SportS - Odebrecht Informa

# 161 VOL. XXXIX JULY/AUGUST 2012
English Edition
Sports
The transforming power
of a universal passion
1st place – cell phone
Anderson Munhoz
2nd place – camera
Lauren Pereira
3rd place – cell phone
Francisco da Cunha Melo
II
informa
1st place – camera
Carolina Almeida de Souza
3rd place – camera
Erick Marcel Carvalho
2nd place – cell phone
José Marcelo Arruda de Oliveira
THESE PAGES SHOW
THE WINNING PHOTOS
FROM ODEBRECHT
INFORMA’S SPORTS IN
FOCUS COMPETITION
Opposite, photos
that received
honorable mention,
by (clockwise from
top left) Olavo
de Pinho, Lauren
Pereira, Alex
Vasconcellos
da Silva Guedes
and Juliano de
Paula Santos
informa
1
www.odebrechtonline.co
Online edition
Online archive
> Braskem’s Walking and
Running Program in
São Paulo shows that
you don’t have to be a
professional athlete to
enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
> Braskem’s Running and
Health Club in Camaçari,
Bahia, and Paulínia, São
Paulo, aims to improve
company members’
quality of life.
> See the stories behind
the winning photos from
Odebrecht Informa’s
Sports in Focus
competition.
> Collective wedding at
the Corinthians Arena:
workers who are helping
build the stadium for the
opening of the FIFA 2014
World Cup officialize
their unions with their
partners.
> You can view
this entire issue
in HTML
and PDF
> Access all back issues
of Odebrecht Informa
since no. 1, and
download full issues in
PDF.
> Odebrecht Annual
Reports since 2002.
> Special publications
(Special Issue on
Social Programs, 60
years of the Odebrecht
Group, 40 Years of the
Odebrecht Foundation
and 10 Years of
Odeprev).
2
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> Read Odebrecht Informa on your tablet and smartphone.
> Reports, features, videos, photos, animations and infographics.
Video reports
> See the details of the construction of the
Corinthians Arena and the revamp of
Maracanã, which will respectively host
the opening and final games of the 2014
FIFA World Cup.
> Fonte Nova Arena and Pernambuco
Arena: technological innovation
and recycled resources make both
ventures good examples of sustainable
engineering.
> In rural Pernambuco, the revamp of
Salgueirão, the stadium of the Salgueiro
Sports Club, promises to heat up the
classic Brasileirão Championship’s
Series B soccer games.
> In Rio de Janeiro, the Porto Maravilha
docklands regeneration project, which
will be one of the main legacies of the
2016 Olympics, leads to archeological
finds dating back to colonial times.
Blog
> Three reading suggestions
on sustainable development.
> Isto é Dinheiro magazine
hails the Odebrecht Group as
one of the “Top 50 Do-Good
Companies.”
> Rio+20: Braskem’s “green”
plastic contributed to the
debate on sustainability.
>Follow Odebrecht Informa
on Twitter and get news in
real time @odbinforma.
> Comment on blog posts and
participate by sending your
suggestions to the editors.
> PRESERVING KNOWLEDGE
The Odebrecht Culture Center (NCO):
a historical perspective on the results
achieved by the Odebrecht Group.
informa
informa
33
Cover: Playing volleyball on Ilha
do Cabo (Cape Island), Luanda.
Photo by Guilherme Afonso
#161
8
The stories of Group members who are dedicated
mind and soul to sports – all the time
14
Carlos José Cunha and the challenge of leading
SuperVia as an ongoing project that will service one
million people by 2016
16
Projects in Rio de Janeiro are preparing the city to
host the 2016 Olympics. And much more
26
The Brazilian Navy-Odebrecht Olympic Project helps
realize the dreams of young athletes – and an entire
country
28
The Athletes’ Village, in the Ilha Pura district, is
under construction in Barra da Tijuca. It will house
the Olympic heroes in Rio in 2016
31
Project supported by ETH helps groom athletes who
are also stars in the classroom
34
Benedicto Junior discusses the 2014 FIFA World Cup,
the 2016 Olympics and their legacy of increased selfesteem for the Brazilian people
39
Photo contest: Odebrecht members take to the
streets in search of beautiful pictures of sports
42
Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Bahia and Pernambuco
witness the birth (or rebirth) of four arenas that will
be a source of pride for Brazil
54
American Airlines Arena in Miami, built by Odebrecht
and inaugurated in 1999, is the home of the NBA’s
2012 champions
44
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sports
58
Memory: precious lessons learned from the 2007
Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
62
See how petrochemical raw materials are present in
soccer and many other sports
66
Initiatives involving Braskem make sports a bridge
to civic spirit
72
Every day, on the beaches and streets of Angola, a
nation demonstrates its love for sports
78
Open Spaces: helping young people from Macaé, on
the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, overcome social
risk situations
82
Foz Águas 5: the utility company is playing a key role
in the context of the Rio Olympics
86
Odebrecht Run and Walk: providing (increasingly
well-received) encouragement for healthy lifestyle
habits
88
Marco Aurélio Fonseca writes about sports as a tool
for social development and inclusion
The map shows the countries and
Brazilian states (in white) where the
projects and programs described in this
issue of Odebrecht Informa are located,
and where the people who feature in these
stories live and work
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55
6
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EDITORIAL
Better all
the time
C
“The following
pages contain the
stories of people,
companies, cities
and countries
that believe in the
Olympic motto and
live it on a daily
basis. Citius, Altius,
Fortius. Always”
itius, Altius, Fortius. Faster, higher (or further), stronger. The Olympic
motto teaches, inspires and encourages: it is always necessary to go
a step beyond and overcome our limitations. This is a truth that does
not just apply to athletes, Olympic heroes, the flesh-and-blood legends
who impress the world every four years. It is also, or mainly, true for the cities that
are hosting the games, and even more so for the people who are making those
cities fit to host the most important sporting event on the planet, which will be the
case with Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Yes, Rio, the Marvelous City – recently declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of
Humanity site in the Urban Cultural Landscape category – is following the Olympic
motto to the letter. The state capital of Rio de Janeiro is also the site of infrastructure
works – especially in the Center and West Zone – that will fully equip it to become
the world’s sports capital in 2016. But the fact is that they are doing much more.
Citius, Altius, Fortius. The projects in progress in Rio de Janeiro are enabling the
city to achieve something even more important than hosting the Olympic Games:
thanks to the works currently underway, the city will give an extraordinary boost to
its residents’ quality of life through development of advanced solutions in the areas
of urban mobility and housing, for example. This is by definition a legacy.
