridge over the Douro River connects Porto

and Vila Nova de Gaia and is part of the most scenic

landscape in the region.” In Gaia, near the river docks,

there are numerous wine cellars that stock Portugal’s

famous port wine, which is produced and aged in oak

barrels in the Upper Douro region.

There are plans in place to further extend the Metro line

that currently ends at Santo Ovídio, which would benefit

low-income neighborhoods that are home to more than

17,000 people. Luís Temido says he believes there will be

more rail and road works in the Porto region and other

parts of Portugal.

“Sailing is necessary; living is not.” The Portuguese

poet Fernando Pessoa wrote those words nearly 100 years

ago, underscoring the motto of sailors of yore. Pessoa’s

verses still inspire the Portuguese people today: “More and

more, I set the soulful essence of my blood to the imper-

sonal task of enhancing the homeland and contributing to

the development of humanity. That is the form taken in me

by the mysticism of our race.”

Baixo Tejo Highway: benefits tourists and local residents by facilitating access to the coast

12 informainforma12

planeta Terra realiza dois tipos de movimento: a

translação, elíptico em volta do sol, e a rotação, em

torno de seu próprio eixo. A lição é muito conhecida,

ensinada no colégio, nos primeiros anos da educação

formal brasileira. Pois é justamente o movimento de

rotação que faz com que Alcântara, pequena cidade à

beira da Baía de São Marcos, no Maranhão, seja um

dos principais pontos do mundo para o lançamento de

foguetes e satélites.

O município está localizado muito próximo à Linha

do Equador. Isso permite ao veículo lançador utilizar de

forma mais eficiente o movimento de rotação da Terra

para executar seu trabalho. Simplificando, pode-se di-

zer que ele “aproveita” esse movimento, em razão da

localização provilegiada da base. Isso possibilita uma

economia de até 30% do caríssimo combustível utiliza-

do. Por esse motivo, os equipamentos são capazes de

suportar cargas mais pesadas que o normal. “É uma

grande vantagem que pode colocar o Brasil em desta-

que no aquecido mercado mundial de lançamento de

satélites”, comenta Clóvis Costa, Gerente de Produção

da Odebrecht.

Em Alcântara, está sendo construída uma das bases

de lançamento mais avançadas do mundo. Com ela, o

Brasil entrará para um seleto grupo de oito países com

esse tipo de tecnologia. A Odebrecht Infraestrutura

está realizando as obras civis, participando do Consór-

cio Cyclone 4, ao lado da Camargo Corrêa. O cliente da

obra é binacional, a Alcântara Cyclone Space, uma par-

ceria entre os governos do Brasil e da Ucrânia.

O nome Cyclone vem do foguete que será utilizado

nos lançamentos, o Cyclone 4. Considerado um dos

mais seguros e eficazes do mundo (atinge três tipos

de órbita), ele tem o impressionante recorde de ape-

nas quatro falhas em 226 lançamentos até hoje. Ape-

nas outras sete nações detêm tecnologia de propulsão

similar: Estados Unidos, Rússia, Índia, China, França,

Japão e Cazaquistão.

Para a construção da base, iniciada em 2011, é ne-

cessária a supressão de uma área de vegetação de cer-

ca de 100 hectares. Nesse espaço, estarão localizadas

áreas de estoque de combustíveis e de montagem e

acoplagem de foguetes e satélites. Um trilho de ferro

de aproximadamente 800 m que levará o foguete para

LIFE ON

the move

12

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José Eduardo: aprendizados precisam se converter em

a área de lançamento propriamente dita.

Babaçu e sustentabilidade

A vegetação predominante na área é o babaçu, uma

espécie de palmeira, da qual são retirados o óleo e a

palha. Será realizado um replantio ostensivo da mata

em outra região. Mas o que fazer com a madeira reti-

rada (que não é de alto valor comercial) e que normal-

mente seria descartada?

A partir de uma ideia criativa do Gerente de Produ-

ção Clóvis Costa e sua equipe, o Cyclone 4 conseguiu

criar um ciclo sustentável para o babaçu, que foi reinte-

grado à paisagem natural, tornando possível a preser-

vação da identidade visual maranhense em um muni-

cípio de importância histórica como Alcântara, ocupado

pela primeira vez no século XVII, pelos franceses.

Uma das mais belas praias da região é a dos Gua-

rás. Por causa do avanço da maré, a única passagem

para esse santuário ecológico começou a ruir, pratica-

mente fechando qualquer travessia terrestre. A estra-

da ficava cada vez mais estreita. O Consórcio Cyclone

4 construiu um talude (plano inclinado que limita um

aterro) utilizando o babaçu e alargou a estrada. Além

da palmeira, foi usada também uma manta porosa ge-

otêxtil. A tecnologia faz com que a água do mar bata e

volte sem danificar a encosta.

A obra foi essencial para a sustentabilidade da co-

munidade local. O pescador Luiz Santana Cantanhêde,

51 anos, corria o risco de ter sua atividade encerrada

devido ao fim iminente da passagem. “Agora posso

continuar minha pesca, além de outras atividades,

como levar turistas para o outro lado margem, onde

há uma praia muito bonita”, diz. “O mais interessante é

que respeitamos a identidade visual da região. O talude

de babaçu é confortável para os olhos, pois não des-

toa da paisagem”, acrescenta Coriolano Bahia, Gerente

Administrativo da Odebrecht.

Da forma como foi colocado o talude, até mesmo ve-

ículos maiores, como microônibus, podem passar por

ali. Quem também se beneficiou com a solução foi Lin-

coln Salles, 33 anos, dono da Pousada dos Guarás, uma

pequena pérola próxima ao mar e ao mangue, onde o

hóspede desfruta do melhor suco de bacuri da região.

A pousada simplesmente ficaria isolada do mundo. A

passagem estreita já não possibilitava sequer o trânsito

dos fornecedores de alimentos. Mas a situação mudou.

“Foi uma solução ambiental, que respeita a vegetação

daqui. Um exemplo que poderia ser seguido pelas au-

toridades”, destaca Lincoln.

Ponte de babaçu

Comunidade e turistas de Alcântara não foram os

únicos a saírem ganhando com as soluções susten-

táveis do babaçu. Clóvis Costa usou a mesma técnica

dentro da própria obra. Ele criou uma ponte (uma pas-

sagem rente ao chão) em cima de um Igarapé com a

palmeira local. A ponte liga os lados leste e oeste da

obra. Antes da ponte, os caminhões e veículos eram

obrigados a percorrer uma distância de 12 km para

chegar de um lado a outro do projeto.

A passagem de babaçu é uma solução inédita e eco-

lógica. Ela não atrapalha o fluxo da água, que atravessa

a madeira e mantém as características daquele ecos-

sistema. E mais: com a diminuição do percurso, reduz

13informa

LIFE ON

the movewritten by zaCCaria Junior photos by bruna romaro

The Ruta del Sol and Electric Train

are iconic projects that symbolize

Colombia’s and Peru’s investments

in mobility

Passengers on the Electric Train in Lima: a decisive contribution to improving the Peruvian capital’s public transport system

14 informa

route that connects Bogota with Co-

lombia’s Atlantic ports (on the Carib-

bean Coast). A light rail system in Lima,

Peru, that reduces traveling time from

two and a half hours by car to 30 min-

utes by metro. These projects may be very different in

terms of format, but they are totally synergistic when it

comes to one of the main concerns of modern life: mo-

bility. In his book On the Move: Mobility in the Modern

Western World, published by Routledge in 2006, an in-

ternationally recognized expert on that subject, geogra-

pher Tim Cresswell, alerted us to the fact that the phe-

nomenon of mobility involves a varied range of factors

and processes that are simultaneously present in the

basic structure of the production system and people’s

daily lives, up to and including the transportation sys-

tem and the public management of those spaces.

Cities to coastThe Ruta del Sol (“Route of the Sun”) is the most im-

portant highway in Colombia. It covers 1,071 km and runs

through an area that concentrates 70% of the country’s

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while connecting its two

most important cities, Bogota and Medellin, with the Ca-

ribbean Coast. The target of a USD 2.5 billion investment,

the concession for this route is divided into three sectors.

Sector Two, the longest (528 km) and most important of

the three, is the responsibility of the Rota do Sol S.A.S.

concessionaire, led by Odebrecht (62.1%), whose part-

ners are two Colombian companies, Corficolombiana

(33%) and Solarte (4.99%). The venture represents an

investment of approximately USD 1.5 billion. In addition

to investing in the project, which includes the operation

and maintenance of the highway for 25 years, Odebrecht

is also present as the contractor refurbishing the route.

Begun in May 2011, the road works will be completed in

five years under the responsibility of Ruta del Sol (Con-

sol), a joint-venture contractor formed by Odebrecht and

two Colombian companies, Corficolombiana and CSS

Constructores S.A.

According to Eder Ferracuti, President of the Rota

do Sol S.A.S. concessionaire, the improvements to the

highway will enable the route to realize its full potential.

“It is mainly used for cargo transportation. The aver-

age amount of traffic in Sector Two is 20,000 vehicles

per day, of which 70% are heavy vehicles. It is essential

to improve this infrastructure to increase Colombia’s

competitiveness,” he observes. “The improvements be-

ing made in road infrastructure have a direct impact on

reducing the Vehicle Operating Cost, which is directly

reflected in lower costs for foreign trade,” he adds.

The Colombian Government estimates that the im-

provements being made on the Ruta del Sol will contrib-

ute to a 5% reduction in the Vehicle Operating Cost, which

represents 4% savings on the cost of cargo transport on

this corridor. This would represent additional gains for

the country of up to USD 1.5 billion per year.

“Odebrecht is also positioning itself in this country

as a company that invests in infrastructure. Colombia is

an extremely interesting country, where there are many

possibilities and there’s plenty to do,” says the CEO of

Odebrecht Colombia, Luiz Antonio Bueno Junior. “Trav-

el time between Bogota and the Caribbean Coast will

be reduced from 16 hours to 10,” he observes.

The Colombian Transport Minister, Germán Car-

dona Gutiérrez, points out that the Ruta del Sol is a

strategic project for his government. “We are enter-

ing a new era for concessions in Colombia, and this is

the first example of the new phase of concessions. We

need to set the priorities for the organization, execu-

tion and efficiency of these road infrastructure proj-

ects so the Colombian people will have a clear picture

of the impact they will have on Colombia’s economy

and development,” emphasizes Germán Cardona.

On track for mobilityWith a population of over 8 million people, Lima still

needs to develop its mass transit infrastructure. The

informality of the bus and taxi systems in the Peruvian

capital compromises the quality of transit and induces

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people to travel in their own vehicles, a domino effect

that eventually leads to massive traffic jams at any time

of day. Long-standing plans to build a light-rail system –

known as the Electric Train in Peru – got off the drawing

board during President Alan Garcia’s first term in office

in the second half of the 1980s, but the project ground to

a halt before it was completed. It resumed by the end of

Alan Garcia’s second administration in 2009, when nine

stations were added to seven existing ones, and 13 km

were added to the 9 km of lines already built. However,

structural changes and updates were required. To get an

idea of the results obtained from the implementation of

the Electric Train project, it takes just 30 minutes to get

from the first to last station of the Lima Metro. The same

trip by car takes at least two and a half hours.

According to Carlos Nostre, Odebrecht’s Electric

Train Project Director: “There is no doubt about the

need for this transport system, the way things are now.

We took on a very difficult project, with

the challenging deadline of 18 months

to develop the plans, build the metro and

get the trains up and running,” he says.

One of challenges Nostre underscores is

the fact that the Lima Metro runs over-

head and not underground, which meant

that its construction had a bigger impact

on the public’s daily life.

Directly involved in the resumption

of the Electric Train project, Enrique

Cornejo, a former Peruvian Minister of

Transport and Communications, argues

that light-rail systems are a necessity

for any city in the world with over 4 mil-

lion inhabitants. “It was important for our citizens to

see that it was possible to finish this project and con-

firm that the metro is actually an important solution to

the urban transport problem in Lima,” says Enrique

Cornejo.

The new metro is very popular. Oswaldo Plasencia,

Executive Director of the Autonomous Electric Train

Authority, observes that preliminary studies indicating

that Lima’s light-rail system would transport 300,000

passengers per day have been updated, doubling that

figure to 600,000. “We have succeeded in building this

project in record time, with excellent quality and virtual-

ly no inconvenience to the public. In just over two weeks

of operations, the Electric Train has carried about 2

million users,” says Plasencia. He adds that it is just

a matter of time before the public takes a liking to the

new system and there is a demand for the network to

be expanded by adding more stations and lines.

Oswaldo Plasencia: number of Electric

Train users surpassed expectations

Ruta del Sol and Germán Cardona: “We are entering a new era for concessions in Colombia”

16 informa

omprehensive programs de s-

ig ned to communicate with the

community and the media have

been an important ally of Odebrecht

TransPort’s concessionaire subsidiar-

ies when fulfilling one of the company’s

basic principles: ensuring the continuing

improvement of the services it provides.

“As providers of public services, we are

committed to communicating with our

users effectively, foreseeing events

and avoiding surprises,” says Marco

Be natti, the officer Responsible for

Communication at Rota das Ban-

deiras, the concession company that

Odebrecht TransPort’s

concessionaire subsidiaries use communication

tools to maintain close relations

with the community and

the press

CommuNICATIoN

open dialogueoperates the Dom Pedro I Corridor in

Campinas, São Paulo.

Six months ago, the company

launched a bulletin titled De Olho

na Rota (An Eye on the Route),

which provides information on

traffic conditions throughout the

highway system, including closed

lanes and road works. It sends

seven daily updates of the bulletin

to radio stations and news web-

sites, especially at peak times.

Rota das Bandeiras is also pre-

paring to launch its new website,

which will publish real-time im-

written by renata meyer photo by artur ikishima

16 informa

C

17informa

ages from the cameras installed

along the highways.

Rota das Bandeiras has ad-

opted a transparent and proac-

tive stance in its press relations.

“Nothing goes unanswered,” says

Benatti. He says that speed and

accuracy when working with the

press have made all the differ-

ence in earning media profes-

sionals’ trust.

At SuperVia, the concessionaire

that runs the commuter rail system

in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan

region, the challenge of provid-

ing information to users quickly

has the support of technology. The

company has invested BRL 2.9 mil-

lion in an integrated communica-

tion system with its clients – the

passengers aboard its trains –

which is managed at the Opera-

tional Control Center (OCC). This

new system enhances operational

security and safety while stream-

lining the OCC’s communications

with train drivers.

The concession company is

also investing in the deploy-

ment of television screens on

trains and in stations to broad-

cast institutional programs that

provide background information

about its operations and help

answer passengers’ most fre-

quently asked questions, among

other content.

The Bahia Norte concession-

aire, which is responsible for

administering the BA-093 state

highway system in the Salvador

metropolitan region in northeast-

ern Brazil, has also put an ex-

tensive communication program

in place. Between December

2010 and June 2011, the com-

pany conducted a survey of users,

residents and business leaders in

the region to help identify the best

communication strategies.

“We want to show the public

that our work is not limited to

collecting tolls. We are here to

provide high-quality service and

make essential improvements to

the local transport infrastruc-

ture,” says Cledson Castro, the

officer Responsible for Commu-

nication at the Bahia Norte con-

cession company.

From this perspective, Bahia

Nor te’s communication efforts

focus on accountability to the

community. It periodically invests

in informative campaigns on

matters like the delivery sched-

ule for road works and changes

in traffic flow and intensity.

Bahia Norte also maintains

an active presence on social

networks. To inform the pub-

lic about traffic conditions, it

has created a Twitter page and

updates it several times a day.

Users can also obtain this infor-

mation by logging on to the con-

cessionaire’s website.

In Cabo de Santo Agostinho,

Pernambuco, where Rota dos

Coqueiros manages 6.5 kilo-

meters of highway, face-to-face

communication has made a big

difference in the community’s

life. The concessionaire invests

in traffic education, road safety

and environmental awareness

campaigns through seminars,

training sessions and recre-

ational activities for local resi-

dents. It has also started pub-

lishing a bimonthly newsletter

to communicate with the high-

way’s users. With a circulation

of 10,000 copies, the newsletter

is distributed at the toll plaza,

which is the company’s main

point of communication with the

public. “Through the newsletter

we show our users what we are

doing for the community. As a

result, they can take part in our

projects and see that our work

goes beyond maintaining and

operating the highway,” says

Elias Lages, President and CEO

of Rota dos Coqueiros.

open dialogueBahia Norte’s publications: full accountability

17informa

18 informa

18

TrAcks Across The

backlandsnyone who visits the 25 work fronts

for the New Transnordestina Rail-

road in the Brazilian states of

Pernambuco, Piauí and Ceará,

and sees the accelerated work of

around 9,000 people and thousands of machines,

would never imagine the time it took for the proj-

ect to leave the drawing board. Residents of the

Northeast had nurtured that dream since Emper-

or Pedro II visited that part of the country in the

nineteenth century and promised to build a rail-

road to link the interior of the region to the coast-

al cities. Over 100 years later, the new route of

the railway, which will connect existing portions

of the old network, is one of the main projects in

the Federal Growth Acceleration Program (CAP),

with an investment of BRL 7.5 billion. The 1,728-

km New Transnordestina will connect the city of

Eliseu Martins in southern Piauí with the ports of

Pecém in Ceará and Suape in Pernambuco.

