Constituted in 1947, the company was founded in this country to add value to national development through engineering and construction, overcoming all kinds of challenges to make complex projects a reality. Find out more about seven of most emblematic projects that the company’s developed in Brazil.

In October 2023, Techint E&C Brazil celebrated its 76th anniversary, commemorating over seven decades of activity transforming not only industries and regions, but also the lives of thousands. To date, over 1,100 successful works have been completed in segments ranging from oil and gas to downstream petrochemical plants, as well as in the mining and energy sectors, in addition to industrial plants and civil infrastructure works. The company has laid over 8,000 km of pipelines, representing some 60% of the country's pipeline network, and has developed projects for all the major Brazilian state refineries, working with them to make their expansion and modernization plans a reality.

Today we highlight seven great works that have left their mark on seven decades of history. 

1. PORTO PRIMAVERA HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT (1993-2004)

Techint E&C Brazil spearheaded the work to assemble the Engenheiro Sérgio Motta Power Plant and Lock (Porto Primavera), one of the largest of its kind in Brazil, fitted with 14 Kaplan-type Turbines of 112.2 MW each (total installed power of 1,540 MW), in the municipality of Rosana, state of São Paulo. In addition to generating energy, the Porto Primavera Plant contributes to the regional economy as it eases the passage of cargo along the Paraná River, essential for goods trade and transport in the region.

2. FPSO P-76 (2014-2018) 

One the most emblematic projects in the company's portfolio in Brazil is FPSO P-76, an oil and natural gas production platform installed in the Santos Basin. This floating unit produces, stores and transfers oil and gas, achieving a daily capacity rate of 150,000 barrels of oil and 7 million cubic meters of gas.

For a project of this complexity and magnitude, a highly skilled team of experts was needed, and over 5,000 professionals were assembled to work at the peak of construction, hitting targets of more than 780,000 engineering hours and over 20.7 million construction hours. Supplies were sourced from over 2,000 Brazilian companies.

While the engineering and supply tasks were mostly carried out in the city of Rio de Janeiro, all the manufacturing and assembly work required to integrate the modules into the ship supplied by the customer were performed at Techint Engineering & Construction’s Offshore Unit in Pontal do Paraná, on the coast of the state of Paraná.

“Today, when I look back and reflect on the P-76 project, I realize that it wasn’t just about building an FPSO ship but a profoundly enriching journey where I learned to overcome obstacles, acquire key lessons and achieve professional and personal growth,” recalls the engineer Lectícia Passari. She worked on the project at the time and is now a Project Procurement Expert.

For her, the Sail Away ceremony, when the platform left the port, was a magical scene, imbued with a deep sense of accomplishment. “We saw our dreams made reality, thanks to our collective efforts. This experience brought us together in an extraordinary way, and it didn’t just represent the beginning of a new journey for the FPSO P-76, which has since broken production records in the Brazilian pre-salt area, but also marked the end of a really significant phase in my life.”

3. CATALYTIC CRACKING PROJECT AT THE LANDULPHO ALVES REFINERY (RLAM) (1997-2002) 

Techint E&C Brazil was responsible for putting into operation the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (UFCC) at the Landulpho Alves Refinery (RLAM), located in Salvador/BA, another highly relevant project for all those involved. The work included preparing basic engineering for projects envisaging specific items as well as all the detail engineering, in addition to supplying materials and equipment, and providing civil construction and electromechanical assembly. The contract operated under the Lump Sum modality and its scope included all the commissioning and startup tests for the Unit.

Fábio Aquino, former treasurer of the project and current Admin Finance & IT Director for the company, explains that, “This was my first experience of leaving the São Paulo offices and moving to Salvador to work on a construction site, and it was sensational. There’s no doubt that it completely changed the course of my professional career and had a major bearing on my personal development.”

Fábio adds that he found it very rewarding to watch the team develop the experience of operating a refining unit they had built, which was a first for them. He developed several solid friendships during the project, which he continues to maintain today, the proof that collective work not only has a positive impact on society but also enhances relationships.