First, however, Rio and 11 other major Brazilian cities will host an event with
the same level of importance and visibility as the Olympics: the FIFA World Cup. In
2014, 32 countries represented by their national soccer teams will arrive in Brazil
to vie for the title of world champion in the planet’s most popular sport. The revamp
of the legendary Maracanã Stadium and the construction of the Corinthians, Fonte
Nova and Pernambuco arenas are the highlights among the numerous projects
that are preparing the country for FIFA’s wonderful tournament for the beautiful
game. And there’s more: these new arenas are going to provide new multipurpose
facilities that will benefit sports fans and aficionados of the arts, culture and entertainment. Not only that, but they could also contribute to the birth of a new mindset
in the management of Brazilian soccer. Legacy.
In this issue of Odebrecht Informa, you will read about all this and more: projects that use sports as a tool for strengthening civic spirit. You will learn how an
increasing number of people are making sports part of their everyday lives – not as
an obligation but as a passion. In short, the following pages contain the stories of
people, companies, cities and countries that believe in the Olympic motto and live it
on a daily basis. Citius, Altius, Fortius. Always.
Good reading.
sport
Passionate about
written by João Marcondes
8
S
ports mean health. And obsession, love,
Kleber’s friends to this day. One day, at the “Little Hawaii”
art, science, reasoning, therapy, meditation,
beach in the Pituba district, they invited him to climb on a
work. A sport is a game. It is also a passion.
surfboard, but “forgot” to pass the surf wax (which keeps
In this feature, Odebrecht Informa tells the
surfers from slipping off the boards). He endured dunk-
stories of members of two of the Group’s
ing after dunking as a result. But the prank just encour-
companies (Braskem and Odebrecht Infraestrutura) who
aged Kleber to keep going. “Once I managed to stay on
make sports a way of life. These are stories of dunkings
the surfboard, I never quit.” Forty years later, with several
and medals. And the examples of people who want to
state and national titles under his belt, he is now one of the
make the world a more enjoyable place to live.
oldest and most beloved surfers and paddlers in Salvador.
Born in Rio and an honorary native of Bahia, Kleber
8
From Itapuã to Hawai
is an engineer by profession. His passions are his family,
Kleber Batinga’s relationship with surfing was born
work and the sea. He looks out serenely at the green and
from a happy accident. As a boy in the early 1970s, he and
blue sea of Itapuã and is inspired to go stand-up paddle
a female friend used to pair up to take part in the Spring
boarding - one of his favorite forms of surfing, in addition to
Competition in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. However, the girl
traditional surfing and Hawaiian canoeing – a sport where
had three over-protective surfer brothers who are still
athletes row standing up on a board. Kleber has made the
informa
photo: Ricardo Chaves
s
Surfing, chess, volleyball, rowing,
running, swimming, marathons, ping
pong, motorbike riding. Members from
several parts of Brazil discuss their
fascination with sports
André Mombach
in the pool:
his love for
swimming started
with a ducking
crossing between Salvador and Itaparica Island several
times that way.
Chessboard ballet
Putting words into action is also part of life for Neemias
Now 59, he is Braskem’s Projects Coordinator at the
do Nascimento Paris, 42. He likes to quote Russian chess
Camaçari Complex in Bahia. He considers Itapuã his “lit-
master Anatoly Karpov so as best to describe the battle
tle Hawaii,” but has also conquered the waves of the Ha-
on the chessboard: “Chess is everything: art, science, and
waiian Islands (he has made over 10 trips there) and made
sport.”
friends with the great “big riders”: Hawaiians like Mark
Born and raised in poverty in Salvador by strict parents,
Foo and Brazilians Carlos Burle and Danilo Couto. A fan of
Neemias found in his studies the ideal haven for a focused
the famous Hawaiian Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau,
personality hungry for knowledge. His involvement with
both in surfing and his work at Braskem Kleber’s motto
chess started almost by accident. At the age of 21, he had
is “safety and prevention – people and the environment.”
to take a leave of absence from work due to health prob-
He is the author of prize-winning works in that field, and
lems. He started playing Atari at home and came across
writes prevention “commandments” that he follows step
a chess cartridge. The rest is history: state and regional
by step in his professional and sports activities. He also
titles and championships in the SESI games. His sons Es-
helps clean up the beaches where he paddles and surfs,
dras, 17, and Eude, 14, are following the same path. Both
“both the sand and the water.”
are already state champions in their categories in Bahia.
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9
ment Engineer at the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex in
the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. She has engaged in various sports, such as gymnastics and swimming, but it was the team spirit of volleyball that won her
heart. “It’s a great way to make friends,” she says. So
much so that when she arrived in the state capital, Porto
Alegre, nine months ago, she helped bring together fans
of the sport, both beginners and veterans, to “hit a ball”
at the Braskem Cultural and Sports Association (ACEB)
once a week after work.
A native of Araraquara, São Paulo, Paula started play-
Kleber Batinga: one of the
oldest surfers and paddlers
in Salvador, Bahia
photos: Élcio Carriço
ing volleyball with her cousins. She won a championship
for her hometown in the São Paulo State Youth League’s
regional games. Her biggest idol in the sport is Gilberto
Amauri Godoy Filho, better known as Giba.
“Braskem encourages its members to get involved in
sports and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Internal newsletters
are a good tool for that,” she says. That was how Paula
found her fellow players.
As the Braskem officer Responsible for Industrial Operations at the Camaçari Complex, Neemias sees some
Passion for rowing
important similarities between the requirements of chess
Blessed with the right physique (1.98m or 6’5” tall), the
and his job, such as the need for quick, systematic think-
discipline to get up before dawn, and team spirit, Sérgio
ing and an appreciation for strategy and tactics.
Paiva Silveira nearly became a professional athlete. His
sport: rowing. As a youth, his performance attracted at-
Sports and friendship
tention and he was invited to train on the Flamengo rowing
Volleyball has also done a great deal to inspire people
team in Rio de Janeiro. He went, but only stayed for three
in the workplace. Paula Yuko Ogata, 24, was born in São
Paulo State and is now a Braskem Product Develop-
months.
“There are very few incentives for athletes in this country, so I decided to concentrate on a profession.” But this
did not stop Sérgio from going on training and competing.
And winning. His office is bedecked with over 200 trophies
Neemias
Paris: chess is
an art, sport
and science
and medals, including a bronze from the World Masters
Championships in Spain in 1999. He heads for the water
at least four times a week. “I want to compete until I’m 75,
which is the ‘I’ category of competition,” says Sérgio, 48,
who is a Braskem Maintenance Technician at the Triunfo
Complex in his home state.
His family has always backed his ventures into the
world of sports, but now their star athlete is his 12-yearold daughter, Sofia, a promising player on the Sogipa volleyball team.
Racing upgrade
Architect Izabela Sander, 30, never wanted to be a professional athlete. Her goal was just to stay in shape, so
she only ran races sporadically. Then, through an initiative
10
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of Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure), where she
works, she joined a running group that is accompanied by a
professional sports counselor. What started out as a hobby
has become such a commitment that racing is part of her
life. “The professionals in the group give me important tips,
which make me run even better! Foot placement, pace, eating habits, and learning how my body responds to all this,”
she says. “I didn’t know the difference between lean and
fat body mass and their importance for performance and
wellbeing. I only cared about the numbers on the scales.”