Odebrecht Infraestrutura is responsible for

building the Eliseu Martins-Suape stretch and

part of the Salgueiro-Pecém section. The work is

divided into two phases. The first is infrastructure,

which includes grading and construction of bridg-

es and viaducts – that is, preparing the ground for

tracks. “This stage is the most challenging part of

the project because it involves obtaining environ-

mental permits, land expropriation, relations with

maroon and indigenous communities and manag-

ing our own impact on urban areas,” says Tufi Da-

her Filho, CEO of Transnordestina Logistica S.A.,

the CSN Group company that has been respon-

sible for operating the freight railway system in

the Northeast since 1998.

The second phase involves the superstructure,

that is, installing the sleepers, rails and gravel –

the railway itself. This phase began in the second

half of 2011. About 200 km of the railway have been

built so far. Trains are already riding the rails, but

for now there are just enough to carry materials for

the works themselves: rails, sleepers and gravel.

“We can lay up to 2.5 km of track per day. We’ll

have built 600 km of the railway by the end of 2012,

and the Eliseu Martins-Suape section will be up

and running by 2013,” says Tufi.

a

Section of the Transnordestina Railroad in Salgueiro, Pernambuco: the city marks the beginning of the railway line. Opposite page, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff during her visit to the jobsite: harnessing the region’s potential

19informa

A 200-km stretch of the ongoing Transnordestina Railroad project is already built and changing lives in a vast region of Brazil

backlands

written by edilson lima photos by marcelo pizzato

The Transnordestina Railroad is equipped with

the latest features. One is the gauges (distance be-

tween rails) used – broad gauge (1.6 m) tracks for

modern trains, and mixed gauges in some plac-

es, which allow older narrow-gauge (one-meter)

trains to operate. It also uses concrete sleepers

instead of wood. The rails purchased from China,

Italy and Poland measure 24 m per unit. Each unit

is attached to nine more to form a 240-m Long

Welded Rail (LWR). The slope of the line is a maxi-

mum of 1.5% and the radius of curvature is 400 m

per kilometer. Thanks to these features, a 104-car

train can safely travel at up to 80 km/hour.

a corridor of opportunitiesWhen the 1,728-km railway system is com-

pleted in 2014, the business opportunities will

be huge. The railway will carry 30 million metric

tons of cargo per year. Transnordestina Logísti-

ca’s cars already carry products like cement, raw

materials for steel mills, and fuel (ethanol, diesel

and gasoline), and the company wants to expand

its business and transport grain and minerals as

well. Two clear targets are in sight: the Mapito

region (covering Maranhão, Piauí and Tocantins),

a major grain producer, and the Araripina Plas-

ter Hub in Pernambuco, which contains one of

the largest gypsum deposits in Brazil. Iron ore

and copper mining ventures in Pernambuco and

20 informa

Alagoas are already underway. Other possibilities

include transporting fruit from Petrolina, Per-

nambuco, and northern Bahia, and the return of

essential products such as fertilizers.

In 2012, Transnordestina Logística will also re-

store a 500-km section of the original rail network

between Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco,

and Porto Real do Colégio, Alagoas, which was

damaged by heavy rains and floods two years ago.

As a result, the system will once again connect

the northeastern railway with the Central Atlantic

Railroad, which crosses part of the Midwest and

Southeast of Brazil.

“The New Transnordestina will expand the

range of options available to businesses. They

will be able to choose the best way to distribute

their products within Brazil or to other countries.

Our goal is to increase the market share for rail

transport from the current 15% to 40% of freight

in the region,” says Tufi Daher Filho.

Strategic positionStrategically located, about 600 km from sev-

eral major cities in the Northeast, Salgueiro is

the hub for the New Transnordestina Railroad

works. Workers from the Northeast and other

parts of Brazil have been arriving in that city

since construction began in late 2009. Since

then, it has grown by 25%, and now has 60,000

inhabitants.

“The booming economy has affected every-

thing from increased consumption of food and

fuel to high occupancy in hotels,” says Mayor

Marcones Libório de Sá. Banks, household ap-

pliance stores and footwear outlets have arrived

there as well. With more tax revenue, the city

can invest in paving streets, installing sewer

systems, building a sanitary landfill and expand-

ing Salgueirão Stadium, in addition to improving

education and health care. In 2011, Marcones

received the Idepe Award from the State of Per-

21informa

nambuco for his efforts to promote basic

education. “It was a recognition of our ef-

forts to improve education in this city,” he

says.

The mayor is also celebrating the work

opportunities generated by the project

itself. Previously, the city had an unem-

ployment rate of 30%. Today, that figure

is down to 6%. “It isn’t any lower be-

cause the economy requires more skilled

workers,” he says. The city has achieved

this by partnering up with Odebrecht In-

fraestrutura. “Finding qualified people

was a major challenge on this project. We

had to train about 4,000 workers through

the Ongoing Professional Education Pro-

gram – Acreditar,” says Odebrecht Proj-

ect Director Pedro Leão. “Everywhere we

go, the local authorities and people in

the community are talking about how this

project is benefiting their towns.”

Ieunice Elenira Primo, 23, and Lu-

cian Alves da Silva, 22, were born and

raised in Salgueiro. When they heard

about the courses available at Acreditar

(“Believe” in Portuguese), they signed up

right away. By the middle of 2010, both

of them had jobs on the railway works.

“When I got the call, I was thrilled to

bits! I started out as a production assis-

tant and now I’m in training to become

a machine operator at the sleeper plant.

As long as the opportunities are there,

I’ll keep growing,” she says. Just as en-

thusiastic as Ieunice, Lucian, who works

as a steelfixer, says: “This project makes

us all proud. I know I’m playing a part in

the history of the Northeast and Brazil.

I want to keep studying, and maybe I’ll

even become a construction supervisor

one day.”

In February, Brazilian President Dilma

Rousseff visited the construction site in

Salgueiro, and said: “Connecting the in-

terior of Brazil to its ports will increase

our capacity to get products to market

and develop the region’s potential.”

Workers installing rails and sleepers and, in the smaller photo, Mayor Marcones Libório de Sá: recognized efforts

22 informa

22

coming through

A road complex in Pernambuco and an expressway in Rio de Janeiro put technological and entrepreneurial innovation at the service of accessibility

espite the almost 2,400-km distance

that lies between them, Rio de Janeiro

and Pernambuco are very similar when

it comes to the execution of major proj-

ects. In recent years, both states have

seen economic growth higher than the national av-

erage in Brazil, and both are investing in infrastruc-

ture projects, some of the most significant being in

the mobility sector. In the Southeast and Northeast

of the country, the Odebrecht Organization’s com-

panies are partners in this development process as

D

23informa

coming through

investors and builders of projects that are expanding

the logistical capacity of these states.

Located in the Recife metropolitan area, the Port

and Industrial Complex of Suape, controlled and

administered by the State of Pernambuco, is con-

solidating its position as one of the most important

investment hubs in Brazil. The complex receives

60,000 workers daily and covers an area of 13,500

hectares – geographically larger than the city of

Olinda and equivalent to the entire urban area of

Recife. More than 100 companies are operating

there, and another 35 are in the implementation

phase, representing a total investment of USD 17

billion. In 2011, Suape’s port operations registered

25% growth in tonnage transported and 33% growth

in container handling.

This success story has encouraged the admin-

istrators of Suape and the State of Pernambuco to

implement plans to expand and upgrade the com-

plex’s access roads. “We are carrying out a plan to

keep pace with this growth in the medium and long

term. One initiative is the road concession won by

written by heloísa eterna and rodrigo Vilar photos by andré Valentim

Works on the TransOeste project in Barra da Tijuca: making Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone more accessible

24 informa

Odebrecht TransPort and Invepar at the end of 2011,”

says Frederico Amâncio, Vice President of Suape.

Through a 35-year contract and investments of

BRL 450 million, the Rota do Atlântico S.A. conces-

sion company (CRA) – 50% owned by Odebrecht

TransPort and 50% by Invepar – manages a 43-km

section of the Expressway road and Logistics Com-

plex. The road concession starts on BR-101 South

at D. Helder Câmara Hospital, and runs through

the district of Nossa Senhora do Ó, in Ipojuca, lead-

ing to Porto de Galinhas Beach, on the south coast

of the state.

In addition to building and upgrading access

roads, the business plan also provides for the mod-

ernization and implementation of a signaling system,

the installation of street lighting, and the deployment

of metal safety fences and barriers in high-risk ar-

eas. The project also includes construction of an Op-

erational Control Center, a Base of Operations with

a User Service Center, mobile weigh stations, two

logistics yards, five toll plazas and a new Highway

Military Police station.

TransversalityTwo Organization companies are working together

in the CRA concessionaire: Odebrecht TransPort is

the investor and operator, and Odebrecht Infraestru-

tura is responsible for civil works. “We aim to de-

Workers building TransOeste: Rio de Janeiro is improving its transport infrastructure

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25informa

velop a quality project that meets the needs of the

[35-year] concession’s users, while keeping in mind

the overall value and the deadlines agreed with the

grantor,” says Odebrecht Infraestrutura Project Di-

rector Ana Carolina Farias. According to Júlio Per-

digão, Investment Director of Odebrecht TransPort

and President and CEO of CRA, both companies are

actively involved in planning and execution to ensure

maximum efficiency. “Structured projects like this

one encourage the full application of the Odebrecht

Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO), influencing and

being influenced at all times in pursuit of what is

right. It is a relationship of discipline, respect and

trust between colleagues and partners.”

Building a dream In Rio de Janeiro, the works being built in the run-

up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics

will leave a legacy that will benefit the economy, local

residents and tourists who visit the state capital. One

of the projects underway is the TransOeste Express-

way, which aims to improve accessibility between the

Barra da Tijuca and Santa Cruz districts in the West

Zone of the city, including an express corridor for a

BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system.

Odebrecht Infraestrutura is responsible for build-

ing two of four sections of TransOeste, and has al-

ready completed 90% of the works. “This project is

a long-held dream, especially for urban residents.

Before it is completed, they can already enjoy the

stretch in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighbor-

hood, where all lanes are fully operational,” says

Project Director Pedro Moreira.

One of the highlights of the TransOeste project is

the construction of the Grota Funda tunnel, linking

Barra de Guaratiba and Recreio dos Bandeirantes.

Once completed, the tunnel will reduce travel time by

50%, eliminate traffic jams in the Serra da Grota Fun-

da mountains and benefit over 200,000 people daily.

There will be 25 BRT stations along the 23.8 km

route of the TransOeste Expressway. Their platforms

will be level with the bus doors. Equipped with oc-

cupancy sensors that will open doors automatically,

they will also be accessible to people with special

needs, and the stations’ architectural design provides

a light and airy ambience. “The public’s needs, the

City Government’s dream and Odebrecht Infraestru-

tura’s ability to get things done are making this proj-

ect happen,” says Moreira, who adds that it will be

completed and officially opened in April of this year.

The sections of the Expressway under Odebrecht

Infraestrutura’s responsibility are located between

Ayrton Senna and Benvindo de Novaes avenues (9.9

km), and Benvindo de Novaes Avenue and Estrada da

Matriz highway (13.9 km). The project involves cor-

doning off BRT lanes, building side lanes, refurbish-

ing the existing roadway, building a second roadway

alongside the original one, and building tunnels, two

bridges and six overpasses.

Building the structure for the Expressway in Pernambuco: a strategic project for the Suape Industrial and Port Complex. Below, Júlio Perdigão and Ana Carolina Farias: two Odebrecht companies are directly involved in planning and execution

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26 informa

26

service

The constant pursuit of technological, operational and managerial improvement is the hallmark of odebrecht TransPort’s concessions in four Brazilian states

Activity on Line 4 of the São Paulo Metro and (smaller photo), bank worker Leandro Rocha: better quality of life

informa

AT ITs users’ servicewritten by renata meyer photos by dario de freitas

ão Paulo, Tuesday, late afternoon. Le-

andro Rocha is returning home after a

hard day’s work at the bank. The com-

mute from the city center to his home

in the Santo Amaro district, which used

to last two hours by bus, now takes less than 60 min-

utes on Line 4 of the Metro. He describes the benefits

in a nutshell: “Now I have a better quality of life.”

In Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco, real

estate broker Thiago Lein travels on the 6.2-km Co-

queiros Route, which leads to the south coast of the

state and the industries in the Suape Complex. “I take

this route several times a week. You can save time

and drive more safely,” he says.

Leandro and Thiago are among the thousands of

Brazilians who are benefitting from the Odebrecht

TransPort’s operations in the areas of road trans-

portation and urban mobility, currently located in

four Brazilian states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro,

Pernambuco and Bahia. In the area of urban mo-

bility alone, which includes the operation of trains

and light rail systems, the company transports 1.3

million passengers daily in the two largest cities in

the country and expects to invest BRL 6.5 billion

through its assets.

Urban trainsIn the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region, Ode-

brecht TransPort has been running SuperVia since

November 2010, serving over 500,000 passengers

per day. The concession company is responsible for

the administration of one of the region’s main trans-

port systems until 2048, comprising 270 km of rail-

ways, with 98 stations in 12 counties.

Its main challenges include improving and mod-

ernizing the rail industry through a BRL 2.4-billion

investment program carried out in partnership with

the State Government, which includes renewing the

fleet, refurbishing stations and revitalizing the sys-

tem’s infrastructure.

In São Paulo, Odebrecht TransPort is one of share-

holders of Via Quatro, the concessionaire that runs

Line 4 of the megacity’s Metro system. The first stage

of this venture was completed in 2011. When com-

pleted, it will be 12.8 km long, with 11 stations linking

the West Zone of São Paulo and the city center.

“Anyone who travels on this line every day can see

the major leap in quality that it represents for our

transportation system. As a user I hope that more

train and subway lines will also get this kind of infra-

structure in the future,” says Leandro Rocha.

S

27informa

28 informa

Line 4, which links the other Metro lines with the

metropolitan train system, stands out for its moder-

nity. It is the first light-rail branch in Latin America

with glass partitions separating the platform from

the tracks, a feature that increases passenger safety.

It also uses driverless technology.

“Due to the enormous challenges involved, in

terms of technology, operations and management,

our experiences in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

have qualified us to work on urban mobility projects

in other major Brazilian cities,” says Irineu Meireles,

Regional Director of Odebrecht TransPort.

The focus on quality service is a point that all of

Odebrecht TransPort’s operations share in com-

mon. “When we operate public utility services, we

must concentrate on fulfilling the public’s expecta-

tions. This entails major challenges, such as promptly

meeting our users’ needs with quality services, safety

and punctuality,” says Paulo Cesena, President and

CEO of Odebrecht TransPort.

Road transportationWorking with the same focus, Odebrecht Trans-

Port’s road concession companies are upgrading

some of the most important highway systems in the

country. This is the case with the Dom Pedro I Cor-

ridor, which the company has managed since 2009

through Rota das Bandeiras in São Paulo State. This

297-km system connects 17 cities in the metropoli-

tan region of Campinas and the Paraíba Valley, an

area with about 2.5 million inhabitants. The 30-year

concession includes a BRL 3.5-billion investment in

the maintenance, refurbishment and modernization

of the road network.

In the northeastern state of Bahia, Odebrecht

TransPort and its partner Invepar control the Bahia

Norte concession company, which is responsible for

the administration of a 121-km section of the BA-

093 state highway system, covering nine counties in

the Salvador metropolitan region and serving more

than 3 million residents. Composed of six routes, this

system is an important artery for industrial produc-

tion, serving the Aratu and Camacari manufacturing

hubs, which contain a total of 298 companies and are

responsible for roughly 60% of Bahia’s GDP.

Thiago Lein uses Rota dos Coqueiros in Pernambuco: more safety and less commuting time

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29informa

Odebrecht TransPort is also Invepar’s partner in

the Litoral Norte concession company (CLN), which

manages 217 km of Estrada do Coco (Coconut High-

way) and the Linha Verde (Green Line), part of state

highway BA-099. This route links the city of Lauro de

Freitas, in the Salvador metropolitan region, with the

border between the states of Bahia and Sergipe, and

plays an important role in regional tourism.

According to Renato Mello, Odebrecht TransPort’s

Regional Director, the company’s priority in the road

transportation sector is working on urban projects

that are of major strategic importance for regional

economic, industrial and tourism development. “Our

goal is to help build new hubs of development in Bra-

zil, as well as alternative means of public transport

to minimize traffic bottlenecks in our cities,” he says.

Through the Rota do Atlântico concessionaire, the

company is investing in the Expressway Road and

Logistics Complex (see article on page 22), which is

located in a major hub of economic expansion in the

northeastern state of Pernambuco. The 43-km high-

way is not only an alternative route to Recife’s south

coast beaches but will reduce traffic on the roads

leading to the Suape Industrial Complex, which is

now home to over 100 companies.

In Pernambuco, Odebrecht TransPort also man-

ages the road system comprised of Via Parque (Park

Highway) and the Arquiteto Wilson Campos Bridge,

in Reserva do Paiva. Managed by Rota dos Coqueiros,

this 30-year concession was the first public-private

road partnership in Brazil. In addition to making it

easier to get to the state’s southern beaches, the

road reduces the distance to Recife by 30 km.

