In 2014, the AGF International sector set itself an ambitious goal: seek out new emerging markets with activities similar to those of AGF Group, in South American countries that offer sustainable growth. The Group therefore decided to set up operations in Chile and Peru. Here is a brief overview of our activities in these two countries.
CHILE
A profile of the country:
Chile shares its borders with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Its total population is 17 million and its GDP is $400,000 million US. With these resources, the country is planning to make a number of major investments in civil, hospital and energy infrastructures in the years ahead.
AGF Group in Chile:
AGF Group signed a strategic alliance agreement with local company Torres Ocaranza. This was the ideal association for pursuing our aim of becoming a major player in rebar installation in Chile. The company resulting from the union of the two entities is called Torres Ocaranza AGF SpA.
Projects under way:
- Davila hospital, 3,000 T
- Felix Bulnes hospital, 9,000 T
(with Astaldi, the Italian company we are working with on the Muskrat Falls project)
- Vespuccio hospital, 2,500 T
- Falp hospital, 1,000 T
- Coloso mine project, 2,000 T
Davila hospital
Felix Bulnes hospital
Difficulties:
The main problem we have encountered is adapting to seismic construction regulations in Chile, which prohibit the cutting of columns at the height of the slabs, or the installation of post-tensioned slabs. For projects that were started before we arrived in Chile, there is unfortunately no solution for sidestepping these rules. On several occasions, we proposed that the engineers use wire mesh or unidirectional wire mesh to advance more quickly and cut the columns in mid-section between the floors. The engineers refused to make these changes because the work has already begun.
In the case of Astaldi’s Felix Bulnes project, we proposed the changes before the work had begun and it's been approved. This meant we could prefabricate all the columns and move ahead much faster by improving performance.
Goal for 2015:
Our goal is to install between 1,800 and 2,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel per month.
PERU
In 2015, when AGF landed the contract for the construction of the Lima metro, the company created a new subsidiary called AGF Perú S.A., which will manufacture and install 75,000 tonnes of rebar in the 35 stations and segments of the tunnel.
The contractors are : Dragados ACS, who will be taking part in construction of the new Champlain Bridge in Montreal with SNC-Lavalin, FCC, Salini-Impreglio and local contractor Cosapi.
We will be starting work on the metro in August, with the first precast walls for the stations. In December 2015, it will be time for the prefabricated segments used by the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) to build the 35 km of tunnel between the first and last stations. We expect the TBM to arrive at the end of 2015. The line should be operational in 2019. This contract also includes the extension of Line 4, connecting the Carmen de la Legua station with Jorge Chávez International Airport.
We expect to hit a cruising speed of 3,000 tonnes of steel per month by February 2016.
For work on Line 2 and construction of Lines 3 and 4 of the metro, we will have to wait for the results of a final study before we can submit our bid.
Construction of the Lima metro by AGF Perú S.A.