Exercising has become a pleasure, says Izabela, who
lives in Belo Horizonte. “Everything in my life has improved.
Today, I eat better, have more energy, sleep soundly, and,
of course, there’s my body’s response.” Married with one
daughter, Izabela has shared her new habits with her family. She has even managed to encourage her once-sedentary husband to follow in her footsteps. “He’s changed his
eating habits, lost 30 kilos (about 66 pounds), works out
at the gym, and now we go running together!” she says,
The pool is his second home
“Love” is the word André Mombach uses to describe
what he feels for swimming. It all started when he went
to a birthday party as a child. The house had a pool, and
Sérgio Silveira:
plans to row
until he’s 75
photos: Ricardo Chaves
clearly pleased with the outcome.
Paula Ogata:
“It’s a great
way to make
friends”
the kids decided to take a dip. André plunged in too, but he
couldn’t swim. “I almost drowned, and my mother immediately signed me up for swimming lessons.” That’s how
this love story began.
The pool has become his second home. During the
toughest period of training, he used to wake up at 4 am
in the harsh cold of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, and
practice every day. But he didn’t complain. “When I’m in
the water, I go into a meditative state. I think about life. I
come up with good ideas for my work and studies,” says
Mombach, 20, a Braskem Laboratory Analyst who is working towards a degree in Power Engineering.
In 2009, during Carnival on the Rio Grande do Sul coast,
he and his friends were frolicking in the ocean when one of
them strayed from the group and “fell” into a pit in the sea
floor. If Mombach hadn’t swum against the current to get
him out of there, that story would have had a tragic ending.
Swimming is part of Mombach’s life. He had a brilliant career as a young athlete, and racked up the scores
he needed to compete in the adult category in national
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11
the Athens Olympics in 2004) in the Círio de Nazaré race
in Belém in 1996. He came in first and I finished third,”
he recalls with pride. At age 43, now living in Açailândia,
Maranhão, he intends to represent Odebrecht in his 11th
São Silvestre marathon.
Eastern focus
Danilo Oshiro also needs to be fast on his feet. The
ball only weighs three a half grams but it flies at a speed
of 160 km/h, and he needs to hit it hundreds of times
per game. Strength, dexterity and concentration are
characteristics that Danilo, 31, has developed since he
Izabela Sander:
raising her family’s
awareness
photo: Eugênio Sávio
started playing ping pong at age 14 in his Santos, São
Paulo, home.
A Braskem Planning Analyst based at the company’s
office in Porto Alegre, he is a fan of ping-pong champion
Cláudio Kano. Danilo practices every weekend in Porto
Alegre, and represents the company at the SESI games.
In a single tournament, he plays up to seven (half hour)
matches in a single day.
tournaments, perhaps even try out for major events like
“Their biotype and discipline are weapons that make
the Pan American and Olympic Games. “But I didn’t have
Asians the strongest in the sport,” says his coach Jorge
any sponsors,” he says with a smile.
Fanck, who usually faces off against Danilo in official
Running with the greats
When Pedro Jesus Figueiredo started doing sports,
he ran barefoot. Born and raised in the interior of Maranhão, Brazil, he used to walk long distances with nothing
to protect his feet. For example, when he went from the
town of Cidelândia to the farm where he and his sister
lived, in the countryside. He started trotting to go a bit
faster. After 8 kilometers, he felt relaxed and was going
with the flow. He thought: I guess I’m pretty good at this
running business.
He became a runner, competing in marathons in
the best tradition of Kenyan history, which is similar to
the story of this track assembler who is working on the
Carajás Railroad Expansion Project being carried out by
Odebrecht Infraestrutura.
Soon he began to stand out and win small races.
He used to practice running in the streets of Cidelândia. When people saw him race by they’d shout: “Where
But they didn’t, and he went far. He has competed in 10
São Silvestre marathons and won 211 medals over the
course of his 20-year career.
“One of the most thrilling times was when I competed
against Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima (bronze medalist at
12
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personal archives
you going, kid? We’ll have to tie you down at this rate!”
Pedro Figueiredo:
long track record
in the São Silvestre
marathon
photo: Ricardo Chaves
Danilo Oshiro:
started playing
ping pong when
he was 14
competitions. “One of my current goals is to beat him,”
says Danilo, partly in jest.
On the road
For Geraldo Villin Prado, 54, sports are primarily
therapeutic. He rides a motorbike. “It’s mental hygiene.
I don’t think about anything when I’m on the road,” says
Geraldo, who has been passionate about those twowheeled machines since childhood, when he used to
watch his grandfather ride motorbikes. The older man
never drove a car.
In early 2012, Villin set out on the most amazing adventure of his life: an 8,200-km trip from São Paulo to Chile’s
Atacama Desert, the driest in the world, and back to São
Paulo. He went with four of his brothers, all on bikes. They
rode through Paso de San Francisco (which is rarely used)
to get from Argentina to Chile, and descended nearly 5,000
meters in a single day.
Fitness is essential for a trek like that. After all, they had
to spend up to 10 hours a day on the seat of a motorcycle.
For 17 days, Villin was rewarded with breathtaking scenery:
colored hills.
“The main thing you need to ride a motorbike is to pay
attention. After all, bikers are invisible when they’re on
the road,” says the officer Responsible for Odebrecht Infraestrutura’s Investment Program, who also takes part in
rallies on a regular basis. Now his dream is to be on the
road again, this time in Turkish Cappadocia.
photo: Holanda Cavalcanti
araucaria forests, cactus, desert, mountains, and seven-
Geraldo Villin:
physical fitness
and alertness
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PROFILE: Carlos José Cunha
“Conductor” of an
ongoing project
The President of SuperVia’s mission is to lead
the company as it engages in a process of
improvement that goes beyond the Rio Olympics
written by Elea Almeida photo by Marcos Michael
C
arlos José Cunha, 60, has
events (the 2014 FIFA World Cup and
Odebrecht, it was already a major
spent half his life at Ode-
Rio 2016 Olympics).
company, but nobody expected it to
grow this much,” he says.
brecht, where he is now
A native of Rio who graduated
President of SuperVia, the Odebrecht
in Civil Engineering from the city’s
In 1989, in the state of Minas Gerais,
TransPort subsidiary that operates the
Pontifical Catholic University in 1974,
he tackled one of his biggest challenges
Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region’s
during his four-decade career Car-
when excavating Brazil’s deepest verti-
commuter rail service. After 30 years
los José has played an active role in
cal shaft for the São Bento mine, 80 km
with the Group, he not only applies the
projects that are major milestones in
from the state capital, Belo Horizonte.
principles laid down by the Odebrecht
the city’s history. He was on the team
At the time, the company won an in-
Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO) as
that built the Rio-Niterói Bridge, Rio’s
ternational award for building a 1,100m
naturally as breathing but seeks to im-
International and Santos Dumont air-
tunnel without a single accident (the
prove them on a continual basis in the
ports, the Jacarepagua racetrack, the
world average, at the time, was one fa-
course of his everyday tasks.