Last year, more than 61 million vehicles traveled

the 686 km of highways Odebrecht TransPort operates.

The company plans to invest a total of BRL 7.6 billion in

this sector through its concessionaires.

SuperVia, in Rio de Janeiro: 500,000 passengers daily

foto

: Ca

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29informa

30 informa

INTeRVIew

30

Paulo Cesena: one of Odebrecht TransPort’s main focuses is grooming teams

31informa

written by ÁLvaro oppErmann and rEnata mEyEr photo by paulo fridman

The sPIrIT of

reated in 2010, odebrecht TransPort is

growing and consolidating its standing

as one of the leading transportation and

logistics companies in Brazil. with net

earnings of BrL 1.618 billion in 2011, its

assets include superVia (a commuter rail

system in the rio de Janeiro metropolitan region), rota

das Bandeiras and rota dos coqueiros (highway systems),

and embraport, the country’s largest multipurpose pri-

vate port terminal, in santos, são Paulo. In this interview,

odebrecht TransPorts’s executive Director Paulo cesena,

who has spent 14 of his 39 years with the organization,

underscores how, by investing in and operating infrastruc-

ture assets, the company is embarking on a new phase of

entrepreneurship for the organization, which is now a co-

participant in public services with a major social impact.

speaking to the odebrecht Informa team in his office in são

Paulo, cesena revealed the strategies and opportunities of

a company facing many challenges on the road ahead. he

also believes there is a need for entrepreneurship focused

on ongoing user satisfaction. “we must see ourselves as

public service providers who are prepared to fulfill the ex-

pectations of our clients and users with promptness and

excellence in our operations of trains, subways, high-

ways, ports, and eventually, airports.”

ODEBREChT INfORMa – Odebrecht

Transport is a new company. It

emerged within Odebrecht In-

fraestrutura (Infrastructure), and

is still part of that company. how

does the relationship between

the two companies work?

Cpaulo Cesena – There is a synergistic partnership

between the two companies under the leadership of

our entrepreneurial Leader (ceo) Benedicto Junior.

odebrecht Infraestrutura contributes its competi-

tiveness in engineering & construction, and ode-

brecht TransPort focuses on investment, financing

and operations. This partnership means we are al-

ways working together in a unique relationship with

our clients during the planning and construction

phase.

OI – What is the main advantage of this synergy?

Cesena – It is nationwide capillarity and proactivity.

This relationship makes us better able to understand

our clients throughout Brazil and to look ahead, com-

ing up with relevant projects. This only happens when

entrepreneur-partners are on the same page, with the

common goal of serving clients and creating value.

OI – are acquisitions part of Odebrecht Transport’s

growth strategy?

Cesena – not exactly. our difference lies in the devel-

opment of new ventures, called greenfield projects.

But we may occasionally make acquisitions that al-

low us to enter new lines of business. for example,

we have purchased embraport, which now allows us

to see ourselves as a participant in the entire Brazil-

ian container market. Also, we recently acquired a

company that operates bulk liquid storage terminals

because we want to be qualified to service clients

such as Braskem, eTh Bioenergy, odebrecht oil &

Gas (ooG) and others, as an experienced partner in

these operations.

service

32 informa32 informa32

OI – at the beginning of our conversation [when paulo

Cesena welcomed the news team to his office], you

said your team is facing a new challenge in terms of

entrepreneurship. how so?

Cesena – we are used to business-to-business opera-

tions. But the moment we bring users into our opera-

tions – of subways, trains, and roads – we must also

change our attitude. Dealing with social networks, for

example. exploring opportunities to implement busi-

ness-to-consumers operations. I started noticing this

last year. The more we cease to be just a builder and

become an operator and investor in infrastructure as-

sets, the more our entrepreneurship profile changes,

which includes providing public services to our nation’s

citizens.

OI – Where does the biggest growth opportunity lie

right now?

Cesena – In the urban mobility segment. It may be

an opportunity analogous to the one we had 15 or 20

years ago with toll roads. eight major Brazilian cities

are among the 100 largest urban conglomerates in the

world. odebrecht TransPort is qualified to seize this op-

portunity because it operates two complementary as-

sets: commuter trains in rio de Janeiro, and the sub-

way system in são Paulo. urban mobility is the most

complex issue facing odebrecht TransPort.

OI – What is the focus of Odebrecht Transport’s opera-

tions in the road sector?

Cesena – In our road concessions, we have a strong

focus on creating value for our users. one example is

electronic tolls, which already represent 60% of toll col-

lections on rota das Bandeiras. we are working with the

state of são Paulo to plan the introduction of the multi-

lane free flow system, where tolls are charged through

gateways, which would even eliminate toll plazas. our

users want more comfort and fluidity on the roads, and

that way, they can pay per kilometer traveled.

OI – how are you handling the need to groom teams to

keep pace with growth?

Cesena – we need to groom a highly qualified team,

especially in light rail/commuter rail, port and airport

operations. for a long time, there were no significant

investments in infrastructure in Brazil, and this created

a generational vacuum. we are partnering with profes-

sional education schools where the teachers are experi-

enced professionals in the maintenance and operation

of specific systems and have a focus on the users of

those systems. we are also organizing exchanges with

operators from other states and countries to capture

know-how. And we are bringing in mature profession-

als to help groom young entrepreneurs. Grooming and

building teams and acculturating them in the ode-

brecht entrepreneurial Technology (Teo) is one of our

main focuses.

OI – Odebrecht Transport is pursuing strategic part-

nerships, correct?

Cesena – That’s right, and for one major reason. opera-

tions technology transfer is a priority for us. we have a

great deal of expertise in engineering, but we still need

to accumulate experience in operations. for example,

we have partnered with changhi, the operator of singa-

pore Airport, one of the world’s most awarded airports

for the quality of its operations.

OI – What are the market prospects for Odebrecht

Transport?

Cesena – we are currently working on at least 15 proj-

ects in Brazil. It sounds like a lot, but is compatible with

our decentralized operations and the quantity and qual-

ity of our entrepreneur-partners and support teams.

each project signifies a leap forward in team grooming

and building. one of our biggest challenges is ensuring

the dissemination of knowledge, and we are structuring

knowledge communities to do just that. Besides Brazil,

specific opportunities are also arising in other coun-

tries where odebrecht is present, and we are assessing

whether to enter those markets or not, once we are in

line with our shareholders.

OI – Being one of the leaders of an entrepreneur-

ial process like the one in which Odebrecht Trans-

port is prominently engaged requires energy, con-

fidence and optimism. how do you ensure that

these elements are always present in your every-

day life?

Cesena – we’ll never achieve the success we desire if

we can’t find a way to balance our personal and pro-

fessional lives. we work hard, but we also know when

to take a break, enjoy our family life and celebrate our

achievements. That’s how it’s got to be.

33informa

he challenge was set when Bairro Novo,

the OR brand and affiliate for low-income

housing projects, signed a partnership

agreement in 2009 with the government

of Brazil’s Federal District for the con-

struction of 8,000 residential units of social interest in

the nation’s capital, Brasília, in just 52 months. Jardins

Mangueiral (Mango Grove Gardens), the name chosen

for the project, is Brazil’s first and only Public-Private

Partnership (PPP) for a residential project. It is creat-

ing a brand-new neighborhood with all the infrastruc-

ture required to house 8,000 families.

TAn industrialized

construction system

accelerates the

execution of the Jardins

Mangueiral project in

Brasília

speedA SAFE WAY TO GAIN

written by domitila carbonari photo by ricardo de sagebin

33

34 informa

Bairro Novo is building 15 blocks of houses in a 2

million square-meter area in São Sebastião, a “satel-

lite city” of Brasília. Five have already been completed

and 10 are under construction. The project includes

community facilities and shopping areas. Scheduled

for completion by December 2013, it was designed for

very fast implementation from the outset.

The industrialized system that Bairro Novo employs

on all its construction projects is making it possible

to build Jardins Mangueiral fast enough to meet the

deadline. The system involves using aluminum forms

for pour-in-place molding of structural concrete walls,

which ensures high speed and productivity, a stream-

lined construction process and minimum waste.

Because of the accelerated pace of the job, the

work was already underway when Silvio Romero,

the Construction Director responsible for Jardins

Mangueiral, and his team realized that they needed

a logistics system that would meet production re-

quirements quickly while ensuring better control

and more security in supply management, making

cost monitoring more effective.

“The way we were set up, delivery of materials to

work fronts could not keep pace with the produc-

tion teams. That’s just one example. And there was

no advance scheduling or quantity control, which

significantly increased our costs and held back con-

struction,” Silvio Romero explains.

Eliminating wasteThe solution was to deploy the Lean Construction

System, a management philosophy based on the

Toyota Production System, which seeks to reduce

non-value-added activities, eliminating waste in the

construction chain. The team’s first decision was to

create kits for each job at every stage of the proj-

ect. They also eliminated the warehouses near each

block and set up a materials distribution center that

was much more organized.

“Thanks to this system, the procurement area has

taken charge of the entire cycle for materials, from

the purchase and storage of inputs to the preparation

and distribution of kits,” says Irineu Marinho, the of-

ficer Responsible for Procurement. “Today, when the

workers begin their workday, they have all the mate-

rials they need for the task at hand,” he adds.

The “star” in the management of this process is

the Kanban, which is just a colored card that identi-

Jardins Mangueiral: building 8,000 residential units in 52 months

35informa

the days of the week and hourly intervals for send-

ing out the kits.

At around 4 pm, the procurement team removes

the Kanbans from the Heijunka-Box and schedules

the deliveries, arranging to load the kits onto the

vehicles that will distribute them later in the day to

all the blocks where construction work is underway.

With the help of that panel, which is an effective vi-

sual aid, the procurement team can identify the days

and times when the materials have to be delivered to

the work fronts, and determine the size and compo-

nents of the construction kits.

“Kanbans are a simple and smart way we have

found to communicate with all areas of the proj-

ect. Today, we have effective control over the physi-

cal progress of each activity. We can determine

in advance whether there are deviations from the

planned start dates, and ensure better cost man-

agement,” says Felisberto Garrido, Responsible for

Planning.

In the year since Lean Construction was intro-

duced, the Jardins Mangueiral project has benefit-

ed in several ways. Those benefits include easier

communication between areas, improved inventory

control, more accurate purchase orders, and less

wastage of material. Productivity has increased as

a result.

“This system was essential to keeping up the

fast pace of production. On this job, we are working

with a productivity program with daily and monthly

goals. We can only do that because we can give the

teams in the field the conditions they need to do

their jobs faster and with even better quality,” says

Silvio Romero. The numbers make that clear: Bairro

Novo’s teams delivered 790 housing units in 2010,

compared with 2,600 in 2011, the year they intro-

duced the colored Kanban cards.

fies each kit. In addition to replacing manual requi-

sitions for materials, this tool determines the exact

number of items that will be delivered to each work

front, avoiding the distribution of excess materials

and streamlining inventory control.

The planning team delivers the Kanbans for the

following week’s activities to the production team

every Thursday. The production team, in turn, orga-

nizes these cards according to their plan of action

on a panel called a Heijunka-Box, a board com-

posed of six columns and eight rows that shows

36 informa

get there

Ship being loaded with Braskem products in the Port of Santos: the company has exclusively chartered 10 vessels to transport its cargo

36

how To

37informa

get thereo meet the deadlines agreed with clients

and ensure that its products reach their

destinations safely, Braskem has put in

place a broad and complex logistics strate-

gy that involves not only transportation but

the storage and flow of information about its raw materi-

als: plastic resins (polypropylene, polyethylene and PVC)

and basic petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene, butadi-

ene, chlorine and caustic soda, among others).

In 2011, the company used roads, railways, waterways

and pipelines to transport 18 million metric tons of basic

petrochemicals, involving operations ranging from re-

ceipt of domestic and imported raw materials to deliver-

ies to clients in Brazil and abroad.

Last year, Braskem shipped cargo to all five continents

for its Basic Petrochemicals Unit, which has plants in the

states of Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro

and Bahia. Those shipments traveled a total of 14.9 mil-

lion km, which corresponds to 20 round trips to the Moon.

The company’s logistics program involves a team of

47 people with varied and complementary backgrounds

– a crucial factor for the success of its operations. “The

growth of the Brazilian economy has made logistics one

of the hottest specialties right now,” says Braskem Sup-

ply Chain Director Hardi Schuck. “Specialized courses in

that field are being created to meet the current demand,”

he adds.

Maximum risk reduction is a top priority. Victor Ama-

ral, Unib’s Logistics Manager, explains that Braskem

implements HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) pro-

cedures with extreme care throughout the life cycle of

all its ventures – from conception to decommissioning

(when applicable), including engineering, construction,

operation and continual improvement. “Before we pro-

duce, handle, use, sell, ship or dispose of a product, we

written by carlos pereira photos by ricardo teles

T

In 2011, Braskem handled 18 million metric tons of basic petrochemicals using the most varied modes of transportation

37informa

how To

38 informa

study it carefully and then go back over all the ways

to produce it with absolute safety and a minimal im-

pact on the environment.”

For cargo imports and exports, Braskem has

signed charter contracts with shipping companies

that give it the exclusive use of seven ships to trans-

port liquids (aromatics, solvents and gasoline) and

three ships for gases (ethylene, propylene and bu-

tadiene). These vessels operate under strict Health,

Safety, Environment and Sustainability protocols es-

tablished by Braskem. Before the company charters

any other ships, they undergo a thorough inspection,

including an assessment of their performance in

previous operations.

Specialized companies periodically certify the state

of conservation of each ship’s equipment and the ex-

perience of its crew. In 2011 alone, Braskem assessed

386 vessels, 44 of which did not pass muster. “A new

ship with an inexperienced crew will not pass our vet-

ting procedure (examination and assessment). A mar-

itime accident could have serious consequences for

the environment, and that risk is not acceptable to the

company,” stresses Hardi Schuck.

These vessels are used to carry out 900 petro-

chemical cargo shipments annually. On top of that,

the company also handles the unloading of 200 ves-

sels laden with naphtha imported from several coun-

tries, such as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Argentina,

Venezuela and Mexico, at the Brazilian terminals of

Aratu, Temadre, Tedut and São Sebastião.

The company also has safety protocols in place

for barge shipments by river and the transporta-

tion of raw materials and products on the roadways.

The protocols for road shipments include a number

of programs to monitor truck drivers’ behavior and

check the quality of the equipment used. Simulations

of accidents and truck spills are periodically con-

ducted at marine terminals to provide training and

refresher training, and assess team performance in

real conditions.

The company also participates in the programs

of the Brazilian Chemical Industry Association

(Abiquim), including “Live Eye on the Road,” which

focuses on driver behavior and meets the strict pro-

tocols of the association’s SASSMAQ (Safety, Health,

Environment and Quality Evaluation System).

Braskem products being prepared for shipment: storage is one of the key points in the company’s logistics strategy

39informa

the example of the Port of Aratu, Bahia, which is

extremely congested, resulting in excessive wait-

ing time for ships. “This increases costs, as well

as the risk of delayed deliveries to our clients. In

this context, the logistics team’s challenge also in-

creases considerably,” he observes.

Brazil has approximately 30,000 km of railways,

and less than 20% are equipped with broad-gauge

tracks. Bahia has 1,500 km of narrow-gauge rail-

ways, which permit average speeds of just 30

km/h. A more efficient rail network would reduce

transportation costs and CO2 emissions related to

logistic operations.

According to Hardi Schuck, removing logistical

bottlenecks in Brazil is essential to making the

nation’s economy more competitive in the global

marketplace. He points out that Braskem is work-

ing on several fronts to reduce the impact of the

logistics bottlenecks that affect its operations.

“Through the work of several of its companies, the

Odebrecht Organization has helped improve the

infrastructure of Brazil, particularly through Ode-

brecht TransPort, which is focused on improving

logistics in this country.”

Brazilian bottlenecks There are numerous bottlenecks in all modes of

Brazil’s transport infrastructure, and the country is

tackling these challenges through public and pri-

vate investments. Braskem seeks maximum effi-

ciency in its logistics operations by diversifying and

integrating modes of transportation.

Pipelines, which are currently the safest and

most cost-efficient mode of transport, already ac-

count for 56% of Unib’s deliveries. However, they

can only be used to deliver products within rela-

tively short distances.

The company carries out 61,000 loading and

unloading operations per year for trucks carrying

hydrocarbons fuels and ethanol. If all the trucks

Unib uses in one year were placed end to end, they

would cover approximately 1,300 kilometers – the

distance between the Brazilian cities of Salvador

and Belo Horizonte. At the moment, however, few

of the nation’s roads provide good security and

safety conditions, especially for hazardous cargo

shipments.

Brazil’s port sector also presents the challenges

of high costs and inefficiency. Hardi Schuck gives

On the road: Braskem often uses trucks to ship its basic petrochemicals

39

40 informa

40

line by line

QuALITy of LIfe AchIeVeD

Works on Line 2 of the Los Teques Metro: project offers consolidated solutions

41informa

Light-rail projects in Los Teques and Caracas enable Venezuela to connect densely populated areas and transfer technologywritten by fabiana CabraL photos by andréS mannEr line

by lineQuALITy of LIfe AchIeVeD

n sixteenth-century Venezuela, the Teque In-

dians, led by chief Guaicaipuro, put up fierce

resistance to the occupation of the spanish

colonizers after gold was discovered in that

region. Guaicaipuro is considered one of the

most important revolutionaries in the country’s his-

tory, and his remains now lie in the national Pan-

theon, next to those of simón Bolivar.

