São Paulo, May 2 – In the year that it achieves 75 years of existence, Odebrecht Engineering & Construction is announcing the renewal of its brand, adopting the initials “OEC”. The new visual identity, developed with support from the consultancy firm, Keenwork, introduces the colors green, blue and gray and can be seen in all of the company’s communication from this month onwards.

The new name is followed by the description “Odebrecht Engineering & Construction,” which identifies its segment of activity. The change reflects what the company calls its “Transformational Journey,” with important advances in its governance, such as the implementation of a new compliance system; incorporation of independent advisors; the update and adoption of new policies and guidelines; a succession process that promoted a new generation of leaders; signature of important agreements in Brazil and abroad and, lastly, the start of its financial restructuring. 

“It was an intense journey that enabled us to start a process to rebuild confidence and the results are now emerging, also in the form of winning important new projects since last year,” confirms the OEC CEO, Fabio Januário. 

In addition to the new brand, the company will also start a publicity campaign in May, presenting its new era. According to the person responsible for OEC institutional marketing, Rodrigo Vilar, this action reinforces the commitment of establishing a closer and more transparent relationship with society.  “The company has done a lot in the last three years and has reinvented itself, without losing its best aspects: knowledgeable people, technical capacity and differentiated delivery. The campaign is an invitation, so that everyone who is interested can follow this learning and reconstruction process,” confirms Vilar.

Luis Castellari, Head of Creation and Strategy at Keenwork, explains that the new visual identity was the result of more than one year of work, in partnership with the OEC communication team. “We listened to more than 30 company executives around the world; we held workshops with the new generation of young leaders and also spoke to clients and strategic audiences, in order to arrive at a brand that symbolizes the union of engineering with confidence in the capacity to develop people, which is in the company’s DNA,” he explains. 

Projects around the world – Throughout its 75 year history, OEC has been responsible for executing more than 2,500 major projects, such as hydroelectric, thermal and nuclear power plants, bridges, flyovers, tunnels, subway and metro lines and urban trains, airports, ports, railways and industrial projects. 

OEC is currently present in 16 countries, employing more than 20,000 workers of different nationalities, at approximately twenty projects for both public and private clients. 

Technical capacity acknowledged – In 2018, the Lilac Line 5 São Paulo subway project won an Award of Merit in the Bridges and Tunnels category from the American publication, ENR. The construction company was the only Brazilian firm among the 22 projects selected from 14 countries. According to the ranking published by the journal, the company was listed as the 8th in the world among the plant construction companies for the electrical segment and the only Brazilian company among the 50 largest in terms of revenue. 

Innovation at construction sites – Throughout its 75 year history, OEC has been characterized for being a company focused on entrepreneurialism and innovation. It has taken solutions with major impacts to its construction sites, to optimize materials, the time to execute services and environmental solutions, among others, which confer an internationally recognized technical quality on its projects.
Last year, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft for scientific and technological cooperation and exchange. The aim is to strengthen the research and development of joint solutions, including the use of Artificial Intelligence, with applicability on its construction sites. 

With this initiative, the companies have the expectation of making further contributions to security for its members and the communities located nearby these sites, with increased productivity and a better control of environmental conservation. 

Compliance and governance – Since July 2016, OEC has been reinforcing its Compliance System and Governance measures. Since it took on the public commitment to combat corruption, the company has created a new, more robust system, in line with publicly traded companies. Agreements have been signed with eight countries – the United States, Switzerland, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. Other agreements are expected and some are now in an advanced negotiation stage. 

In early 2018, the company announced the arrival of the new Chief Compliance Officer, Margarida Smith, who arrived from the American firm, Citibank, and she has a wide range of experience in the financial market compliance sector. New measures were also implemented, such as the decision to delegate management of the Ethics Line to an external, specialized company and undertaking assessments (due diligence) of all its suppliers. 

In July 2018, OEC took another important step in the commitment taken on for ethical and transparent activity with integrity, signing a "Letter of Commitment to the Business Movement for Integrity and Transparency," an initiative led by Instituto Ethos in partnership with United Nations Global Compact and International Transparency.

Digital presence – As part of the renewal and transparency process, OEC launched its own social media channels in 2018 on Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, in addition to an engineering blog and website. The aim is to establish a greater connection with students and young professionals. 

Projects in progress and recently achieved 

BR 316 – Upgrade of 10.8 km of the BR 316 highway in the state of Pará, with the introduction of a modern drainage system, cycle paths and landscaping, including the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system connecting the cities of Belém, Ananindeua and Marituba. 

Santa Cruz thermoelectric power plant – Transformation of the plant, located in the Santa Cruz industrial district in Rio de Janeiro, in a combined cycle, allowing the use of diesel oil and natural gas as fuels. 

Sertão canal – On completion, the largest water infrastructure project in Alagoas will have 250 km of canals to transport water. Section IV, executed by OEC, will benefit more than one million people in 42 towns in the hinterland of the northeast of Brazil.

 
Transbrasil BRT – The Transbrasil BRT corridor will facilitate mobility on the main access road from Baixada Fluminense and the north zone to the center of Rio de Janeiro. When completed, it will have 15 footbridges to access 15 BRT stations, 6 flyovers, 50 km of rigid pavements, upgrading the asphalt and improving the drainage system in areas that experience flooding. Approximately 900,000 people will be transported on a daily basis.

Laúca – The Laúca hydroelectric power plant will be responsible for 40% of all North System water production in Angola. The work should be fully completed by the end of 2020 and energy generation has already started through four of the seven generating units.

Punta Catalina – The Punta Catalina thermoelectric power plant in the Dominican Republic started to generate energy in March 2019. The plan will provide energy security to the country, which suffered constant blackouts in the past.

Panama metro - Construction of the branch that will connect Line 2 of the metro to Tocumén Airport in Panama City.

Modernization of PortMiami - Construction of two new terminals and increasing the cargo area at the Port of Miami. 

Expanding the Miami Airport Baggage System – The project aims to make the system more efficient and convenient for both airlines and passengers.   

Projects delivered in 2018 / 2019

Lilac Line 5 of the São Paulo Subway – In April 2018, the consortium established between OEC, OAS and Queiroz Galvão delivered Section 7 of the São Paulo subway Lilac Line 5. The project received the Award of Merit in the Global Best Projects, conceded by the North American journal Engineering News-Record (ENR).

Baixo Iguaçu - The third and last turbine at the Baixo Iguaçu hydroelectric power plant (PR) started operating in March this year. When completed, it will have an installed capacity of 350.2 MW.

Prosub – The Brazilian Navy’s first Riachuelo-class, conventional submarine was launched into the sea at the end of 2018. The Riachuelo is the first of four conventional submarines that will be delivered by 2023 and one of the main landmarks of the Submarine Development Program (Prosub). The project also includes construction of a nuclear submarine.

Camaçari-Lauro de Freitas Metropolitan Highway – In June 2018, OEC delivered an 11.2 kilometer highway used on a daily basis by more than 15,000 vehicles. The highway connects two important municipalities in the Salvador Metropolitan Region, making it the newest development vector in the north region of the capital of Bahia.

Tocumen Airport (Panama) - OEC partially delivered five boarding gates for the new Terminal 2 in January 2019, when Panama hosted World Youth Day. Terminal 2 was designed to meet the demands of 20 million passengers per year. When it is fully operational, the airport will position Panama as the Hub of the Americas in terms of transport and safety, establishing the country as a logistics, commercial and tourist center through air connections on a global scale. 

Panama Metro – The project was fully completed on April 25, 2019, with six stations in operation in January this year, in order to hold World Youth Day, an event that included the presence of Pope Francis.