Ipanema and Barra da Tijuca marine
tal accident per 300 meters).
When he arrives at the office, he
makes a point of shaking hands with
outfalls, and the Marriott Hotel in Copacabana, among other projects.
He has received several proposals
to work on the Group’s projects in oth-
everyone he meets along the way,
Outside his hometown, he has
er countries, but opted to stay in Brazil.
and giving his attention to those who
taken on responsibilities from the
“I got five invitations to work in other
want to talk. “We have established a
southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
countries, but fate has always kept me
close relationship with our members
to the Amazon. His first project for
close to home,” he says. “I believe in
so that everyone can express them-
Odebrecht was the Port of Praia Mole,
the importance of international experi-
selves. My office door is open. Every-
built in Vitória, Espírito Santo, in 1982.
ence, but I’ve chosen to contribute to
one is free to come and go. And, more
“I had kept a close eye on the orga-
the development of Brazil, especially
and more, they are expressing their
nization’s growth. By the time I joined
Rio de Janeiro.”
pride in belonging to our company,”
says Carlos José.
He has headed SuperVia since
January 2011, and is well aware of the
magnitude of the challenge that lies
ahead: the revitalization of the company is part of the legacy that Odebrecht, which has owned controlling
interest in SuperVia since 2010, wants
to leave for the upcoming sporting
14
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“My client is the
people of Rio de
Janeiro”
The announcement that the state
ties in the metropolitan area. SuperVia
120 new trains, 30 of which will be run-
capital would host the FIFA World Cup
operates 160 trains that travel on a
ning by the end of this year. Since Janu-
and Olympics led Carlos José to ask
270-km network with five branches
ary, SuperVia has been utilizing one of
Benedicto Junior, CEO of Odebrecht
connected by 100 stations, passing
the most advanced control centers in
Infraestrutura (Infrastructure) for an
through the city of Rio de Janeiro and
the world. A new signaling system will
opportunity to work on the prepara-
11 Greater Rio municipalities, with a
reduce the headway (interval between
tions for the world’s two largest sport-
total of 10 million inhabitants. “Most
trains) from six to three minutes. All
ing events. “I wanted to complete my
projects have a beginning, middle and
the stations will be refurbished, includ-
mission in Rio as well. When I was
end, but this one is ongoing. I won’t be
ing the historic Brazil Central Station.
asked to head SuperVia, I thought
here at SuperVia when the concession
Through the total renovation of Super-
there had been a misunderstanding,
ends in 2048, but we have to plant this
Via and improved quality of service, the
but in less than 10 minutes I was con-
seed: a revitalized system with a ser-
goal is to serve one million passengers
vinced that this challenge had every-
vice standard of excellence,” observes
by 2016, up from the current 570,000.
thing to do with the games.”
Carlos José.
“My client is the people of Rio de Ja-
Carlos José says he has been gifted
The company is investing BRL 2.4
with a task whose accomplishment
billion as part of the effort to revamp
will not only fulfill the requirements of
SuperVia. That money will
the World Cup and the Olympics but,
be used to buy
neiro, and my priority is to satisfy that
client,” says Carlos José.
above all, will meet the needs of thousands of people in several communi-
Carlos José:
“Most projects
have a beginning,
middle and end,
but this one is
ongoing”
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1515
transfo
New wave of
written by José Enrique Barreiro photos by Geraldo Pestalozzi
Downtown Rio de Janeiro
is being revitalized with projects
that will help the city host the
2016 Olympics and the 2014
FIFA World Cup
16
1616
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rmation
Foreground, the Perimeter
Highway Overpass, which will
give way to a system of tunnels
and boulevards; further in the
background, the construction
site for the Museum of Tomorrow
on Mauá Pier: regeneration and
revitalization of Rio’s docklands
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Central Avenue
(now Rio Branco
Avenue) in 1910,
shortly after
it officially opened:
an icon of the urban
reform that gave
Rio a new look
B
18
etween 1903 and 1906, Rio de Janeiro un-
eases and epidemics. At the same time, especially among
derwent an unprecedented transforma-
the elite, there was an aspiration to make the capital of the
tion. Then with a population of about one
Republic a modern, cosmopolitan city in the style of the
million inhabitants concentrated in the
main European metropolises – particularly Paris, given
region now known as the Center, the city
the strong French influence in Rio at that time.
experienced an urban reform that completely changed
Today, a little more than 100 years after Pereira
its landscape. Avenues were built, including Central
Passos’s urban renewal project, the Center of Rio de
(now Rio Branco), Mem de Sá, Dos Passos, Beira-Mar
Janeiro is experiencing a new wave of transformations
and Atlântica; streets were widened, squares and pla-
that should have a similar impact. Known as Porto
zas were refurbished, and the Municipal Theatre and
Maravilha (Port Wonder), this ongoing project includes
many other works were built. Carried out during the
a wide range of works and services that are regenerat-
administration of Mayor Pereira Passos, and popularly
ing and revitalizing the area. According to Mayor Edu-
known as “Tear it Down,” the reform razed about 1,600
ardo Paes: “A city that does not take care of its area of
buildings and Senado Hill. But it gave Rio the look the
origin, does not take care of its Center, is a city without
city eagerly desired.
an identity. One of the first challenges I took on when I
Several changes, both political (the transition from
became Mayor was to realize a dream that seemed im-
Empire to Republic in 1889) and social (European im-
possible for Rio de Janeiro, which was the restoration
migration, the abolition of slavery and expansion of free
of its docklands.”
labor, at the same time), had impacted the urban environ-
Leandro Azevedo, Executive Director of Odebrecht In-
ment, which saw a population boom and the spread of
fraestrutura (Infrastructure) for Rio de Janeiro, explains
tenements and slums. Sanitary conditions were appalling.
that the city has finally consolidated the political and
There were no water supply or sewer systems, which fos-
economic conditions it needs to carry out all the invest-
tered successive out-
ments in urban mobility and infrastructure that had been
breaks of dis-
planned for over a decade. “Our biggest challenge,” he
informa
says, “is that all these investments are being made at
“The port area was neglected for 70 years. The Porto
the same time. There are 10,000 people at work in the
Maravilha project has come to the rescue in a serious
downtown area building new roads, redirecting and re-
and professional way.”
furbishing others, working underground, digging tunnels, and remodeling the entire sewer, water, drainage
Jobsites everywhere
and telecommunications system in the region. Rio has
All the work being done in downtown Rio – which is
not seen this much activity in a very long time.”