In twenty-first-century Venezuela, Los Teques

is the capital of the state of miranda and part of

Altos mirandinos, a region with a population of 1.5

million. In 2012, its residents will get a new metro

station called Guaicaipuro in honor of the great in-

digenous leader. It is part of the Los Teques metro,

being developed by odebrecht.

Present in that country for two decades, the

company has built 23.5 km of light-rail lines there.

In addition to Los Teques, odebrecht is also respon-

sible for building Line 5 of the caracas metro, The

mariche metrocable, the caracas-Guarenas-Guat-

ire Transport system and the Bolivarian cabletrain.

A total of 71.3 km of lines are under construction.

from this point on, odebrecht Informa will take you

on that “journey.”

I

41informa

first Stop: altos MirandinosThe Los Teques metro project began in 2002,

when odebrecht won the international tender and

began work on the first line. Ten kilometers long,

with two stations, Line 1 officially opened in 2006.

It is connected to Line 2 of the caracas metro.

“Thanks to the client’s satisfaction, in 2007 we won

the contract for Line 2 [of the Teques metro], which

is 12 km long and has six stations,” says Project

Director marcelo colavolpe.

construction of the new line is divided into three

stages, each with two stations and approximately 4

km long. Two TBms (Tunnel Boring machines) are

advancing 14 meters per day. According to Produc-

tion manager Danilo Abdanur, over 50% of the tun-

nels have already been excavated: “every two sta-

tions, we dig a ventilation and maintenance shaft,

which can also be used to resume excavation with

the TBms.”

The team has adopted the ePB (earth Pressure

Balance) method to operate in a variety of geologi-

cal conditions and mitigate impacts on the surface.

“we come across areas of rock, clay and graphite

under a water table of up to 20 m, and are working

42 informainforma

with the maximum gradient for a subway project,

which is 3.5%,” says Danilo. his team monitors and

keeps a detailed record of the TBm’s operations, in-

cluding the geotechnical profiles encountered.

In addition to the civil construction works, ode-

brecht will also be responsible for the entire system

on Line 2, which includes the installation of 24 km

of permanent ways and 22 trains with six cars each,

signaling and operation control, electrification,

electronic ticketing, communications and auxiliary

systems. In August 2011, the concept of the project

changed and it is now called the Altos mirandinos

mass Transit system. “The client has come to see

us as a company that develops consolidated solu-

tions,” says marcelo colavolpe.

The Portuguese engineer ricardo magalhães,

who worked on the Porto metro in Portugal, will be

responsible for implementing these new solutions.

“we will deliver the system ready for the client to

operate. It is the beginning of a type of contract that

could be extended to other projects,” he says.

The first station, Guaicaipuro, will officially

open in november of this year, followed by Inde-

pendencia, which should be completed in 2013.

odebrecht will deliver Los cerritos and carrizal

stations in 2015 and Las minas and san Antonio

in 2016. Additional construction works such as

overpasses, elevated roads, pedestrian bridges,

schools and apartment buildings for a low-income

housing program, and the revitalization of parks,

are also in progress.

marcelo colavolpe explains that studies are also

underway for Line 3, which will be 18 km long, with

four stations and a yard for train maintenance and

storage. “we will make the connection with the

caracas metro system at two points: Las Adjuntas

station, on Line 2, and La rinconada station on Line

3 in the capital city. These three lines could total

over 40 km.”

currently, the only connections between Al-

tos mirandinos and caracas are Line 1 of the

metro and the Pan American highway, which has

reached saturation point and is plagued with traf-

fic jams. “The system will provide better qual-

ity of life for local residents by giving them a fast

and safe means of transportation,” concludes the

Project Director.

from Los Teques to Caracas, Guarenas and GuatireIf it weren’t for the cranes that now form part

of caracas’s mountainous landscape, it would be

hard to believe that the city’s metro system is be-

ing expanded. The seven jobsites of the caracas

metro’s Line 5 project blend in with the buildings

in the city center. “There are six stations on this

7.5-km line, which should be completed by the

end of 2015,” says Project Director Antônio Ta-

vares.

43informa

The existing Zona rental station will be connect-

ed to lines 3 and 4 – also built by odebrecht – and

miranda station II will enable users to transfer to

Line 1 and the future caracas-Guarenas-Guatire

system in the metropolitan region. “we are exca-

vating underground without interfering with the

city’s main thoroughfares. As a result, the project

does not affect the public’s daily lives,” observes

Antônio.

over 40% of the excavation work has been com-

pleted for Line 5, divided into two stages, using two

TBms. In the first stage, the TBms leave the un-

efA shaft (installed in the center of the line) and

excavate westbound towards Zona rental station.

In the second stage they will dig eastwards towards

miranda II station.

Production manager Inácio fernandes explains

that the TBms are designed to work in a variety of

soil types and have more power and speed than the

conventional kind: “They work at depths of 25 to 34

meters due to the geological formations in the re-

gion, and the water table, which is about 7 m from

Jobsite for Line 5 of the Caracas Metro: no interference with the city’s main thoroughfares

44 informa

the surface.” he notes that on two occasions the

TBms will excavate tunnels beneath the Guaire riv-

er and its tributaries. “we are using the know-how

acquired when building Lines 3 and 4 and innovated

processes, mainly in the manufacture of the TBms,”

he says.

Located at the end of Line 5, miranda II station

will be the first stop on the caracas-Guarenas-

Guatire Transportation system, which will connect

the Venezuelan capital with the cities of Guarenas

and Guatire, which each have 200,000 inhabitants. “It

will only take 30 minutes for residents to travel to or

from caracas, compared with two hours today by car

or bus on Gran mariscal de Ayacucho highway,” says

Production manager Danilo hoffmann.

The 40-km system is divided into two sections,

urban and suburban. The 7-km urban section runs

underground, with stops at four stations. The sub-

urban section will be a surface train system that

runs at higher speeds, with four more stations.

more than 30% of the works on the suburban

stage have been completed. It comprises 15.5 km

of tunnels that will be excavated through a moun-

tain using two TBms, and as well as the nATm (new

Austrian Tunneling method, for an underground

station and a 1-km stretch), and 15 km of viaducts

and surface tracks. “our main challenge is engi-

neering, because the TBms will run over the via-

ducts and the project will pass through 40 commu-

nities,” says Danilo.

At warairarepano station, where the suburban

stretch begins, users can also take the Bolivarian

cabletrain to Petare 2 station, which is connected

to Line 1 of the caracas metro.

The cabletrain, an elevated train moved by ca-

bles, runs through the Petare community, one of the

largest in caracas, with a population of 400,000. ex-

tending for 2.5 km, with five stations, it will carry up

to 4,000 passengers per hour. The first stage of the

project, which is 1 km long, with three stations, will

be delivered for testing by september this year, and

the project should be completed by December 2013.

According to Danilo Abdanur, this new system

will improve the quality of life of both cities and the

community, which will bring in more investments

as a result: “Guarenas, Guatire and Petare will have

opportunities for development and ease of access,”

he observes.

Mariche Metrocable (express)San Agustín Metrocable

Bolivarian Cabletrain

Mariche Metrocable (local)

Line 3

Line 4

Line 5 (under construction)

Transfer to other systems (operational)

Line 1 (operational)

Line 2 (being built)

Line 3 (planned)

Propatri

aEl S

ilencio

Capitolio

Plaza Venezuela

La Rinconada

San Agustín

El Manguito

La Celba

Hornos de Cal

MercadoCoche

Los JardinesEl Valle

La BanderaLos Símbolos

Ciudad Universitaria

Miranda Palo Verde III

Guaicoco

La Dolorita

Bloques de

La Dolorita

Montecristo

Boleíta

El Marqués

Warairarepano

Bello M

onte

Las M

ercedes

Tamanaco

Chuao

Bello Campo

Teatro

s

Nuevo Circo

Parque Central

Zona RentalCapuchinos

Las Adjuntas

CARACAS SYSTEM

LOS

TEQ

UES

SYS

TEM

Zoológico

Ali Primera

Guaicaipuro

Guaicaipuro

Independencia

Independencia

Los c

erritos

Los c

erritos

Carrizal

Carrizal

Las M

inas

Las M

inas

San Antonio

San Antonio

La MariposaLa Mariposa

Caracas Guarenas Guatire System

Ezequiel Zamora Central Railway System

Petare

19 de abril

5 de juño

24 de julio

Palo Verde

MarichePalo Verde II

RosalitoRosalito

Caracas

Los TequesVENEZUELA

BRAZIL

COLOMBIA

odebrecht and the Caracas and los Teques metros

informa 45informa

Worker inside a TBM: valuable experience built up during construction of lines 3 and 4

a new cable car system for Caracasnext door to Petare, the mariche shantytown will be

the second low-income community in caracas to re-

ceive the metrocable, a cable car system that will link it

with Line 1 of the caracas metro at Palo Verde station.

The first to benefit was san Agustín, a slum in the north-

ern part of the city. Built by odebrecht, that metrocable

system was inaugurated in December 2010 and now

carries more than 15,000 passengers per day.

The mariche metrocable, which will carry 6,000

people per hour, consists of two circuits, express

and Local. The first, which is 4.79 km in length and

has a travel time of 17 minutes, will stop at two sta-

tions – Palo Verde II and mariche – one at each end.

The local circuit is 4.82 km long and takes 25 min-

utes to travel from one end to the other. It will have

four stations built along the metrocable’s route in-

side the mariche community. “In August of this year

we will start testing the express section, which will

begin operations in 2012,” says Antônio Tavares.

Ground was broken in August 2009. Inácio fer-

nandes recalls that the first challenge was getting

the work teams into the hillside community: “Ac-

cess was difficult, so in many places, we carried

the materials on our backs and dug the foundations

by hand.” he also stresses the positive changes

the project will bring about in community life, es-

pecially by combining mobility with safety and

security. “Like the metrocable in san Agustín, we

have managed to get local residents involved in the

maintenance and operation of the cable car system.

Passengers will leave one safe area and travel to

another,” adds Inácio.

currently, the Greater caracas light-rail net-

work has more than 65 km of lines. since the

opening of Line 1 in 1983, the towns and cities in

that region and their populations have grown at a

dizzying rate, along with the fleet of vehicles and

the amount of daily traffic. According to marcelo

colavolpe, odebrecht is playing an important role

in the transfer of rail transport technology to this

country. “we are committed to working for the

Venezuelan people and with the Venezuelan peo-

ple,” he says.

46Knowledge and creativity are the raw materials the olex team uses to find logistics solutions

betterwritten by João marcondes

photos by rogério reisThe TouGher The

oLE

x a

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hiv

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better

Dredger in the Port of Rotterdam and then on the Madeira River in Rondônia: a complex operation that resulted from integrated and meticulously planned work

48 informa

inter in the Dutch city of Rot-

terdam is the coldest in Eu-

rope. The thermometer can

plummet to 14oC below zero.

In one of the continent’s busi-

est seaports, all kinds of products are shipped with

a thin coat of ice. Heavy snow falls steadily, making

the longshoremen’s work even harder. Among the

numerous standardized containers on the docks, a

giant dredger stands out. It is 65 m long, and has

to be loaded onto a ship with cranes in the hyper-

borean cold.

However, the ice crystals covering the Dutch

dredge will soon melt and evaporate. Its destina-

tion is the heart of the tropics in the Brazilian Ama-

zon, where it is almost 40oC in the shade. After a

12-day voyage across the Atlantic, the dredger’s

first stop is the bustling Port of Belém. From there

it will be taken by river to Porto Velho. The reason

for this operation is to contribute to the execution of

the construction team’s plans – generating power

at the Santo Antônio plant ahead of schedule.

“This case [which occurred in 2010] required

special solutions so we could accomplish every-

thing on time and achieve our ultimate goal, which

was to meet the project’s needs,” explains Chris-

tina Neuffer, the Olex officer Responsible for Glob-

al Sourcing, Imports to Brazil and International

Transportation.

At first glance, it seems very hard to transport a

65-m dredger that weighs 500 metric tons. Indeed

it is – and at second glance, the difficulties are even

greater.

While tugs were towing the dredger on the Ma-

deira River, there were unforeseen complications.

The giant legs (up to 18 m) that are part of the

dredger could only be transported when the river

was at high tide, or they would get stuck in the riv-

erbed. Although the transport set out at the right

time, one of the legs was entangled in the vegeta-

tion on the Madeira, requiring unconventional mea-

sures for logistics. The need for improvisation and

creativity is a challenge Olex faces in all circum-

stances.

Besides the dredger itself, an extra wheel drill

has been shipped directly from the Netherlands to

Rio de Janeiro. The transportation from Rio to Porto

Velho had to be done over land, due to bureaucratic

red tape and the height of the wheel (5 m). Olex,

Santo Anônio Energia and the National Department

of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) joined forces to

mount a special operation. The route had to follow

roads with no low overpasses.

These are just two examples of the difficulties of

transporting this kind of equipment. The Olex team

goes above and beyond to deal with all kinds of

complex logistics. They do everything from sourcing

materials, making international purchases, getting

U

W

Mauro Rehm: “The biggest lessons have come from the project management teams, especially through our operations in Angola”

49informa

the best prices and hiring freight forwarding com-

panies to clearing customs when the destination is

Brazil, which means taking care of every stage of

Brazilian customs requirements.

People like Christina Neuffer supervise the

teams that overcome these challenges. Born in

Recife, Brazil, the daughter of German parents,

she has lived in several countries, including Aus-

tria, Germany, France, Spain, the UK and Colom-

bia. Christina is responsible for Global Sourcing,

Imports to Brazil and International Transport op-

erations involving 26 countries. She and her team

conduct the negotiations for importing equipment

and materials, like the Dutch dredger, in a case

that bears strong similarities with the process of

logistics and importation for the Morro do Alemão

cable-car system in Rio de Janeiro, which was ac-

quired in France.

“It was the first system of its kind installed in Bra-

zil for mass transportation,” says Adílson Moura, the

officer Responsible for Administration and Finance

on the project managed by Odebrecht Infraestrutura.

“Olex helped the project management team by pro-

viding clear information about the import process, lo-

gistical support, sea and land transport and customs

clearance, always with the same spirit of service, on

the same page with the project’s goals, and optimiz-

ing costs and deadlines. Olex was an extension of the

project’s team,” emphasizes Moura.

The “impossible” and “miracles”Mauro Rehm, CEO of Olex, usually starts some

of his presentations on the company with a com-

parison with a famous segment of the Sunday TV

variety show “Domingão do Faustão.” It is called

“Do it in Thirty,” and the contestant has 30 seconds

to complete the task at hand. It’s a fair compari-

son. Orders generally keep pace with the planning

of projects, but many are urgent and complex. “The

impossible we do right away. A miracle takes a

while longer,” he says with a good-humored smile.

“Since the 70s, when I was a college student, my

dream was to monitor all of a factory’s processes

and production systems on a computer,” adds

Rehm, who has degrees in Chemical Engineering

and Business Administration.

Today, he is responsible for a highly complex

system and processes developed to monitor and

consolidate “Transportation, Logistics and Pro-

curement” under one concept. This is the goal of

Olex Importação e Exportação, which was created

with the moniker “Brazil Base” to support projects

outside that country when the Organization started

internationalizing its operations.

Odebrecht made its international debut in Peru

in 1979. In the 1980s, the Organization began ex-

panding and investing in Africa. The Olex trademark

was only created in 2005. The nickname “base” was

gradually being left behind. In 2009, it opened an

office in Shanghai, establishing Odebrecht’s first

foothold in China. “Now we can say that Olex oper-

ates around the clock,” says Mauro.

Olex works in accordance with each project’s

planning, and receives numerous requests for sup-

port from construction jobsites, other Organiza-

tion companies and all of Odebrecht’s businesses.

“Olex’s goal is to contribute to the efficiency and

effectiveness of all our jobsites and all Odebrecht

companies,” says Mauro, whose computer moni-

tored more than 50,000 items requested for pur-

chase in 2011 alone.

All this experience in Transport & Logistics is

the result of vast knowledge built up over the years.

“The biggest lessons have come from the project

management teams, especially through our opera-

tions in Angola,” says Mauro. A good example arose

in 2008. At the suggestion of Odebrecht’s manage-

Christina Neuffer: meeting each project’s needs

50 informa

ment team in that country, Olex sought an alterna-

tive way of chartering a vessel to support the op-

erations of the Nosso Super supermarket, because

the Port of Luanda (like many around the world)

was too congested. The average waiting time was

40 days. As it depended on commercial shipping

to import its products, the supermarket’s shelves

were nearly empty.

“It was a learning experience for everyone, be-

cause the ship had to be small, so it wouldn’t have

to wait for a large berth. It also had cover the dis-

tance back and forth between Rio and Luanda in

the shortest possible time, and be able to dock in

small spaces without long waits off shore,” Mauro

recalls. He adds: “Furthermore, we would have

to mount an operation whose freight costs were

more competitive than the local market. During the

charter period, we not only used the ship for cargo

bound for the supermarket but for other Odebrecht

projects in Angola as well, and after two years of

operations, the basic premises of our planning

were confirmed: fast voyages, lower freight costs

and profitable operations.”

