Lafarge renamed as Melon, new directors appointed

Lafarge Chile has ceased to exist. Its cement company in Chile has been renamed Melon SA, which was the name it used to have before Lafarge bought it. The firm's board has been expanded to ten members, as opposed to seven as Jorge Carey, Patricio de Solminihac and Juan Claro Gonzalez, all members of the previous board, have been appointed as directors. Lafarge's assets were acquired by Peruvian holding Brescia some time ago. The firm is building a new plant which will add an extra 600,000 tonnes per year of production capacity.

Publication: Esmerk - News monitoring
Provider: Esmerk
October 23, 2009

Besalco begins building new housing projects

Chilean construction group Besalco is reactivating its property-sector plans and studying new energy-sector opportunities. Diversification enabled the company to double its profits in the first half of 2009, its general director, Paulo Bezanilla, noting that the capital increase of almost Peso$30bil planned for early September should give the firm the wherewithal to benefit from the economic green shoots he observes.

Besalco has begun the construction of the first stages of three housing projects this month via investment of almost US$20mil. One of the schemes is based in Puente Alto, the other two in San Bernardo. The property sector only provides 8% of operational income for the firm but the division is a very active one in both Chile and Peru (where in ten years Besalco has built 3,000 homes). Its Peruvian activities provide 20% of Besalco profits.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
August 29, 2009

Besalco will expand its alliance with Spanish Dragados

At the moment, they are work partners for the Metro. Besalco, controlled by the Bezanilla family, after the new contract that signed in alliance with the Spanish Dragados for Transportes de Pasajeros Metro, affirmed to ESTRATEGIA that "it is studying and negotiating different contract possibilities in this new alliance".

The contract with Metro includes the construction of civil works in Manquehue Station and interstation tunnels in Escuela Militar; in addition the construction of civil works Tramo 3 in stations Plaza Maipu and Santiago Bueras, and interstations extension 5 Line Maipu. This contract, for being one of construction, does not imply investment on the part of the company, whereas by works will collect US$100 million approximately. It is possible to indicate that Dragados in Chile from 1998, and it has participated in urban concessions like SCL Airport, Central Freeway and Vespucio Norte Express. On the other hand Besalco, created in 1944, has concessions such as Variante Melipilla, Route Interportuaria Talcahuano-Penco, Penitentiary Infrastructure Group 1 and 2, and the Convento Viejo dam second stage, among others.

Publication: Estrategia
Provider: Estrategia
Date: March 7, 2008