Odebrecht
The organization Odebrecht is a great family-run conglomerate headquartered in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. It is the holding company of the main company Norberto Odebrecht Construtora and an organization, real estate, environmental, ethanol and sugar is active in 30 countries in the field of engineering, construction, petrochemical, chemical, energy, infrastructure, transport and logistics worldwide. The Company is responsible for the strategic direction of the Group.
History
The roots of the Brazilian Odebrecht Group go back to the German immigrants and cartographers Emil Odebrecht, which from Greifswald, Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, in the Valley of Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil, immigrated in 1865, and the road and railway construction, and operated in land surveying. Direct descendants of the family were later involved in the establishment of the organization Odebrecht. Today, it is led by the company Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, which was founded there in 1944 in Salvador Bahia by Norberto Odebrecht. Norberto Odebrecht was the son of Emilio Odebrecht, a grandson of emigrant Emil Odebrecht.
Since then, more than 60 years, the company Odebrecht has continuously developed and has been constantly expanding. First, from Bahia in other Brazilian northeastern states, and later in the 1960s in the southeast and in 1979 in other countries with other companies, including the chemical and petrochemical industries.
Today, it offers engineering and construction services in most countries of South America, Central America, the United States, Angola, Portugal and the Middle East. From Brazil petrochemical products are exported to over 50 countries on all continents. Parts of the company are involved in the transport sector in Portugal, as well as in diamond mining and oil extraction in Africa, especially in Angola. Odebrecht provides inter alia Services for oil production in the North Sea.
In terms of sales Odebrecht is now one of the largest non-governmental enterprises in Latin America. Except for the listed subsidiary Braskem SA is the Odebrecht Group until now privately owned. In 2001, Odebrecht bought during privatization the majority of shares in the chemical plants, Braskem SA
Odebrecht in Brazil is considered as a pioneer in social activities. The group develops projects in the areas of education, health and the environment and supports cultural initiatives.
Operations
The main business areas are chemical and petrochemical industries and construction activity. It belongs to the global players of Brazil.
The Group develops and manages public infrastructure projects in cooperation with private and public partners. Since 2007, increased investment in the bioenergy sector on the basis of sugar and alcohol, and electricity generation. Furthermore, Odebrecht has worked in the oil and gas extraction, waste disposal, and in Portugal in transportation and in Angola in real estate and mining.
In fiscal year 2009, the Group achieved more than half of its sales in the domestic market. Nevertheless, the leading Brazilian company Odebrecht in the export of services, particularly in other emerging and developing countries. Outside of Brazil Odebrecht achieved its sales, especially in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean (2009: 21.3 %) and Africa ( 11.3 %), especially in the former Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique. In North America and Europe accounted for 2009, only a 5.1 % or 4.0% of sales.
Group structure
Odebrecht S. A. divided mainly into the following subsidiaries:
- Braskem - operates plants of Chemicals & Petrochemicals
- Construtora Norberto Odebrecht - Construction / Infrastructure
- Odebrecht Óleo e Gás - oil field services
- Odebrecht Participações e Plantas Industriais - services for the manufacturing sector
- Odebrecht Engenharia Ambiental - Waste Management
- Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias - Real Estate Development
Expropriations
The state expropriated Ecuador in September 2008, Odebrecht ( a regional airport and two hydropower projects worth U.S. $ 800 million together ) and sent troops to expel Odebrecht staff from the country.
Social Commitment
In all areas of the company's employees are subjected to special training and continuing education programs. In addition, the vocational school is encouraged, and offered opportunities for expansion and improvement of professional knowledge and skills. The Fundação Odebrecht Foundation promotes education, health, environmental projects and cultural initiatives.