Scoring goalsIf Christina Neuffer is the star midfielder on

Olex’s team, we could say that the center-forward

is Wilmon Torres, the officer Responsible for Pro-

curement, Subcontracts, and Relationships. He is

one of the strikers on Mauro Rehm’s team.

Wilmon joined the Organization in 1981, when

he was just 20 years old. “I was a kind of office-

boy. You know what that is?” he jokes. He did just

about everything, from serving coffee to delivering

documents (miniature transportation and logis-

tics operations). He kept growing and developing

and applying Odebrecht’s philosophical principle

of Education through Work. At the same time, he

finished Law School. In 1991, he took charge of the

logistics for the “Peru Base.” Then, he went to An-

gola, where he spent nine years and worked on the

Luanda Sul project and water and sewer works.

Back with Olex since 2005, Wilmon uses his

creativity to devise solutions that make opera-

tions more productive. One success story is about

transporting over 1,000 piles (each up to 12 m long)

used in sanitation works in Paraná de las Palmas,

Argentina, in 2010. It involved complex logistics re-

quiring more than 200 trucks driving through Bra-

zil and Argentina on roads that were not always in

the best condition. Several challenges arose: heavy

traffic, the risk of accidents, customs red tape, and

delays in the work schedule.

Wilmon’s solution was to use a ship (the Thor

Spirit, originally chartered for Angola) to trans-

port the piles. “When we shipped them by road, we

couldn’t form a stockpile. That meant that the work

sometimes had to stop. The maritime shipping solu-

tion also solved that problem,” says Márcio Ribeiro,

the project’s Administration and Finance Manager.

Wilmon Torres and other Olex “athletes”: team spirit

51informa

“Olex’s logistics must always be aligned with

the results,” explains Wilmon, who plays soccer

with other Olex teammates on weekends in differ-

ent parts of Rio de Janeiro. They even play in the

now-pacified Complexo do Alemão slum, where the

members/players enjoy the view from the cable car.

“We were the ones who brought it here,” the Olex

athletes proudly tell their opponents.

Olex’s logistics for durable goods shipments

includes a facility with a covered area of 10,000

square meters in Rio de Janeiro and another 12,000

sq.m facility in Santos, São Paulo. “But the logistics

depends on the cargo. We have operations in virtu-

ally all Brazilian ports, airports and borders, both

for exports and imports,” emphasizes Wilmon Tor-

res. Olex has exported as many as 1,200 containers

and 140 metric tons of air freight per month during

periods of peak demand. “A lot of Brazilian compa-

nies are working with us. In 2011, more than 2,400

small, medium-sized and large businesses were

involved. When we go abroad, we are not alone, we

take lots of companies along,” says Mauro Rehm.

Expatriation and repatriation Since 1979, when it started internationalizing

its operations, Odebrecht has reached the mile-

stone of more than USD 9.6 billion in foreign ex-

change generation in exports of Brazilian goods

and services. As a result, it has also transferred

people from the Organization to various environ-

ments in other countries. Olex’s support has been

a key part of this process by ensuring the safety

of the Organization’s members and taking care of

all the paperwork. Monica Torbey, who worked in

the Procurement area for 15 years, took over the

People Logistics (expatriation/repatriation) pro-

gram at Olex six years ago. It is a challenge that

matches its requirements. “I used my knowledge

of logistics for durable goods and tailored it to the

realities of people logistics. We helped with the

expatriation of 3,500 members at a time of strong

demand.”

In 2011, there were 829 expatriations and 995

repatriations. These processes are complex. For

example, the team leader for the Moatize coal mine

project in Mozambique once found himself in an

unusual situation. Most of the Mozambican work-

ers belonged to a nomadic ethnic group. During

flood season on the Zambezi River, many of them

simply took off without a moment’s warning. The

situation required direct action from the Olex team

on an emergency basis. The project needed to bring

in 20 workers (especially equipment operators) in

20 days. But how?

Monica mobilized her team, which checked out

possibilities from north to south in Brazil, then got

the workers their passports, provided medical ex-

ams and conducted an immersion session in Mo-

zambican culture.

People logistics is so intense that it would take

a couple of numbers to give an exact idea of what

goes on in that area: in 2011 alone, they issued

32,000 plane tickets valued at a total of USD 22

million.

The leader of a team with endless motivation for

work and achievements, Mauro Rehm says: “To-

day we are seeking to implement the concept of

transversality [leveraging the synergy among Ode-

brecht companies]. This is the case, for example,

with companies like Foz do Brasil, ETH Bioenergy,

Braskem and Odebrecht’s real estate arm (OR). It is

possible because the Olex consolidates Odebrecht’s

expertise in Procurement, Logistics, Transport and

the Expatriation and Repatriation of Brazilians, and

provides it to the entire Organization. It isn’t just the

company that benefits from that increased synergy

– the client, in particular, and therefore society as a

whole stand to gain as well.”

Monica Torbey: people logistics

52 informa

The pleasure of working as a team

For Argentine engineer Diego Casarin, work and sports have a lot in common. They have to.

PRoFIle: Diego Casarin

written by edilson lima photos by mathias cramer

ngineer Diego Casarin, 38,

spoke to the Odebrecht In-

forma team in his home in

the Greenlands district of Buenos

Aires, where he lives with his wife,

Monica, and their two children, San-

tiago, 7, and Chiara, 5. Still speak-

ing fluent Portuguese, because he

spent four years in Brazil, he dis-

cussed his three passions: family,

work and basketball – he used to be

a semiprofessional player. “Today I

just play for fun,” he says.

Diego was born and raised in the

city of Córdoba. Influenced by his fa-

ther, at the age of 18 he began study-

ing Economics. But he soon realized

that that was not what he wanted to

do in life. He left school and went

to the United States, where he par-

ticipated in a cultural exchange pro-

gram. He spent 11 months in that

country. “It was a wonderful experi-

ence, especially for improving my

English,” he recalls. Upon return-

ing to Córdoba in mid-1993, he met

Monica, whom he married in 2000,

a year after graduating in Chemical

Engineering.

He began his career at an Argen-

tine construction company in Bue-

nos Aires. A year later, he worked

on a thermal power plant project

in Tucumán province. His perfor-

mance caught his leaders’ atten-

tion. From 2002 to 2003, he studied

for an MBA, and in January 2004,

he received the challenge of going

to Brazil to work on a construction

project at the Alberto Pasqualini

oil refinery in Canoas, Rio Grande

do Sul.

“At meetings with the Brazilian

teams, I tried to use non-existent

‘portuñol’ [false cognates], but no

one understood me. The solution

was to speak English with the Bra-

zilian engineers. Months later, I

learned a few words of Portuguese,”

says Diego.

After a year and a half in Cano-

as, he went to São Paulo, where he

worked at the office of the same

construction company as their op-

erations coordinator, monitoring the

progress of the company’s projects

in Brazil. “Things went much better

in São Paulo. I was able to commu-

nicate well, and go out with fam-

ily and friends to dinner, and we’d

drive to the beaches in Santos and

Guarujá.”

In 2008, Diego received a job of-

fer from Odebrecht Argentina and

returned to Buenos Aires. “Monica

and the kids had gone back six

months earlier, and I missed my

family.” Now, Diego is responsible

for the works at the Rio Colorado

Gas Compressor Plant near the vil-

lage of Médanos. He works there

during the week and returns home

on Fridays.

Diego often thinks back on his

career in basketball, a sport he be-

gan playing as a child, on the

“Like work, sports require lots of team spirit, responsibility, communication and rapport. All of that delights me”

52 informa

E

53informa

General Paz Junior’s team in Cór-

doba. At 17, he became the team

captain. “In those days, we were

beating major teams like the fa-

mous Atenas of Córdoba,” he re-

calls proudly. During the exchange

program in the United States, Di-

ego had a chance to play for Mas-

sena Central High School’s team

in Massena, New York. It won the

championship in a local tourna-

ment.

Back in Argentina, he began

playing as a semipro and started

receiving a regular salary. In addi-

tion to the Junior’s, he also played

on the Instituto, Macabi and Unión

Electrica teams before he hung up

his shoes and retired in 1999. “I

decided to prioritize my day job.”

In São Paulo, Diego played on

the ADC Mercedes-Benz team

in the veterans category for two

years (2006 and 2007). They com-

peted in the Paulista Champion-

ship and came in second one year

and won the next. Today, when

work allows, he plays on

the Friends of Córdoba

team, competing in

international tourna-

ments. In June 2011,

they played in Na-

tal, Rio Grande do

Norte, against teams from Brazil,

Estonia and Russia, among oth-

ers. “Like work, sports require lots

of team spirit, responsibility, com-

munication and rapport. All of that

delights me,” says Diego.

54 informa

road from

to river54

55informa

Integrating modes of transportation is the key to the logistics strategy for the Belo Monte construction project in northern Brazil

written by cláudio loVato filho photos by guilherme afonso

to riverBarge on the Xingu River: equipment shipped from the Port of Belém arrives at the jobsite. In the smaller photos, from left, José Fernandes, Mário Almeida, Jonas Pinto and Ivan Josias and José Gomes: playing a major role in essential tasks for the construction of the world’s third-largest hydroelectric plant

56 informa

osé Fernandes Melo Brito has been driving

trucks for 30 years. He is a freelance driver

from the northern Brazilian state of Pará

who drives a Scania 124/420. “I’ve been all

over Brazil. I know the distance between

all the major cities in the country by heart.” Working

under contract to the Transglobal company, he trans-

ports equipment and materials from the Southeast

and South – either manufactured in those regions or

imported through the Port of Vitória – to the jobsites

for the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Altamira

region, in Pará. Weather permitting. During the rainy

season between January and June, the Trans-Amazo-

nian Highway can be impassable. When that happens,

Fernandes takes his cargo to the Reicon company’s

facilities in the Port of Belém. From there, it is trans-

ferred to a tractor-trailer which, in turn, is loaded onto

a barge that will sail up the Amazon and Xingu Rivers

to Reicon’s wharf in Vitória do Xingu. From there, the

products go on to the work fronts.

In the transition from road to river, skippers take

over from truckers. Captain Mário do Santos Almeida,

74, is one of them. Born in the northern state of Mara-

nhão, he joined Reicon in 1984, and started sailing the

Amazon Region’s rivers when he was 18 years old. For

the last three years, Mário has been in charge of the

Rebelo XXXIV tugboat and its eight-person crew. The

journey from Belém to Vitória do Xingu takes about four

days, and sailing is not always smooth. “There are lots

of storms,” he says. “The cargo has to be firmly se-

cured.” During the dry season or “drought,” the level

of the Xingu River drops considerably, and sand banks

pose a serious threat. A barge could break up if it ran

into one. The Rebelo XXXIV leads convoys of two or

three giant barges that can hold over 30 pieces of heavy

equipment, like dump trucks, backhoes and drills.

José Fernandes and Mário Almeida are Brazilian

heroes. They each play a key role in the complex logis-

tics strategy devised to build the world’s third-largest

hydroelectric power plant.

One project and three jobsitesBegun in 2011 and expected to be fully operation-

al by 2019, the Belo Monte project is so massive that

the work is divided into three jobsites: Belo Monte, Pi-

mental and Channels and Dams. The Belo Monte Site,

where the main powerhouse will be located, is 102 km

J

from Vitória do Xingu via the Trans-Amazonian High-

way. The Pimental Site, where the main dam and spill-

way and auxiliary powerhouse are being built, is 100 km

from Vitória do Xingu in the opposite direction from the

Belo Monte Site.

Because of the distances involved, the logistics for

the perimeter of the construction site have also been

the subject of detailed studies. Planning is currently

underway for construction of a port near the Belo Mon-

te Site on the Xingu River, which would save a consid-

erable amount of time, as it would shorten the trip by

river from Belém and avoid the hazards of road trans-

port between Vitória do Xingu and the work front – a

102-km journey.

Characterized by a minimal reservoir, considering

the size of the project (503 km2, including the 228 km2

bed of the Xingu River), the Belo Monte hydroelectric

plant will have an installed capacity of 11,233 MW gen-

erated by 18 Francis turbines at the Belo Monte Site,

and six bulb turbines at the Pimental Site. A workforce

of 25,000 people will be mobilized at the peak of the

project in 2013. By the time the plant is completed,

the teams will have poured 4 million cubic meters of

concrete. Eight hundred pieces of heavy equipment

are already operating at the jobsite, and that figure will

reach a total of 2,258. The impact of all this on logistics

is breaking paradigms in Brazil.

“This is a unique project,” says José Gomes da

Silva, who joined the Organization 34 years ago and

now represents Odebrecht Energia in the Belo Monte

57informa

joint-venture contractor (CCBM). Formed by 10 com-

panies, CCBM is building the project under contract to

Norte Energia S.A. José is the Commercial Director of

CCBM and works at its headquarters in Altamira, a city

of 100,000. The project’s main support base, it is the

“GHQ,” the focal point from which the synergy among

the joint-venture partners comes together and reaches

the jobsites. From his office in Altamira, José provides

support to Óscar González, the joint venture’s Logistics

Manager (based in São Paulo), for everything to do with

moving large equipment. “This is the largest construc-

tion project currently underway in the world. It is estab-

lishing a new benchmark for logistics and construction

in this country. What we are seeing here is the birth of

a new way to create the infrastructure for this type of

project.”

Logistics conductorsIf there are heroes at the forefront of the logistics

process, like José Fernandes and Mário Almeida, there

are also people who do the essential work of midfield-

ers – better yet, they are more like orchestra conduc-

tors. In Belém, at Reicon’s facilities, and Altamira, the

Logistics coordinators are respectively Jonas Pereira

Pinto and Ivan Josias da Silva. In late January, the Ode-

brecht Informa team accompanied the shipment of

equipment from Belém and the unloading of cargo in

Vitória do Xingu, which is 45 km from Altamira.

Jonas is actively involved in all procedures related to

the dispatch of equipment and materials for the project,

ensuring that they are all firmly secured on the barges,

sending information to the insurance company, and

providing support for truckers arriving in Belém. Ivan

(who is even more like an orchestra conductor because

he is also a musician) receives the barges that dock in

Vitória do Xingu. He is meticulous by nature and pas-

sionate about his work.

“Logistics adds value,” he says. “Our mission is to

follow the safest course.” When receiving equipment

and materials, he pays attention to everything from the

placement of the ramps the trucks and the bulldozers

use to roll off the barge onto dry land, to forming the

line of trucks that will set off for the equipment ware-

house, and go on from there to the jobsites. A native of

São Paulo, Ivan also handles escort vehicles and keeps

an eye on erosion along the roads where the equipment

will be traveling. “If you don’t like details, you shouldn’t

work in logistics.”

Ivan and Jonas work in close harmony. They are

always in touch with each other, making several calls

per day, every day. Thirty-three pieces of heavy equip-

ment worth over BRL 20 million were shipped the day

the magazine’s team visited Reicon. All that on just one

barge. Jonas personally kept track of the entire proce-

dure in the yard. “There are lots of possible variables

when it comes to logistics – many unforeseen events

that can suddenly arise. In our case, since we work

with integrated modes of transportation, we have to be

ready for anything. Experience counts a lot in logistics,”

he concludes.

Equipment at the Belo Monte construction site: this picture encapsulates the successful completion of the logistics cycle

58 informa

58

written by fláVia taVares photo by lia lubamboReactor, containers, boilers, silos. A project in Pernambuco becomes a benchmark for importing and transporting equipment

PTA POY PET project site: imports of equipment and materials involve relations with up to 17 countries everything

informa

written by fláVia taVares photo by lia lubambo

t was 5 a.m. on may 31, 2009, and one of the most

challenging stages of implementing the PTA Poy PeT

project – an integrated production hub for purified

terephthalic acid (PTA), polyester filaments and

PeT resins for packaging – was reaching its peak.

The ship had docked in the port of suape, Pernambuco,

in northeastern Brazil, one week earlier, and the task at

hand at sunrise that day was getting the catalytic oxidation

reactor for paraxylene, a raw material for the terephthalic

acid plant, from the docks to the PTA plant. It was time to

“implant” the heart of the project.

The operation did not just take a single morning. It re-

quired months of effort to ensure that the giant truck could

travel the 5 km from the port to the site of the PTA plant.

The reactor weighs no less than 300 metric tons, and when

placed on a flatbed truck, it was 11 meters high. Twenty-two

light poles had to be removed along the route and replaced

with taller ones. Telephone lines were disconnected and

raised. The bridge received metal reinforcement to bear the

weight of the truck, which was fitted with about 250 tires,

and (at a steeper point) required three tractors to help pull

the load. It took 90 minutes for the reactor to reach its final

destination, escorted by the harbor Police, who ensured

that the route was cordoned off. The heart was put in place,

ready to feed the other vital organs of the project.

“Logistics is a complex part of any operation. when it in-

volves imports from up to 17 countries and 30 cities, in the

case of the PTA Poy PeT project, it is even more delicate be-

cause each operation has its own unique features,” explains

Pollyanna Peres, the officer responsible for Logistics.

odebrecht engenharia Industrial (Industrial engineering)

is responsible for the detailed engineering, procurement of

materials and equipment, civil works and electromechani-

cal assembly of all three units, as well as managing the

construction of the entire complex.