also helping prepare the city to host the 2016 Olympics
Although the center of their city has become a huge
and the closing game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup – was
construction site, Rio’s residents are handling the in-
made possible by a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
conveniences without complaint. Quite the opposite, in
focused on the execution of works
fact, because they know very well what it signifies. Gaand Friends of the Saúde Neighborhood, approves:
ES
MG
briel Catarino, founder of the Association of Residents
and services in the region. The
RJ
SP
Rio de
Janeiro
Regenerating Rio’s
docklands
Rio de Janeiro
Area covered:
490 hectares
Rehabilitating and
expanding roadways
Installing an LRV
(Light Rail Vehicle) system
New sewer, water, power
and gas lines
Public lighting
and storm drains
Guanabara Bay
rig
od
Av. R
Av. Ve
nezue
la
Av. Francisco Bicalho
Linha
T
do VL
as
Implantação de
Veículo Leve
sobre Trilho
te Varg
siden
Av. Pre
o
Branc
Av. Rio
Gamboa
Santo
Cristo
New telecommunications
system
lves
ues A
Saúde
Center
Santos
Dumont Airport
Integrating the
docklands into
the Center
Installing a Light Rail
Vehicle system
informa
19
total value of the PPP is BRL 7.6 billion (the largest ever
carried out in Brazil), of which BRL 4.2 billion will be
allocated to construction and BRL 3.4 billion to cleaning, traffic management, drainage, and maintenance of
parks and gardens, among others, for a 15-year period.
Odebrecht is participating in the PPP through the Porto
Rio joint-venture contractor (responsible for construction) and the Porto Novo concession company (the operator of public service concessions).
Odebrecht’s Ricardo Bueno, the Project Director
for Porto Rio, explains the concept behind the works
in progress: “We are building everything from scratch
to ensure that it is well done and set up in a way that
will attract investors and future users.” Among other
infrastructure works, Bueno cites the construction and
installation of 84,000m of drainage systems and culverts (including a 3.80m by 2.20m culvert, big enough
Construction works in
the Morro da Providência
area: new roads,
improved sanitation and
a cable-car system
for a car to drive through) to prevent floods in the area,
26,000m of gas pipelines, a new 75,000m fiber optic
telecommunications network, and 500,000m of electric
power networks (about 3,700 utility posts will be deactivated and the entire system of overhead power lines
will be underground).
with Guanabara Bay. In its place, about 3.5 km of tun-
The road system in the docklands will undergo a
nels and a twin system of avenues will serve as routes
profound change. The demolition of the Perimeter
for vehicles bound for Niterói, the Baixada Fluminense
Highway Overpass, scheduled to begin in the first half
area and other regions, as well as those traveling in
of 2013, is one of the key moves that will link the city
the opposite direction towards the center of town.
“With this system in place, traffic capacity will jump
from the current 7,600 vehicles per hour to 10,500 per
hour. We will not just remove the overpass: we will replace and expand the entire system,” repeats Bueno.
His teams will also restore secondary roads and sidewalks and install new bike paths.
The project also includes an LRV (Light Rail Vehicle) system integrated with other forms of transportation to improve road links in the region, giving priority
to pedestrians and reducing pollution.
The region will also be getting two new museums: the Rio Museum of Art and the Museum of
Tomorrow, the result of a partnership between the
City of Rio and the Roberto Marinho Foundation. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the
A listed building stands
next to a jobsite in the
vicinity of Primeiro de
Março Avenue: taking
care to preserve the
city’s historic heritage
20
informa
Museum of Tomorrow is the “cherry on the cake” of
all the projects underway in downtown Rio. Its construction on the old Mauá Square Pier is the responsibility of the Porto Rio joint venture. The museum’s
entrance hall will be 15m high, with bright, spacious
Excavation underway in
Mauá Square: downtown
Rio de Janeiro is getting
ready to experience a
new era
areas and a roof covered with fins equipped with photovoltaic solar cells, which will open and close according to weather conditions to make the best use
of sunlight.
To add to Rio’s hospitality facilities for the Olympics,
two hotels will be built, a total of eight buildings that
will house journalists who are not accredited for the
event, and then be turned into residential buildings. In
addition to Odebrecht Infraestrutura, Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias (Real Estate Developments, OR) is
also participating in this project, called Porto Olímpico
(Olympic Port).
Archaeological finds
The works in downtown Rio began with the SaúdeGamboa project, which renovated the area’s infrastructure (water, sewer, drainage, and telecommunications
systems and conversion to an underground power
grid) and refurbished parks and gardens in the two
neighborhoods. The works included several avenues,
streets and Morro da Conceição. Then came Morro da
Providência’s turn, where improvements to that hillside slum’s water and sewer systems have also been
“All the material is being carefully screened, identi-
made, and a cable-car system is being built to connect
fied and stored by the National History Museum before
Brazil Central railway station to Samba City on the wa-
it is transferred to the custody of the Rio de Janeiro
terfront, passing through Américo Brum Square, on
Department of Culture,” says Odebrecht’s Eduardo
the top of the hill.
Fontenelle, the Project Director for the Saúde-Gamboa
Excavations in the Saúde-Gamboa area have found
and Morro da Providência projects. Fontenelle also ex-
traces of the former Valongo and Imperatriz (Em-
plains that the archaeologists have unearthed the Va-
press) piers. Valongo Pier once received ships that
longo Hanging Gardens, including the guardhouse and
docked there to disembark enslaved people brought
public urinals that stood there in the first decade of the
to Brazil from Africa. Although deactivated in 1831,
19th century. “We’ve brought in a restorer from France,
it continued to operate illegally for several years. In
who has joined the Brazilian team of historians and re-
1843, Emperor Pedro II ordered the construction of
storers to bring the Valongo Hanging Gardens as close
Imperatriz Pier to receive his bride, Princess Teresa
as possible to their original form.”