4. TRUCKLESS MINING SYSTEM PROJECT (OUTSIDE THE MINE PIT) – S11D COMPLEX (2015-2018)

Another raft of challenges overcome by Techint E&C Brazil with singular success were those involved in the project it developed for the world class mining company Vale, which covered the entire electromechanical assembly of the Truckless Mining System. This was an innovative approach designed to replace the conventional ore transport system using trucks, ensuring greater efficiency and sustainability for the customer’s operations. 

Over 1,700 professionals were working onsite at the peak of the works, which involved 5 million hours of assembly to construct 27,900 tons of conveyor belts, creating an additional 16,000 tons/hour of processing capacity for Vale.

Maximiliano Santos, who was Project Manager at the time, explains in detail some of the challenges encountered by Techint E&C Brazil. “Because of the distance, it was essential for all the logistics operations to be carefully planned so that the equipment necessary would arrive in time for the work required to comply with all the deadlines. The synergy achieved by the teams as they worked together was one of the biggest differentiators.”

5. ITAIPU HYDROELECTRIC DAM (1980-1991) 

The Itaipu Dam is today the third largest hydroelectric power station in the world in terms of energy generation. Techint E&C Brazil enjoys the prestige of having played a major role in its history, as it was charged with the full range of tasks for electromechanical assembly. It installed 46,972 tons of hydraulic equipment and assembled 63,888 tons of structures for a power station which today produces 14,000 MW of installed power.

Itaipu was the first hydroelectric plant in the world to exceed 100 million MW/hour of annual generation in 2016, and today, it supplies 11% of the energy consumed in Brazil and 88% of that used in Paraguay. 

6.  ABREU E LIMA REFINERY (RNEST) (2009-2012)

For one of the most advanced refineries of its kind in Brazil, Techint E&C built eight oil storage tanks, each with a diameter of 98.5 meters, and three water storage tanks measuring 64 meters in diameter each. At the time, these containers were the largest in South America.

One of the toughest challenges the company had when tackling the work on land was working on marshy undrained soil. Another problem was the shortage of skilled labor, but they pressed on regardless, and thanks to the commitment and effort of 1,120 professionals at the peak of work, executing over 4 million construction hours and 22,960 engineering hours, the work was completed ahead of schedule!

Pedro Mellucci, Contract Manager for the project, singles out the sheer scale of the work. For him, one of the most memorable episodes occurred after the contract for Lot 2 of the project had been awarded, when the Board suspected that there might have been an error in the budget. This meant that Mellucci, who was on vacation at the time, had to return immediately to review the estimates for the project costs. However, overcoming this obstacle led to the early completion of the project, garnering recognition by Techint and resulting in significant bonuses for the team, whose members were rewarded for successfully meeting the goals.

7. PRESIDENTE BERNARDES REFINERY (RPBC) (2007-2009) 

The unusual aspect of this project was that it involved working with one of the oldest units that Petrobras has in operation. This meant a high level of risk, and accordingly, no effort was spared to safeguard people’s health and safety and protect the environment.

As the project involved over 1,900 professionals at peak of work, totaling 416,097 labor-hours of construction and the assembly of 1,734 tons of equipment, the issue of everyone's safety was of paramount importance, and a challenge that the company stepped up to tackle with its usual professionalism.

Elcio Carvalho, the Supply Manager for the RPBC project and currently the company’s Procurement Sr. Manager, remembers the scenario in detail. “At the time, there was a lot of activity in specialized sectors, meaning works requiring specialized engineering to be developed, before manufacturing could take place. However, Techint E&C’s credibility made all the difference in terms of ensuring that suppliers were able to prioritize the deliveries we needed so much.” 

Seventy-six years of dedication, innovations and achievements. Decades of diligent application and success, only possible thanks to the passion and commitment of the entire team. Whether working in engineering, construction, management, logistics, or any other area, all employees are responsible for making Techint Brazil the powerhouse it is today. Looking ahead, the company reaffirms its commitment to continuing to build the future!