According to Pollyanna, one example of the challenges

involved in the project’s operating logistics was importing

the boilers for the PTA plant, purchased by the client, Petro-

químicasuape (an affiliate of Petroquisa, the petrochemical

arm of Petrobras), from a company in India which, in turn,

has suppliers from several other countries, such as Germa-

ny and sweden. “we have also had cases like the siemens

turbocharger, which had to be transported in a vessel char-

tered exclusively for that purpose,” she adds.

That many variables can lead to unusual situations, and

every time, the team responsible for procurement must find

the best solutions to avoid delays. This was the case with the

containers used to ship parts imported from a Dutch com-

pany for seven storage silos that will be installed in the PTA

plant. The manufacturer required that they be assembled

with its own tools, which went along in the same shipment,

much to the surprise of Pollyanna and her team.

Generalized repercussionsAll told, the PTA project alone has required spending

BrL 9 million on international maritime shipping of about

9,000 metric tons of equipment, which is expected to be

delivered by April of this year. The “heavy” logistics for the

Poy and PeT projects have already been completed, with

about 60% of equipment delivered, including 775 containers

loaded with texturing and spinning equipment.

In two years, the Poy and PeT projects have involved

more than 210 shipments totaling 4,800 metric tons of

machinery. now, the only items missing are the radioac-

tive power sources for the instruments used to measure

the quantity of products (Poy and PeT) in the storage silos.

“They are smaller, but no less complex, because they can

only be shipped at certain times of day, and we have to use

special trucks,” says Pollyanna.

The delivery of the Poy and PeT units is scheduled for

2013. “Logistics is a key part of a project of this magnitude,

where most of the materials are imported,” says Project

Director José Gilberto mariano. “If a piece of equipment

doesn’t arrive on time, it can have repercussions through-

out the project. The work done in that regard has been ex-

emplary.”

The ProJecT reQuIres

IReactor, containers, boilers, silos. A project in Pernambuco becomes a benchmark for importing and transporting equipment

59informa

everything

60 informa

60

works to improve

transportation infrastructure benefit urban

and rural areas of Angola

a nation

61informa

written by eliana simonetti photos by holanda caValcanti

rnesto Adriano Cassacula is 24, has a 3-month-old daughter, lives in

Caala, in Huambo Province, Angola, and got his first job in late 2010,

working at Odebrecht. He likes his job, as well as the roadways that

Odebrecht is restoring and reconfiguring – they connect Caala to the

towns of Ganda and Ekunha. “Transportation is much easier now. Today

we can visit our families and there is a variety of products available for sale in the

shops,” he says.

Caala is an important town, because it acts as a hub. All the agricultural and in-

dustrial products from Huambo Province pass through there on their way to the Port

of Lobito in Benguela Province. Products that arrive in the port, as well as from South

Africa and Namibia, travel in the opposite direction.

Antonio Zeferino Neto owns AZN Transporte, a bus company that transports pas-

sengers between the provinces. He started AZN four years ago. Previously, no one

had traveled by bus between Benguela and Huambo, but now he has competition.

Even so, the number of buses AZN runs has doubled. The company has 70 people on

its payroll. “The population is traveling more and more to do business, go on holiday

and attend parties and festivals,” says Zeferino Neto.

Benguela and huamboAngola’s second-largest and most prosperous province has the second-most im-

portant port in the country: Lobito. The roads that run through Benguela facilitate the

distribution and shipment of goods. They also serve to strengthen the nation’s road

links with Namibia and South Africa and foster the development of Namibe, a des-

ert province with tremendous tourist potential. In Benguela, Odebrecht has built the

Benguela-Catengue and Benguela-Dombe Grande routes and in 2012 it is working

on the reconfiguration of the Benguela-Baía Farta Highway (which will link the other

two routes, already completed, and provide easy access to the fishing and tourist area

in Baía Farta).

While reconfiguring the highway that connects Benguela with Dombe Grande,

Odebrecht also paved and signaled the streets of the small town of Dombe Grande.

These three main thoroughfares are routinely traveled by about 85,000 people who

live in the center of town or in one of 52 villages and settlements in the region.

In colonial times, Dombe Grande was a major sugar producer, but now the fac-

tory there is abandoned. A few buildings are still standing. Local residents generally

make a living from farming – an activity that has been bolstered by improved access

to town. The improvement of the road has also increased the number of visitors.

But what can visitors do in Dombe Grande? In addition to its vegetable market, the

town is the most mystical center of Angola. Every family has at least one traditional

healer. “Visitors come here to seek relief from their pain. I take advantage of the

AnD ITs PeoPLe come ToGeTher

E

Ernesto Adriano Cassacula: his family is closer and more products are available

61informa

a nation

62 informa

bustling streets to sell ice cream,” says Ana Dungula, 20.

She is happy because business has improved since the

dust from the road works settled.

In Huambo, the roads Odebrecht has built (Caa-

la-Cuíma, Caala-Ganda, Ekunha-Caala and Cuíma-

Gove) connect the province, whose economy is based

on agribusiness, with Angola’s consumer markets in

the provinces of Kwanza Sul, Namibe and Benguela,

and other countries through the Port of Lobito and

overland routes, via the link with Namibia and South

Africa. The provincial capital, Huambo, called Nova

Lisboa in colonial times, is a tourist resort.

Challenges in LuandaHighways in rural Angola connect people and econo-

mies and foster development, and the same is true for

Luanda, the nation’s capital. That city is home to about

half the country’s population. Due to the armed conflicts

that are now part of Angola’s past, Luanda quickly became

a large urban center and faced the challenges typical of

rapid, disorganized growth. However, it is implementing a

plan to solve the city’s problems, and Odebrecht is an ac-

tive part of that undertaking.

The program includes the Luanda Structural Road-

ways project, made up of highways and expressways that

reduce the volume of downtown traffic, make life easier

for residents of outlying areas by providing access to the

city center, and facilitate travel between the port and

the interior of the country, thereby boosting trade. They

are the Luanda-Viana-Cacuaco Beltway (Downtown);

the Luanda-Kifangondo Expressway (North); the Cabo-

lombo-Futungo Junction (South); the Luanda-Viana Ex-

pressway; and the Lar do Patriota, Samba, Golfe and 21

de Janeiro highways.

The 21 de Janeiro Highway, which connects the airport

to downtown Luanda, used to be a congested thorough-

fare. There was constant flooding on that route during

the rainy season, making it impassable. Local residents

had no sidewalks or pedestrian walkways to ensure a

safe crossing. Odebrecht has remodeled and widened the

highway, which is now paved and enhanced with shoul-

ders, drainage, lighting, wider sidewalks and landscaping.

Maria Eugenia Antonio Mateus and Mariana Agostin-

ho da Cruz work at the Maranata pharmacy, which

opened in the Cacuaco district in January. “I’m sure we

will do well, because business is already improving,”

Luanda – Kifangondo

Highway: easing traffic jams

in Luanda

63informa

to facilitate access for people living in the densely popu-

lated satellite towns of Viana and Kiaxi. The second is the

Marginal Sudoeste Highway itself, which connects Largo

da Corimba and Bispo Beach (it runs parallel to the heavily

traveled Samba Highway, which has already been refur-

bished). Odebrecht has already built seven bridges for this

project. The third new project is a road artery linking the 21

de Janeiro Highway to the Golfe Highway, improving traffic

flow for people traveling between the south and center of

Luanda.

These works are all getting underway in 2012.

Odebrecht Angola has already delivered a number of

roads, and will deliver even more in 2012 – in Luanda

and the provinces of Benguela, Huambo and Malange.

All of them are vital for the nation’s economic devel-

opment and physical unity. The projects in Luanda al-

low for expansion that will lead to a lower population

density and, therefore, better organization, planning

and implementation of urban infrastructure facilities

– which will also have a positive impact on people’s

health and well-being.

These are just some of the initiatives now underway

in Angola, a country with a territory twice the size of

the Brazilian state of Bahia (which is roughly the size

of France), although most of its population is concen-

trated in Luanda. The nation’s economy has grown at

an average annual rate of about 10.8% over the past

six years. By deploying transport infrastructure works,

Odebrecht is working to ensure that development ben-

efits all Angolans, both rural and urban.

says Maria Eugenia, who has a nursing certificate.

“This route will help attract organized businesses,” she

observes. She is also happy for another reason: before

the road works were completed in November 2011, it

took her over an hour to get home from work. Now the

commute takes less than 30 minutes.

Odebrecht members have also benefited from the

project. Jorge Manuel, 24, joined the company four years

ago. He started out as a carpenter and is now a supervi-

sor. He says that, at first, commuting to work was stress-

ful, although he lived just 15 km from the jobsite. Three

years ago the commute took an hour, but now he can

get to work in just 10 minutes. “Now I have more time to

spend with my family, and I’ve even started taking a tech-

nical course in biophysics to grow professionally,” he says.

New projectsOdebrecht’s transport infrastructure projects in An-

gola are bringing immediate and significant benefits

for the Angolan people. And a number of new projects

are going to make their lives even better. The client is

the Angolan Ministry of Urban Planning and Construc-

tion, and the projects have been included in the na-

tional government’s Public Investment Program (PIP)

for 2012. They are part of a USD 600 million package of

road works that will be carried out within three to four

years. To achieve this goal, Odebrecht will groom and

mobilize approximately 2,000 Angolan workers – and if

everything goes as planned, at least 20% of them will

be women.

One of these new projects is “R 17”: a route linking the

district of Camama with the Marginal Sudoeste Highway

Engineer Djamira Nazaré Paixão and the Baía Farta-Benguela Highway: a new generation of Angolans actively participates in shaping their country’s future

63informa

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International entrepreneur

t’s been 23 years since Paulo moreira Brito, a

mechanical engineer from rio, joined odebrecht.

In December 1993, he went to work in the united

states. After that he went to Iraq, returned to the

usA, then went to Liberia, and then back to the usA.

now he works in mozambique. he says: “my inter-

national background has exposed me to conditions

I would never have experienced if I hadn’t left my

comfort zone. That was made possible, above all, by

the support of my wife, Adriana, who took care of

our kids while I was overseas. furthermore, when

facing tough situations, I’ve always been able to

count on the enthusiasm and creativity of teams

which, when properly motivated, can overcome any

obstacle.”

Paulo Brito and the lessons of a life without borders

uliana Lima is from Bahia, a state in northeastern

Brazil. Her first contact with Odebrecht, in 2007, was

through the Sustainable Development Institute (IDES) in

the Southern Bahia Lowlands. She joined the company in

2010 and is now the officer Responsible for People and Or-

ganization at the Teles Pires hydroelectric plant construc-

tion project on the state border of Mato Grosso and Pará, in

which Odebrecht Energia is the investor (Odebrecht is build-

ing the project). In 2011, Juliana moved to Paranaíta, Mato

Grosso, a small town that is the support base for the jobsite,

which is located in a remote area. That was one reason why

Odebrecht has allowed married couples to work together

on this project. Juliana’s husband, Alberto Fraga is a safety

engineer who started working at Teles Pires in April 2011.

“Living and working together is a challenge that makes our

relationship stronger,” says Juliana.

family ties

uliana calsa, a native of Limeira, são Paulo, has always been an

idealist and doesn’t hide it. she has a degree in journalism and

joined foz do Brasil six years ago in her hometown to work in the

communication and social responsibility area of Brazil’s first wa-

ter and sewer concession involving a private-sector company. In the

course of her work to boost the company’s image, she has helped set

up an environmental education project focused on recycling cooking

oil, which is being replicated in the company’s units around the coun-

try. Today, in são Paulo, Juliana is on foz’s corporate communication

team. she is proud to be helping bring quality of life to millions of

people and preserve the environment. “one thing I’m sure of is that

we can make this a better world.”

Working for a better reality

Juliana lima and her husband live and work at Teles Pires

FolKs

Pride in working toward quality of life

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65informa IIIINFORMA IIIINFORMA

YOU CANSIGN UP TODAYTO SHARE YOURKNOWLEDGE

https://www.premiodestaque.com

For more information on the DestaqueAward, please contact Ciaden(premiodestaque@odebrecht.com).

ING_ANUNCIO_OI 159_28 MAR.indd 3 3/28/12 12:03 PM

66 informa

eyes oPen To The

Construction of a cargo terminal in the Port of santos and a pipeline to transport ethanol symbolize Brazil’s efforts to overcome one of its bottlenecks

essentialswritten by christina Queiroz photos by Júlio bittencourt

66

67informa

essentialsEmbraport Terminal at the Port of Santos: this new facility will significantly increase Brazil’s foreign trade capacity

68 informa

t would not be an overstatement to classify two

transport infrastructure and logistics projects

as crucial. Their origins and objectives bear the

hallmark of a country that is growing and needs

to overcome its bottlenecks. Expected to increase

the current capacity of the Port of Santos by 40%, and

now in its initial phase of operation, the Embraport

(Empresa Brasileira de Terminais Portuários) Termi-

nal project will receive a total of BRL 2.3 billion, an in-

vestment that will boost Brazil’s capability for foreign

trade. Also under construction, a pipeline developed

by Logum will create a modern new alternative for

transporting ethanol, thereby bolstering that sector’s

growth and competitiveness. Embraport and Logum

are both part of the backlog of Odebrecht TransPort,

the Odebrecht company focused on operations and

investments in integrated logistics, highways, urban

mobility and airports.

from Santos to the worldWith estimated annual average GDP growth of

3.5% per year, Brazil will see its flow of internation-

al trade increase in an accelerated and consistent

manner. According to Pedro Brito, Director of Antaq

(the National Agency for Waterway Transportation):

“In 2003, the volume of exports and imports in this

country reached USD 100 billion, and in 2012 that fig-

ure should rise to USD 500 billion.” He also observes

that about 90% of trade flow will pass through the

nation’s ports, which means that investments in port

logistics are essential.

The largest in Latin America, the Port of Santos has

a total installed capacity of BRL 3.2 million TEUs (the

unit equivalent to a 20-foot container), and Pedro Brito

predicts that it will reach 10 million TEUs by 2025. “The

Embraport Terminal will help make that happen.”

Built on the left bank of the Port of Santos, the

terminal, whose majority shareholder is Odebrecht

TransPort (the others are DP World and Coimex),

will operate in an 848,500 square-meter area, with

a 1,100-m quay, two piers, a rail yard and a park-

ing lot for trucks. “The terminal’s capacity will total

2 million TEUs and 2 billion liters of bulk liquids,”

says Odebrecht TransPort Logistics Director Juli-

ana Baiardi.

According to Wilson Lozano, Embraport’s Engi-

neering Manager, the terminal will have sufficient

infrastructure and equipment to allow the berthing

of ships up to 12,000 TEUs, “We are preparing for a

future increase in the cargo capacity of ships used in

international trade,” he observes.

The first phase of the project will absorb invest-

ments of BRL 1.6 billion and include the construction

of two berths for containers and general cargo, and a

pier for bulk liquids. “By the end of 2012, the work on

the first stage of Phase 1, a 350 m-long berth, will be

completed,” says Odebrecht Infraestrutura Production

Manager Giorgio Bullaty. The delivery of that stage will

enable the terminal to begin operations before the end

of Phase 1, scheduled for October 2013, when the fa-

cility will have a 650-m quay capable of handling 1.2

million TEUs and 2 billion liters of liquids. Phase 2, the

result of a BRL 700-million investment, will extend the

quay’s length to 1,100 meters and increase its capacity

to 2 million TEUs.

One of the highlights of the project is the applica-

tion of Geotube technology, which has made it pos-

sible to dredge and concentrate 580,000 cubic meters

of contaminated materials in specially designed bags

manufactured for that purpose. “Without this technol-

ogy, we would have had to dispose of this material

in landfills, which would have required 73,000 truck

trips,” explains Giorgio Bullaty.

Embraport Quality, Health, Safety and Environment

Manager Regina Tonelli underscores the BRL 10 mil-

lion being invested in environmental programs, which

I

68 informa

involve more than 30 conditions required by environ-

mental permits. These measures include conserving

natural resources, social/environmental and archeo-

logical issues, environmental quality, and programs

directly related to the work on the terminal building, in

addition to social responsibility initiatives undertaken in

the communities surrounding the port terminal.

Ethanol pipelinesDespite its maturity and the prospect of becoming

the flagship for Brazilian exports, the ethanol indus-

try still relies on a logistics system that primarily uses

trucks to transport the product. Therefore, business

leaders have decided to invest in a plan to modern-

ize transportation logistics, a strategy that will require

investments of roughly BRL 7 billion.

Logum, a company established in March 2011, is

the result of the efforts of six shareholders (Odebrecht

TransPort, Petrobras, Cosan, Coersucar, Camargo

Corrêa and Uniduto) and the consolidation of three

projects. Alberto Guimarães, President of Logum,

points out that the ethanol industry has been invest-

ing in technical productivity for three decades, but has

done little to improve its logistics strategies. In his

opinion, it is increasingly urgent to do just that, as sug-

arcane production is expanding into the interior of the

country and getting farther away from major centers

of consumption.

The Logum project involves transporting 22 mil-

lion cu.m per year of ethanol produced in the states

of São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas

Gerais through 1,300 kilometers of pipelines that are

currently under construction and will be connected

to a 600-km network of existing pipelines owned by

Petrobras.