Cristina. According to historians, he also intended to
bury the memory of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
From the construction of tunnels to the preservation of historical artifacts, there are many facets to Ode-
Project teams have found well-preserved sec-
brecht’s work in the Porto Maravilha project. The size and
tions of both piers, which facilitated the work of spe-
complexity of the works underway in downtown Rio, the
cialists from the National History Museum, led by Dr.
unconventional financing model and the format of the
Tania Andrade Lima, who directed the archaeologi-
project, which includes construction works and the op-
cal digs in that area. According to the latest study,
eration of public service concessions, are also a source
they have found about 80,000 artifacts, including an-
of fresh knowledge for the company’s teams. According
chors, cannonballs, jewelry boxes, necklaces, pipes,
to Ricardo Bueno, “This entire experience will be useful
coins, bracelets, pottery shards and many other
for similar projects in other Brazilian cities, and will pro-
items that shed light on the way of life of an era and
vide yet another alternative for serving clients in the other
the history of the city.
countries where Odebrecht is present.”
informa
21
well outs
the four lines
22
written by Edilson Lima photos by Carlos Júnior
The TransOeste, TransOlímpica
and Metro Line 4 projects, as
well as investments in SuperVia,
are enabling Rio to host major
sporting events and preparing
the city for the future
22
informa
side
D
oorman Edimilson Lima, 36, has good reason
to celebrate the inauguration of the TransOeste
Expressway in Rio de Janeiro. He lives in the
Pedra de Guaratiba neighborhood, and his daily
commuting time to work in Barra da Tijuca has
gone down drastically, from two hours to 40 minutes. “We
used to face long traffic jams early in the morning. Things
are much better now,” he says. Officially opened on June 6,
the TransOeste is the first of four urban mobility projects that
Odebrecht companies are building in the city as part of the
program to prepare Rio de Janeiro to host the 2014 FIFA World
Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
Begun in 2010, the TransOeste project connects Barra
da Tijuca with the Santa Cruz and Campo Grande neighborhoods, all in the West Zone of the city. The project is divided
into four lots, and Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure)
is responsible for two of them (lots I and II), amounting to a
24-km stretch. Highlights include the deployment of the city’s
first BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system and the construction of
the 1.1-km Grota Funda tunnel, which will be run with the
help of an ultra-modern Operations Control Center (OCC).
“The tunnel is the apple of our eye,” says Engineering Manager Tomnila Motta. In addition to the BRT and the tunnel, the
project also involved widening roadways, rehabilitating existing roads, and constructing bridges and overpasses.
25 BRT stations
Odebrecht has built 25 BRT stations for the buses that
will run along that corridor. All of them will be air conditioned and will carry up to 140 people. “The public has
needed a system like this for a very long time. The City had
a dream and we’ve brought it to fruition,” says Project Director Pedro Moreira.
TransOeste’s Novo Leblon
Station: air-conditioned buses
seating up to 140 people
The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor Eduardo
Paes, Governor Sergio Cabral, former Brazilian President
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Marcelo Odebrecht, President and
CEO of Odebrecht S.A., and Benedicto Junior and Leandro
Azevedo, respectively the CEO and Executive Director of
Odebrecht Infraestrutura for Rio de Janeiro. “Today we are
breaking down a historical social divide,” said Mayor Paes,
referring to the Grota Funda Tunnel, the first to penetrate
the Pedra Branca Massif, the mountain range that runs between the more developed neighborhoods and the poorest
in the West Zone of Rio. Previously, during rush hour, it took
about 40 minutes just to cross the mountains. Thanks to the
tunnel, it now takes less than a minute, standing to benefit
220,000 people per day.
informa
23
From left, Governor Sérgio Cabral, former
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mayor Eduardo
Paes at the opening of TransOeste
Grota Funda Tunnel:
benefiting 220,000
people per day
TransOlímpica
in the South Zone (to be built in the Gávea district) and
Now that the TransOeste system is up and running,
then on to Barra da Tijuca. The new line will add over 16
Project Director Pedro Moreira is mobilizing his teams
km and six new stations to Rio’s subway system, which
to tackle another challenge: building the TransOlímpica
will transport about 250,000 people daily.
Expressway, which will connect the Olympic complex in
The first part of the project is under the responsibil-
Barra da Tijuca with the one the Deodoro, also in the
ity of Consórcio Construtor Rio Barra (CCRB), a joint-
West Zone. Most of the Olympic events will take place
venture contractor formed by Queiroz Galvão (leader),
in these two complexes. “It now takes more than two
Odebrecht Infraestrutura, Carioca Engenharia, Cowan
hours to get from one to the other. Thanks to TransOlím-
and Servix. It covers the stretch between Barra da Tijuca
pica, it will take 15 minutes. Traveling time will be much
and Gávea, a distance of approximately 12 km. Ground
faster for the athletes, as well as for the people who live
was broken in September 2010. A 3.3-km section of the
in these areas. Projections show that 50,000 cars will
tunnel, the main feature of the project, has already been
use this new route every day,” says Fernando Góes, from
drilled (1.6 km from the path of the subway trains, plus
Odebrecht TransPort, the Administrative and Financial
the parking lot and concourse of São Conrado station).
Director of the TransOlímpica S.A. concession company.
“We are well below the edge of Tijuca Forest Park. Our
Formed by Odebrecht TransPort, Invepar and CCR,
work has been monitored to avoid any risks to the plant
TransOlímpica will be responsible for implementing
and animal life,” says CCRB Production Manager Ju-
and operating the expressway through a 35-year con-
liano Penteado.
cession. TransOlímpica has contracted Odebrecht In-
The second part of the project is the responsibil-
fraestrutura, OAS and Andrade Gutierrez S.A. to build
ity of Consórcio Linha 4 Sul. A joint-venture contractor
the road works.
formed by Odebrecht Infraestrutura (leader), Carioca
The new route will be 13.1 km long, with two lanes in
Engenharia and Queiroz Galvão, it is building the stretch
each direction for cars and an exclusive BRT corridor for
between Gávea and the junction with General Osório
buses. In addition to bridges and overpasses, two tunnels
will be built in each direction, with a total length of 3.1 km.
This BRL 1.7-billion project will break ground in 2012.
Carlos Prado, Odebrecht TransPort’s Regional Director
for the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito
Santo, observes: “Local residents will have an entirely
new route they can use with safety, speed and comfort.”
Riding the rails
The City Government is investing in urban mobility,
and Rio de Janeiro State is also doing its part. By December 2015, it will have will invested USD 7.4 billion
in the Rio Metro’s Line 4, which will connect General
Osório Station in Ipanema to the last station on Line 1
24
informa
SuperVia Train:
new rolling stock is
gradually going
into service
3
Tijuca
Recreio dos
Bandeirantes
1
TransOeste
2
TransOlímpica
3
Metro Line 4
4
SuperVia
Aeroporto
do Galeão
2
Avenida Brasil
a
nsC
Tra
rioc
a
rela
ma
ha A
Lin
4
Santa Cruz
Campo Grande
pic
a
1
Santos
Dumont
Airport
Center
Pedra de
Guaratiba
Tra
ns
Olí
m
Sepetiba
Guaratiba
Recreio dos
Bandeirantes
i
ro L
Met
este
TransO
Jardim
Oceânico
Barra da
Tijuca
1
Station. On this section, they will use a convertible EPB TBM (earth pressure balanced
convertible tunnel boring machine), which
will start drilling the tunnel in 2013.
This is the first time a TBM will be used in
Rio de Janeiro. It drills tunnels while simultaneously installing the concrete rings that support and line
2
ne 4
Jd. de General
Alah Osório
Gávea
São
Conrado
Copacabana
Antero de N. Sra.