The ethanol will be captured in the interior, taken

to a hub (distribution point) in Paulínia, São Paulo,

and then sent on to the metropolitan regions of São

Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The first part of the project

will be ready by February 2013, while the second part

(focused on the export market) should be completed

by 2016.

Logum Projects Director Moacir Megiolaro ex-

plains that the company will encourage producers

and distributors to use the ethanol transport system.

“One of the system’s main users will be ETH Bioen-

ergy,” he says.

Workers building the Embraport Terminal: Acreditar Program is playing an important role in hiring and qualifying professionals to work on the project

Pedro Brito (left) during a visit to the jobsite at the Port of Santos. With him, from left, are Rodrigo Leite, CFO of Embraport, Alexandrino de Alencar, Responsible for Business Development and Institutional Support at Odebrecht Infraestrutura, and Project Director Henrique Marchesi, also from Odebrecht Infraestrutura: essential investments in port logistics

69informa

70 informa

70he presence of Odebrecht Oil & Gas

(OOG) in the subsea engineering mar-

ket and, in particular, the story of one

of its team members in that field, faith-

fully reflect the current situation of the

Brazilian oil industry.

OOG’s subsea operations include engineering,

construction, installation and maintenance of subsea

pipelines and equipment that connect wells on the

seabed to production platforms on the surface. Its

first venture in that sector was a contract to design

and launch the Capixaba South-North Pipeline in

the eastern state of Espírito Santo. Back then, OOG’s

current Subsea Projects Director, Renato Bastos

(the member mentioned in the first paragraph), was

working for a major foreign company in that industry.

Now, eighteen months later, Renato is playing an

active role in consolidating Odebrecht’s presence in

this market: the construction and operation of two

Pipe Laying Support Vessels (PLSVs). To become the

first Brazilian company to provide these services, OOG

sought the expertise of Technip, a French firm that has

been working in the subsea market since 1977.

Together, the companies formed a joint venture to

bid in a Petrobras tender held in October 2010 for the

construction and operation of up to nine PLSVs. In the

end, six contracts were tendered and OOG and Tech-

nip won two. “We achieved our goal of building and

operating the two largest vessels in the tender, which

provide support for installing 550 metric tons of flex-

ible pipe,” says Marcelo Marques Nunes, the officer

Responsible for the PLSV Contract.

These two vessels will be chartered as part of

Petrobras’s strategic plan for developing the pre-

salt layer the state-owned oil giant discovered in

2006. They are capable of installing flexible pipes in

ultra-deep water at depths of up to 2,500 meters.

The equipment used to install the pipelines is called

TIllustration of a PLSV: part of Petrobras’s strategic plan for pre-salt operations

70 informa

ThAT musT Be sAILeDseas

written by Júlio césar soares

71informa

ooG participates in the construction

of two PlsVs, vessels used to install

subsea pipelines

Natural moveOdebrecht’s search for an experienced partner

in the subsea market to work on this project was

a special chapter in a story that is just beginning.

The chosen company was Technip, which has over

30 years’ experience in this specific segment. “We

needed a partner with experience in producing and

operating PLSVs, and Technip not only operates

these vessels but manufactures the flexible pipe-

lines they install on the seabed,” explains Marcelo

Nunes.

Bernard Gilot, Technip’s PLSV Project Manager,

observes that the joint venture between the French

company and Odebrecht was a natural move. “Tech-

nip is a subsea market leader, and Odebrecht is a

company with a long tradition that has been work-

ing solidly in the deepwater drilling market. I be-

lieve that, together, we can meet expectations dur-

ing this new phase for Petrobras,” says Bernard.

“One of the highlights of this partnership is that

we can use Technip’s operating units to train our

teams. The possibility of being able to have one of

our members crewing a unit like the one we are

building is a huge advantage,” emphasizes Marcelo

Nunes. “This partnership with Technip is bolster-

ing our position as a company to watch in this new

business and opening up a vast new range of mar-

ket opportunities,” explains Jorge Luiz Mitidieri,

Managing Director of OOG’s Integrated Services

Business Unit.

Both companies will also partner up to operate the

PSLVs for a five-year period, which can be extended

for another five. “We are not only going to supervise

the construction of the vessels in South Korea but will

also be responsible for chartering, operations man-

agement and providing specialized installation engi-

neering services,” explains Renato Bastos.

This new operation is yet another stage in the long

and productive relationship between Odebrecht and

Petrobras, and already has a start date: the second

half of 2014. According to Renato Bastos, who has

15 years’ experience in the subsea market, Ode-

brecht is planting its flag in a major segment of a

market dominated by foreign companies. “Winning

this project has firmly positioned us as the only Bra-

zilian company with an effective share of the subsea

market,” underscores Jorge Mitidieri.

a tensioner. It resembles the caterpillar tracks of

tanks, and the maximum weight the tensioner can

pull is 550 metric tons. The role of the PLSVs is to

transport and install the offshore pipelines connect-

ing the oil wells on the seabed with production plat-

forms on the surface.

To build the two vessels, Odebrecht and Technip

are working with a long-time partner: the Daewoo

Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME)

shipyard in South Korea. “We have an excellent rela-

tionship with DSME that dates back to 2008. Its ship-

yard is recognized for the on-time delivery and quali-

ty of the vessels it produces, and that is key when you

have to minimize the risks involved in the project,”

says Renato Bastos.

Once the PLSVs are built, they will be sent to Bra-

zil to undergo final acceptance testing by Petrobras

before they begin operations in the Santos and Cam-

pos basins.

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71informa

seaswritten by Júlio césar soares

72 informa

The challenges of logistics

“Without a doubt, the biggest challenge of all when it comes to logistics in Brazil is infrastructure. We still have a long way to go to ensure greater availability and efficiency in the transport of goods by road, railway, pipeline and waterway”

ARGumeNT

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73informa 73informa

72

product’s quality and cost are de-

cisive factors in any client’s pur-

chasing choices. But the equation

does not stop there: innovation,

sustainability, partnership and re-

lationships, and, of course, logistics, are all

factors with increasing weight in trade rela-

tions.

Without the right logistics, there is no guar-

antee that products will reach clients on time,

with the requisite quality. At Braskem, we are

always seeking opportunities to add value to

our clients through the optimization of logis-

tics processes, with various initiatives such as

reverse logistics and the constant revision of

our logistics network. But the challenges are

just as big as the opportunities in this seg-

ment, because in our day-to-day operations we

need to ensure the delivery of 5 million metric

tons/year of dry cargo (plastic resins) to some

1,600 clients in Brazil and about 250 abroad,

in 60 different countries, and 9 million metric

tons/year of gas and liquid cargo (basic petro-

chemicals) to clients in Brazil and other coun-

tries on five continents.

To continue fulfilling our mission of provid-

ing ever better service to our clients, we must

overcome challenges on a daily basis. Without

a doubt, the biggest challenge of all when it

comes to logistics in Brazil is infrastructure.

We still have a long way to go to ensure great-

er availability and efficiency in the shipment of

goods by road, railway, pipeline and waterway.

The railways, coastal shipping and inland

waterways are important parts of the logistics

system in a country of continental proportions

like Brazil, and therefore these modes need

to be rapidly developed through the expansion

and improvement of express routes and chan-

nels. Our rail network, for example, now cov-

ers just 30,000 km and is concentrated in a

few states (São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de

Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul). In the USA, for

comparison’s sake, the railway network ex-

ceeds 200,000 km, and rail freight is one of the

most commonly utilized modes of transport.

Due to the limitations of infrastructure in

Brazil, we still depend heavily on road trans-

portation, which represents more than half

(65%) of logistics operations, while in the Unit-

ed States, for example, this mode represents

only 25% of operations.

As for waterways, the situation there is also

complex. The main bottleneck is the lack of

investment in port infrastructure facilities on

rivers, such as the Manaus Free Trade Zone

hub. The limitations in sea ports for export and

coastal shipping such as Santos (São Paulo),

Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande (Rio Grande do Sul)

and Aratu (Bahia), include access infrastruc-

ture, back-port areas and the capacity of port

terminals.

In light of this situation, several measures

are required to strengthen the supply chain as

a whole. We have to take a proactive stance.

Brazil needs to invest in infrastructure in all

modes of transport. Streamlined ports, inter-

modal accessibility (products reaching ports

by road and/or railroad), the expansion and

modernization of railways, and road quality

and conditions are essential factors.

The medium and long-term outlook for the

Brazilian logistics scenario is positive, but the

attitude of the business sector should be pri-

marily proactive, and (why not?) creative. We

must take part in the debate, influence the

sector in the right direction and help open up

more and more paths of development.

A

Gustavo Prisco Paraíso Logistics Director, Braskem Polymers Unit

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reports about odebrecht organization teams’ recent achievements in Brazil and worldwide

organization: the events, reports and reflections that marked

odebrecht’s 2011 Annual meeting

Braskem begins industrial operations in Germany through

its units in the cologne and Leipzig regions

southern Bahia Lowlands: the civil construction cooperative

brings together apprentices and youths who have studied at

the Building Better Professional education center

savvy: Gilberto neves discusses sound decisions, role

models and the importance of learning from leaders

&PeoPleNews

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The 2011 Annual meeting’s highlights included people’s assimilation of the odebrecht Culture and the

ongoing pursuit of greater productivity

t is the leaders’ task, and the leaders’

alone, to devote their time, presence,

experience and example to their team

members.” This phrase by Norberto

Odebrecht, the Organization’s founder,

sums up the concept of the Pedagogy

of Presence, which is key for the trans-

mission of our organizational culture

and people development. This and other

messages, taken from the works of

Norberto Odebrecht, were passed on by

Marcelo Odebrecht, President and CEO

of Odebrecht S.A., to the 210 leaders

who attended the 2011 Annual Meeting

of Odebrecht S.A. in Salvador, Bahia, on

December 19, when they were present-

ed with the main results of 2011 and the

Organization’s plans for 2012-2014.

In his presentation, Marcelo took

stock of all the Organization’s busi-

nesses, noting, among other things,

the importance of instilling the Orga-

nization’s Culture in people, the need

for the ongoing pursuit of greater pro-

ductivity, the role of synergies and im-

age and the focus on qualified growth.

“In recent years, we have firmly es-

Leaders and their thoughtsoRGANIzATIoN

written by José enriQue barreiro photos by beg figueiredo

“I

77informa

Participants at the Organization’s Annual Meeting: front row, from left, Emílio Odebrecht, Norberto Odebrecht and Board Members Roberto Campos, Piero Marianetti, Geraldo Dannemann and Alípio Lima

Leaders and their thoughtstablished the trust of our clients and

shareholders; in the near future, we

will continue to share our clients’

dreams and aim ever higher, but al-

ways with the same touchstone, the

Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technol-

ogy, the foundation that never chang-

es,” said Marcelo.

The participants also heard mes-

sages from Norberto Odebrecht, who

stressed, among other things, the

importance of Participatory Gover-

nance, and Emílio Odebrecht, Chair-

man of the Board of Odebrecht S.A.,

who called on all leaders to “steward

our culture,” whose foundations are

based on the practice of trust and

loyalty. Piero Marianetti spoke on

behalf of the advisory board, and all

the Members of the Board of Ode-

brecht S.A. commented on the day’s

presentations, given by the following

leaders of the Organization: Maurí-

cio Medeiros, Odebrecht Foundation;

Carlos Fadigas, Braskem; José Car-

los Grubisich (then Entrepreneurial

Leader of ETH Bioenergy); Fernando

Reis, Foz do Brasil; Roberto Ramos,

OOG (Odebrecht Oil & Gas); Paul Altit,

OR (Odebrecht Realizações Imobil-

iárias, the Organization’s real estate

arm); Euzenando Azevedo, Odebrecht

Venezuela; Luiz Rocha, Odebrecht

International; Luiz Mameri, Ode-

brecht América Latina e Angola (Latin

America and Angola); Benedicto Ju-

nior, Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infra-

structure); Márcio Faria, Odebrecht

Engenharia Industrial (Industrial En-

gineering); and Henrique Valladares,

Odebrecht Energia (Energy).

Other shareholders and mem-

bers of several generations of the

Odebrecht family also attended the

meeting.

78 informa

4

8

5

6

1

“In recent years, we have firmly established

our clients’ and shareholders’ trust; in the near

future, we will continue to share our clients’

dreams and aim ever higher, but always with the

same touchstone, the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial

Technology, the foundation that never changes”

MaRCELO ODEBREChT

79informa

WhaT ThE ENTREpRENEURIaL LEaDERS SaID

9

2

3

7

1 – BENEDICTO JuNIOR, ODEBRECHT

INFRAESTRuTuRA:

“We intend to bolster our members’ sense of belonging

more and more”

2 – FERNANDO REIS, FOZ DO BRASIL:

“More important than our expansion, 2011 was a year of

growth as a company and as a team”

3 – PAuL ALTIT, ODEBRECHT REALIZAçõES

IMOBILIáRIAS:

“In 2011, Bairro Novo delivered 2,300 residential units to

families participating in the My House, My Life program”

4 – EuZENANDO AZEVEDO, ODEBRECHT VENEZuELA:

“We have helped Braskem, Odebrecht Engenharia In-

dustrial and OOG achieve synergies in that country”

5 – LuIZ MAMERI, ODEBRECHT AMéRICA LATINA E

ANGOLA:

“Today we have 34,000 members, including 1,400 ex-

pats, 370 of whom are non-Brazilian”

6 – LuIZ ROCHA, ODEBRECHT INTERNATIONAL:

“By organizing the evacuation of 3,500 expats from a war

zone in Libya, we have demonstrated that Odebrecht is

truly committed to people”

7 – MáRCIO FARIA, ODEBRECHT ENGENHARIA

INDuSTRIAL:

“Our company will bring in 13,000 new members in the

next three years”

8 – HENRIquE VALLADARES, ODEBRECHT ENERGIA:

“We delivered the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant a

year ahead of the contract deadline”

9 – MAuRíCIO MEDEIROS, ODEBRECHT FOuNDATION:

“Yes, it is possible. In the Southern Bahia Lowlands,

people who were once excluded are now making all the

difference”

80 informa80 informa

GeRmANy

wILLkommen!Braskem now produces polypropylene in Germany at industrial units in the Cologne and Leipzig regions

Sabina Alexandra Filimon and Reinhard Thimm at the industrial unit in Wesseling, in the Cologne region: Braskem’s arrival brings fresh motivation

written by luiz carlos ramos photo by edu simões

81informa

he Braskem logo can already

be seen on the white 25-

kg sacks of polypropylene.

Packed in huge trucks, they set out

from Braskem Europe’s two units

in the metropolitan regions of Co-

logne and Leipzig, Germany, bound

for other parts of the country as well

as plastic manufacturers in Italy,

France, Poland, the Netherlands,

Belgium and the Czech Republic.

All told, those units’ output totals

545,000 tonnes of polypropylene an-

nually.

Braskem Europe’s offices in

Frankfurt, Germany, and Rotter-

dam, the Netherlands, are getting

new orders. Work goes on non-stop

at the plants in Wesseling, 25 km

from Cologne, and Schkopau, 30

km from Leipzig, 24 hours a day,

365 days a year, including Sundays

and holidays. The snows during

the European winter have not put a

chill on production, or a damper on

people’s enthusiasm about the new

era that is dawning at these units,

which Odebrecht acquired from

Dow Chemical in July 2011 along

with two other Dow units in the

US state of Texas (in Freeport and

Seadrift).

The emergence of the Braskem

brand in Europe involves some cu-

riosities, starting with the fact that,

for the Organization, it means “re-

T

82 informa

turning” to the ancestral homeland

of its founder, Norberto Odebrecht.

In 1856, at the age of 21, Norberto

Odebrecht’s great-grandfather Emil,

born in the Kingdom of Prussia

(which would later become part of

the German Empire), emigrated to

Brazil, where he settled in the south-

ern state of Santa Catarina. In the

1990s, the Organization formed Ode-

brecht Bau AG, which played a role in

the construction of temporary hous-

ing in the recently reunified Germa-

ny. Now, through Braskem, Germany

is once again on the list of countries

where Odebrecht is present.

TransitionBraskem Europa GmbH officially

came into being on October 1, 2011,

the day Mark Nikolich, an American,

and his top team members went to

work on transforming Dow’s former

German units into Braskem plants

without a break in production. Mark,

45, has a graduate degree in Busi-

ness and hails from Nashville, Ten-

nessee. He lived in several coun-

tries before joining Sunoco in the

United States, a company Braskem

acquired in 2010. Following the ac-

quisition of the four Dow units, he

was recommended to become the

Leader of Braskem Europe. His of-

fice is behind the Frankfurt Opera,

in a building on Am der Welle Street,

which has the upbeat meaning of

“Above the Wave.”

This is not the first time Mark has

lived in Germany. When he returned to

that country, he took along two young

company members who had worked

with him at Braskem in the United

States: Christopher Gee, from the

USA, and Alfredo Prince, from Ven-

ezuela. The features of a global busi-

ness operation do not stop there: this

Germany-based company has mem-

bers from Germany, the USA, Venezu-

ela, the Netherlands, Romania, China,

Turkey, Brazil and other countries.