Quental da Paz
3
56-km route connecting Barra da Tijuca
with Santa Cruz and Campo Grande.
Odebrecht Infraestrutura built
24 km between Barra da Tijuca and
Pedra de Guaratiba.
13.1-km route linking Barra da Tijuca
and Deodoro on a divided highway
with 3 lanes in each direction ,
including a dedicated BRT lane.
Two tunnels in each direction
with a total length of 3.1-km.
16 km between
Barra da Tijuca and Ipanema,
running through Gávea.
New trains, an ultra-modern
operations control center,
revamped stations and a new
signaling system. Should
reach 1 million passengers
per day by 2016. Total
investment: BRL 2.4 billion.
TransOeste
56-km route connecting Barra da Tijuca
with Santa Cruz and Campo Grande.
subsidiary
Odebrecht Infraestrutura built
24 km between Barra da Tijuca and
commuter
Pedra de Guaratiba.
TransOlímpica
responsible for the
rail network in the
Rio de Janeiro metropolitan
13.1-km route linking Barra
da Tijuca is implementing a BRL
region,
and Deodoro on a divided highway
with 3 lanes in each direction ,
2.4-billion investment program in
including a dedicated BRT lane.
Two tunnels in each direction
partnership with the State Governwith a total length of 3.1-km.
ment. It plans to purchase 120 new trains,
them. “We will use this machine in sandy and rocky
Metro Line 4
16 km between
30 3
of which
are gradually going into service, joining the
soils, such as those found in Ipanema and Leblon.
Gávea.
currentrunning
fleetthrough
of 160
trains. Sixty more will be tendered
Without the TBM, we would have to dig trenches in the
by 4
theSuperVia
end of the year. The remaining 30 will be pur-
sandy stretches, which would cause a major headache
for local residents,” explains Marcos Vidigal, the Proj-
Barra da Tijuca and Ipanema,
New trains, an ultra-modern
control center,
chasedoperations
by 2015.
revamped stations and a new
signaling system. Should
In early
2012, SuperVia opened a new OCC equipped
reach 1 million passengers
ect Director. “We’re going to do our level best to avoid
day by 2016. Total
with aper
modern
communications system integrated
investment: BRL 2.4 billion.
any inconveniences,” says Production Manager Aluísio
with the trains, which includes a digital dashboard that
Coutinho Júnior.
consolidates information from the entire rail network.
The company is currently installing a new signaling
SuperVia
system that will halve the train headway, reducing the
In the context of projects to improve the city’s trans-
interval of time between two trains boarded to three
portation system, SuperVia, the Odebrecht TransPort
minutes. In addition to the construction of three new
stations, one of which opened in the first half of 2012,
the 99 existing stations and infrastructure (tracks,
overhead cables, stations and power substations) will
undergo improvements. “The legacy of these sporting
events will be high-quality rail transportation for the
local population,” says Carlos José Cunha, President
of SuperVia. The company plans to increase its transport capacity from the current 540,000 passengers per
day to 1,000,000 by 2016.
According to Leandro Azevedo, the city is writing a
new chapter in its history with regards to urban mobility: “Wherever you go, there is a major project underway. Each and every one is designed to transform the
city once and for all.”
informa
25
26
winnin
every single day
B
written by Eduardo Souza Lima photos by Rogério Reis
A partnership
between the
Brazilian Navy
and Odebrecht
grooms athletes
and citizens
26
informa
orn on Caratateua Island in the Brazilian state of Pará,
welterweight Wesley Paiva, 18, lost his father when he was
9 months old. He was a rebellious child. “I used to get into
street fights. I was a real handful,” he says. His uncle Francisco, a former boxer, saw the ring as a way to calm his
nephew’s aggressive behavior. It changed Wesley’s life: “The sport made me
disciplined, even in school,” he says. Wesley is now one of 18 athletes adopted
by the Brazilian Navy/Odebrecht Olympic Project, based at the Admiral Adalberto Nunes Physical Education Center (CEFAN) in Rio de Janeiro. “Our goal
is to prepare high-performing young athletes to represent this country at the
Olympics. But going beyond those results, which are excellent, we are also
grooming future responsible adults who will serve as role models for
other youths,” explains Marie Bendelac, the project’s coordinator. Wesley is not just another role model: he used the money from Odebrecht’s
grant to help his uncle open a gym to put “wayward boys” – as Wesley
describes himself in his younger days – on the right track.
In addition to boxing, the project provides support for weight-lifting and athletics. Rogério Nascimento da Silva, 16, was born in Rio’s
Luiz Gustavo
Ribeiro (on the
right in this
photo) and
welterweight
Wesley Paiva
(in the smaller
photo): seizing
the chance to
realize a dream
ing
Laranjeiras district and has been lifting weights since 2010. His father
left home when he was 8 years old. “Now sports are my passion,” he
emphasizes. Under-age athletes will receive the assistance they need
to develop their skills. When they turn 18, they will leave the program to
make way for other young people, and possibly join the Navy. Rogério
has already made up his mind: “I want to be a Marine.”
The young athletes must be disciplined and respectful, get good
grades in school and show excellent athletic performance. Rogério
holds the Brazilian record in his class. Another precocious recordholder, Emily Rosa Figueiredo, 14, has dreamed of being an Olympic
weightlifting champion since she was 6. “I’ve always liked a challenge,”
she says. She has been getting good results since she began training: “I’ve broken three records in less than a month.” Sprinter Vitória
Cristina Silva Rosa, 16, also comes from Rio and is as victorious as her
name: she is the state champion and the runner-up in the Brazilian
juvenile ranking in the 100m dash, with a time of 12.7 seconds. She is
also an excellent student.
“Passion for fights”
“I got into boxing because my father always had a passion for
fights,” says Julio Cezar Sales Cardoso, 17, from Vila Velha, Espírito
Santo. In 2010, he participated in the Espírito Santo trials for the national boxing championship. “I won the trials and the silver medal in
the Brazilian tournament,” he says. Since he started training at CEFAN, the welterweight has become the Brazilian champion cadet and
won a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Ecuador. The athletes receive grants ranging from one to three minimum monthly salaries (the minimum monthly salary is currently BRL 622). “My father left
us when I was born, and my two brothers started working when they
were young. Now I can help them,” says Renan Macedo da Costa, 18,
from Barcarena, Pará. But it wasn’t easy to convince his mother that
he had a future in boxing: “My first bout was on the sly,” he says. Today,
the fly-weight is the national cadet champion.