How is the transition going? Mark

Nikolich explains that he has de-

cided to keep on a significant portion

of the professionals already work-

ing at Dow and willing to take on the

Braskem challenge. “What we have

here is a team of tremendous pro-

fessionals at all levels. We’ve made

some changes and will be making

even more to achieve unity in every

sense of the word.”

Braskem Europe works with about

80 polypropylene purchasing compa-

nies, especially in Germany’s neigh-

boring countries. According to Mark:

“Our clients are already familiar with

Braskem’s outstanding reputation

as the leading producer of thermo-

plastic resins in the Americas, and

have expressed an interest in its two

units in Germany and Brazil’s ‘green’

plastic.”

Motivation, unity and optimismBraskem is marking its 10th an-

niversary in 2012. However, Ode-

brecht gained its first foothold in the

petrochemical industry nearly 33

years earlier at the Camaçari com-

plex in 1979. It so happens that one

of Mark Nikolich’s team members at

Braskem Europe, Christopher Gee,

was born that same year. An engineer

from New Jersey, Gee enjoys playing

guitar, shooting the hoops and tack-

ling fresh challenges at work. “I love

this new phase here in Germany,” he

says. “When I visited Braskem in Bra-

zil, I got a better idea of the Organiza-

tion’s magnitude. It has what it takes

to succeed in Germany as well.”

Mark’s other young partner, Al-

fredo Prince, 36, has a degree in

Economics, was born in Caracas and

went to college in the United States.

Now the leader of the financial area

at Braskem Europe, he has worked at

Braskem’s Philadelphia office and is

currently based in Frankfurt. “By the

Mark Nikolich, flanked by Alfredo Prince (left) and Christopher Gee, in Frankfurt: achieving unity

83informa

end of 2012, the team for our pro-

gram will be complete,” says Alfredo,

who supports Manchester United,

the English soccer team, and has vis-

ited Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Alfredo is working closely with

a Brazilian at the company’s trea-

sury department in Frankfurt. Edu-

ardo Schwarzbach, 30, is from the

southern state of Rio Grande do Sul

and now works at Braskem in the

northeastern state of Bahia. He

was asked to spend a few months

at Braskem Europe. “I got caught

in a cold snap – temperatures have

been as low as 14 degrees below

zero, in contrast to the tropical heat

of Salvador, Bahia – but it’s worth it

to see this Braskem emerge.”

Hans-Jürgen Buchmann, 54, is

the Industrial Director of Braskem

Europe and a production leader at

the unit in Schkopau, his home-

town, near Leipzig. When he was

born, Leipzig was part of social-

ist East Germany, which ceased

to exist after German reunification

in 1990. “I’ve worked at this poly-

propylene unit for more than 10

years, and participated in its mod-

ernization with Dow. It’s wonderful

to adopt the Braskem style.” The

Schkopau unit produces 320,000

tonnes per year.

Coincidentally, like Buchmann,

the production leader at the Wes-

seling unit is also working in his

hometown. Wesseling, which is

on the Rhine, near Cologne, is lo-

cated in an industrial region. Rein-

hard Thimm, 54, proudly shows his

visitors around the plant where he

leads a team of dozens of people

of various nationalities. “We nev-

er stop here. Not ever,” he says.

“This unit’s annual production

reaches 225,000 tonnes. I am very

happy to be a part of this new era

for Braskem.” The Romanian en-

gineer Sabina Alexandra Filimon,

30, is on Thimm’s team and works

as a production quality inspector.

“Braskem has given us fresh spirit

and energy,” she observes.

Sander van Veen, 49, is a Dutch

engineer who has worked as the

Commercial Director of Procure-

ment at Braskem Europe since Oc-

tober 1. “The polypropylene market

is growing,” he explains, “despite

the current economic turmoil in

parts of Europe.”

Manfred Lingscheid, 48, is proud

to have been born in Cologne. “It’s

the best city in Germany!” he says.

Yao Li, 29, was born in China and

is on the Wesseling unit’s operations

team. At the end of another workday

in February, she zips up her jacket,

puts on her hat and gloves, gets on

her bike and sets off on the 30-min-

ute ride home, pedaling in the freez-

ing cold. “The sun is going down. It

was a great day. Tomorrow will be

even better,” she says.

Industrial unit in Schkopau, near Leipzig: production capacity of 340,000 metric tons of polypropylene per year

84 informa

susTAINABle DeVeloPmeNT

Pitching in to build better

fter looking for work for

some time, Camila Silva,

22, has finally found a

job opportunity in the construction

industry. This determined young

woman is now a student in the sec-

ond class to take the Building Bet-

ter Professional Education course,

where she is learning to become

a bricklayer. “Every day I get more

and more passionate about this. I’m

proud to know that what I do is im-

portant. I don’t see anything getting

in my way,” says Camila, who lives

in Valença, Bahia, in northeastern

Brazil.

Every month, she spends a week

learning theoretical concepts in the

classroom at the Building Better

Professional Education Center. The

rest of the month, she has access to

practical knowledge at a construc-

tion site, under the supervision of

monitors, foremen and engineers.

That is how she is guaranteeing the

income she needs to help support

her mother and get a degree in Civil

Engineering.

As a member of the Construction

Cooperative (Coonstruir) – an um-

brella institution that brings together

the project’s apprentices and gradu-

ates – Camila receives about BRL

500 per month, depending on her

productivity. The only woman in her

class, she argues that bricklaying is

not just a man’s job. “I’ve learned ev-

erything I know through this course.

I’m getting better every day,” she

says. She takes care of her appear-

ance, always putting on makeup and

paying regular visits to the beauty

salon. “I use a hairnet to keep the

mortar from getting in my hair. Get-

ting it out is a lot of work.”

The Building Better project grooms skilled young professionals to work in construction

written by GabriELa vaSConCELLoS photos by bEG fiGuEirEdo

A

85informa

Camila and her classmates helped

build the Building Better project’s

headquarters. The construction works

were funded by a Technical and Fi-

nancial Cooperation Agreement signed

in 2009 by Banco Nacional de De-

senvolvimento Econômico e Social

(BNDES) and the Odebrecht Foun-

dation, which supports the Program

for the Integrated and Sustainable

Development of the Mosaic of Envi-

ronmental Protection Areas in the

Southern Bahia Lowlands (PDIS), of

which the Professional Education

Center and Coonstruir are part.

The agreement with BNDES calls

for the investment of BRL 60 million

over six years in social, produc-

tive, environmental and educational

programs for Southern Lowlands

communities. The bank has al-

ready invested BRL 2.3 million in the

Building Better Center to construct

its headquarters in Valença on land

donated by the city government.

“We could not have built this dream

without their help. One person can’t

change the world on their own. I’ve

built walls, installed porcelain units,

and painted doors and gates here.

It’s taught me to have focus, objec-

tivity, discipline and patience when

doing my work. This project has

changed my life,” says Camila.

Other institutions linked to the

PDIS that are included in the part-

nership with BNDES also have

good reason to celebrate. The Igra-

piúna Rural Family House and Nilo

Peçanha Agro-Forestry Family House

have received funds for the renova-

tion and expansion of their head-

quarters, which will enable them to

increase the number of students en-

rolled per year. The bank’s funding

for the Presidente Tancredo Neves

Rural Producers’ Cooperative is

making it possible to build a Fruit

Pre-Processing Unit for the coop-

erative’s 208 members. The Hearts-

of-Palm Producers’ Cooperative

of the Southern Bahia Lowlands

has purchased farm machinery

and implements, trucks, cars and

motorbikes, which are improving

working conditions in the primary

sector and increasing farm produc-

tion and mechanization, as well as

enabling agricultural technicians to

get around more easily.

future visionThe PDIS has gained the sup-

port of several social actors in its

drive to implement the Eight Mil-

lennium Development Goals – pro-

posed by the United Nations and

endorsed by 192 countries – in the

Southern Bahia Lowlands. Camila is

just one young protagonist among

hundreds of people who have part-

nered up with the program, which

the Odebrecht Foundation is pro-

moting in the region with a view to

changing local realities.

The PDIS last year signed agree-

ments with several other institu-

tions, in addition to BNDES. For

example, the Mitsubishi Corpora-

tion has increased its support by

promising to invest USD 1.8 million

Camila recebe orientação no

canteiro de obras: plano de se tornar

engenheira

Camila with classmates from the Building Better project: she plans to become an engineer

86 informa

Novo impulso: Cooperativa dos

Produtores de Palmito do Baixo

Sul da Bahia tam-bém foi beneficia-

da pela parceria com o BNDES

in the three family houses active

in the region over the next three

years to finance the education of

new rural entrepreneurs. Previ-

ously, the company had carried out

an educational project in Igrapiúna,

Bahia. In the environmental area,

the Companhia de Desenvolvimento

e Ação Regional (CAR), a regional

development company linked to

the State of Bahia, and the Brazil-

ian Biodiversity Fund (Funbio), to-

gether with the Land Conservation

Organization (OCT) – another PDIS

institution – are encouraging the

balanced use of natural resources.

All told, their investments total

roughly BRL 3 million.

The Bank of Brazil Foundation, a

social investor in PDIS since 2008,

is financing the improvement of

infrastructure, the acquisition of

machinery and technological, busi-

ness and cooperative training for

small farmers. It recently imple-

mented one of its social technolo-

gies in the Southern Bahia Low-

lands – Integrated and Sustainable

Agro-Ecological Production (PAIS)

– contributing about BRL 1 million

to the program.

“The aim of keeping current

partners and attracting new ones

shows that the Odebrecht Founda-

tion is on track to achieving its fu-

ture vision: seeking to become an

asset manager for environmental

sustainability and deploy a model of

agricultural, ecological and sustain-

able tourism in the Pratigi Environ-

mental Protection Area – what we

call agro-ecotourism,” says Maurício

Medeiros, Executive President of the

Odebrecht Foundation. According to

Medeiros, the factor that sets the

Southern Bahia Lowlands program

apart is its innovative system of par-

ticipatory governance, in which the

first, second and third sectors work

together seamlessly. “As a result,

we have achieved the eighth mil-

lennium goal: Developing a Global

Partnership for Development,” says

Medeiros.

“Having these partners on board

is a huge responsibility. We are

well aware of that,” says Eduardo

Queiroz, the Foundation’s Vice Pres-

ident for Sustainability, who also

highlights the synergy established

with the Odebrecht Organization.

“We are Odebrecht’s social arm. We

want to build a development model

that can be replicated elsewhere

and serve as a benchmark for the

Organization’s social actions.

Students at the Presidente Tancredo Neves Rural Family House: the home of Brazil’s first unit, introduced in the Southern Bahia Lowlands

87informa

An eye firmly on the future

ilberto Neves’s eyes shine when he

talks about the countries he has

visited, the people he has known

and the projects he has built. Much water

has flowed under the bridge since he joined

the Organization at age 23 as a Planning As-

sistant to work on a project for Petromisa in

Aracaju, in northeastern Brazil. In the early

years, he worked on several projects in that

region. Then he went to Peru, and now he is

Odebrecht International’s CEO in the United

States.

Always striving to overcome the chal-

lenges of life and do things even better,

Gilberto Neves is a fighter whose greatest

weapon is persistence. “I never look back.

I always look ahead to the next challenge,”

says the protagonist of this edition of the

Savvy Project. The full interview is avail-

able online at www.odebrechtonline.com.br.

Here are some excerpts:

“The best decision”When I was invited to go to Peru, I had

also received an offer to stay in Minas

Gerais. Going to Peru was the best deci-

sion I ever made. Living and working in that

country was a watershed in my life. I expe-

rienced tremendous professional growth,

and my third child was born there.

Right after he was born, I thought I was

Superman and worked 20 hours a day. I had

constant migraines and self-medicated.

Then I took some strong medication with-

out realizing that it was a vasoconstrictor.

Statement given to Valber Carvalho / Edited by Alice Galeffi

Gilberto Neves and the experiences that sense and spirit transform into priceless lessons

Gilberto: Odebrecht has firmly established operations and loyal clients in the united States

sAVVy

G

88 informa

I ended up having a brain embolism

and collapsed in the bathroom. They

only found me the next day.

I didn’t know if I’d ever walk again.

It was an incredibly tough situation:

imagine being 30 years old and unable

to walk, paralyzed from the neck down.

But I managed to recover, bit by bit, and

a little over 20 days later I was walking

again. It was a miracle. It could have

had very serious aftereffects.

I then asked my wife, “Monica, do

you want me to send for our things

in Peru?” She replied, “What do you

want to do?” I said, “Don’t ask me

what I want to do. I want to go back.”

So we took our three boys and

returned to Peru. When I landed,

all 42 expat families were waiting

for me with a huge banner that

read: “Welcome back, we love you.”

It was sensational. That was key

for helping us get over everything

that had happened.

Bringing in young americansThe move to the United States in

1990 came about from a decision

by Renato Baiardi and Emílio Ode-

brecht. It was an opportunity to show

that the Organization was qualified to

work in the world’s most competitive

market. Today, after over 20 years in

that country, we have firmly estab-

lished operations and loyal clients.

And we are getting young people

on board. We are attracting them

from local universities, and they are

already showing an incredible com-

mitment to Odebrecht. If you ask

any one of them when they’ll leave

the company, they’ll say, “Never.”

It’s very interesting to see an Ameri-

can say that: they want to build their

careers in our company, along with

their families.

Brian perantoniIn the early days, when we first es-

tablished our presence in the United

States, I was introduced to a young

man who had stopped by to catch a

ride with a friend. A manager told us:

“Look, I just saw Brian Perantoni in

the reception area. I think you should

talk to him.” I didn’t have any con-

struction projects yet, but I asked him

to come into my office for a chat, and

we had a very long talk.

Brian had a great reputation in

the market, and wasn’t looking for

work. I didn’t offer him any benefits,

and he never knew why he took the

job. He just felt there was some-

thing different about our company.

Brian became my right arm. He

helped me structure the business

and taught me how construction

work is done in the United States.

He was a fantastic guy.

How did I manage to convince him

to come to work for the company? I

think it was the sincere way of telling

someone you’re interested in them.

I established a very strong relation-

ship with him and his family that

went beyond the job. But then Brian

had a fatal heart attack at 48. He left

five children and an incredible legacy.

At his funeral there were thousands

of people out in the street, and we

had to close off a major road. His

wife put his hat and Odebrecht shirt

on the coffin.

“The secret to success is persistence”One of my mentors was my grand-

mother, who lost her husband when

they’d been married for three years and

she was pregnant with their third child.

She took on the commitment of rais-

ing her daughters alone, as a working

mother. My grandmother ran a quarry,

a farm and a sanatorium for tubercu-

losis patients. She always said, “Don’t

stop, never settle. Idleness spins a spi-

der web.”

My other mentor was my father. He

helped me chart my career my whole

life. He was thrilled by everything we did

and by what lay ahead in the future.

After that, at the company itself, of

course my mentor was Mr. Norberto

Odebrecht, because of this fantastic

culture he created, and his selfless way

of delegating responsibility and putting

his trust in people.

Baiardi and Marco Cruz were great

leaders. They taught me to lead with

confidence. I must also acknowledge

my current leader, Luiz Rocha, whom

I thank for his complete and absolute

trust, because it empowers me to lead

our teams in the United States.

I always say that the secret to suc-

cess is persistence.

If you asked me if I’d do it all over

again, I’d tell you I’d do it 10 times over.

I’d move to all those places, do every-

thing I’ve done, but I’d try to do it even

better. It was definitely worthwhile.

Gilberto with Brian Perantoni: a fraternal relationship that went beyond the job

88 informa

informa

Next issue:Knowledge management

Founded in 1944,

Odebrecht is a Brazilian

organization made up of

diversified businesses with

global operations and

world-class standards of

quality. Its 150,000 members

are present in the Americas,

Africa, Asia.

reSPONSIbLe FOr cOrPOrAte cOMMUNIcAtION At cONStrUtOrA NOrbertO Odebrecht S.A. Márcio Polidoro

reSPONSIbLe FOr PUbLIcAtIONS PrOGrAMS At cONStrUtOrA NOrbertO Odebrecht S.A. Karolina Gutiez

bUSINeSS AreA cOOrdINAtOrS Nelson Letaif Chemicals & Petrochemicals | Andressa Saurin Ethanol & Sugar | Bárbara Nitto Oil & Gas | Daelcio Freitas Environmental Engineering | Sergio Kertész Real Estate Developments | Coordinator at Odebrecht Foundation Vivian Barbosa

edItOrIAL cOOrdINAtION Versal Editores editor-in-chief José Enrique Barreiroexecutive editor Cláudio Lovato Filho english translation by H. Sabrina GledhillArt and Graphic Production Rogério NunesGraphic design and Illustrations Rico LinsPhoto editor Holanda Cavalcanti electronic Publishing Maria Celia Olivieri

Printing 1,050 copies | Pre-Press and Printing Pancrom

edItOrIAL OFFIceS Rio de Janeiro +55 21 2239-4023 | São Paulo +55 11 3641- 4743email: versal@versal.com.br

Originally published in Portuguese. Also available in Spanish.

90 informa

“The simple things are hardest. simplicity requires mastering and internalizing

an effective culture”

Teo [odebrecht entrepreneurial Technology]

ph

oto

: Ed

u S

imõ

ES