Sprinter Luiz Gustavo dos Santos Ribeiro, 18, hails from Macaé, Rio
de Janeiro, and is already a young father. The grant is helping him raise
his son. He started running at school, and has an innate talent for the
sport: “I was already getting good results before I started training. I was
state champion in the School Olympics in the 100m sprint and Brazilian vice-champion in the relay.” Luiz comes from a large family: he
has six siblings. Although he is sometimes homesick, he knows that
the chance of a better future is within his grasp: “Athletics has opened
doors for me,” he says. Bring in the Olympic medals.
informa
27
28
From left, Antonio Pessoa, Carlos
Carvalho and Carlos Armando
Paschoal, on the site where Ilha
Pura will be built: urban planning
and development
olympics
Homes for heroes at the Rio
written by Perla Lima photos by André Valentim
28
informa
The village that
will house Olympic
athletes in Rio in
2016 will arise
from an innovative
concept
T
he Athletes’ Village for the Olympic and Paralympic games
that will be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 is based on an innovative concept for Brazil and the world. Unlike most “Olympic
cities,” which are historically built in degraded areas in need of
regeneration, Rio’s Athletes’ Village will be built in Ilha Pura, a
district that will be developed over the course of 15 years by the company of
the same name. Ilha Pura is becoming a new sector of the Barra da Tijuca
region, which is establishing itself as the biggest vector of growth for the
state capital’s metropolitan area and the target of major investments in
urban mobility.
informa
29
Mário Cilenti:
high standard of
quality
“The creation of the Ilha Pura company, which will
Ilha Pura covers a 870,000-squ.m area, 247,000
the combination of the philosophy of action and expertise
sq.m of which are reserved for the construction of the
of Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias (Real Estate Devel-
Athletes’ Village. Carlos Armando Paschoal, CEO of
opments, OR) and Carvalho Hosken’s vision of develop-
Ilha Pura, points out that the project is a private in-
ment and perpetuity,” says the company’s CEO, Carlos
vestment and a unique challenge for Brazil. “This will
Armando Paschoal.
be the first time in this country that 31 towers have
Mário Cilenti, Director for Relations with the Olym-
been built with 17 floors each, divided into seven con-
pic and Paralympic Committee and the Olympic Village,
dominiums with full private infrastructure in just three
observes that the village will be a five-minute drive
and a half years. This involves dealing with quantities
from Olympic Park, where most of the events will take
that are similar to major infrastructure projects.” For
place, and its standards will conform to the upscale real
example, Carlos Armando explains that the volume of
estate market of Barra da Tijuca. “We have matched
concrete used on this project is equivalent to a dam,
the needs of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
and the number of workers on the construction site
with a commitment to sell these units,” says Mário. All
could reach 5,500. “We have the responsibility and
the 3,604 apartments to be used by 18,000 athletes will
unique opportunity to educate people and create inno-
be sold before the Olympics and delivered to end cus-
vative management systems for logistics and sustain-
tomers up to one year after the Games. “The great thing
ability,” he says.
is that we will use this new venture as a resort for the
athletes, due to its high standard of quality.”
30
Thirty-one 17-story towers
transform this dream into a tangible fact, is the result of
As for the project’s legacy, Carlos Armando highlights Ilha Pura’s contribution to sustainable devel-
Antônio Pessoa, Regional Director of OR for Rio de
opment in Rio de Janeiro. “It contains a 65,000-sq.m
Janeiro, explains: “The challenge is to develop, sell and
public park with a 20,000-sq.m nursery built specifically
deliver a high-quality project on time while exceeding the
as part of the landscaping of the Athletes’ Village, de-
expectations of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic
signed by the firm of architect and landscape architect
Games and the athletes.” He adds: “The legacy for our cli-
Burle Marx.”
ents and buyers, the Ilha Pura district and Rio de Janeiro
Workers from the surrounding communities will
will be a project that combines sustainability, luxury and
have an opportunity to acquire job skills through the
quality of life.”
Acreditar (Believe) Ongoing Professional Education
Carlos Carvalho, President and CEO of Carvalho Hosken,
Program, and learn computer skills through the Hit the
observes that the Athletes’ Village is included in the future
Net program. Carlos Armando observes: “This project
center of the new city that is arising in Rio’s West Zone. “Ilha
is a model of quality and sustainability. This will be the
Pura will be a watershed in the urban development of Rio
best Athletes’ Village ever!” Antônio Pessoa firmly be-
de Janeiro, because it is being born as a planned neighbor-
lieves that, starting with the Athletes’ Village, the Ilha
hood while benefiting from the major infrastructure projects
Pura district “will be one of the best places to live in Rio
underway in the surrounding area.”
de Janeiro.”
informa
scoring
high
In Deodápolis,
Mato Grosso do Sul,
Program
participants
playing volleyball
in Deodápolis:
activities for youth
that stimulate mind
and body
the Broto de Gente
project offers tutoring,
arts and IT classes
and sports
written by Guilherme Oliveira
photos by Bruna Romaro
D
eodápolis is a small town in the westcentral Brazilian state of Mato Grosso
do Sul. According to the 2011 Census,
it is the state’s 46th-largest municipality in terms of population, which
is just over 12,000 inhabitants. Most of them make
a living, directly or indirectly, from the operations
that produce ethanol, electricity and sugar at ETH
Bioenergy’s Eldorado Unit.
The creation of work and income opportunities is
the company’s biggest contribution to local development, but a further initiative has drawn particular attention: the Broto de Gente (Young Sprouts)
31
project, which offers about 260 young people be-
tween the ages of 4 and 15 free tutoring in Por-
tuguese, math and a foreign language. Created in
2002 to take care of members’ children during their
work shifts, Broto de Gente has grown to become a
major cultural and leisure option for young people
in that town.
informa
31
The high demand from parents to get their chil-
Rodrigo Felix is a home-grown star who inspires
ily justified: in addition to those classes, it also of-
the younger kids. The son of ETH members, and a
fers courses and training in IT, art, theater, dance,
Broto de Gente student since the age of seven, he
capoeira, soccer and volleyball. Sports are the most
says that he was getting so much out of the project
popular activities. “The rule is simple: If you’re do-
that he convinced his parents to move from Nova Al-
ing well at school, you can play,” explains Riverton
vorada do Sul to Deodápolis. He told part of his story
Souza, the project’s Educational Coordinator. That
in issue no. 155 of Odebrecht Informa when he was
agreement is taken seriously. “We conduct quarterly
13: how much he enjoyed the soccer and computer
monitoring of each of the seven schools in the city
classes. “I wanted to be a soccer player, and Broto
and help guide the parents when necessary.” With-
de Gente was my best chance to do that. Riverton
out intending or wanting to replace the schools or
trusted me.” The coach and teacher started taking
the indispensable role of parents, Broto de Gente
the young man to try-outs at São Paulo clubs. Today,
has found that sports are a tool for educating and
at age 17, Rodrigo wears the jersey of the Osasco
grooming young people who value respect, disci-
Soccer Club, a team formed to discover young talent
pline and teamwork.
from all over Brazil. But the project’s rule is still the
“Over time, we’ve noticed an improvement in their
32
Making a dream come true
dren a hotly disputed place in the project is eas-
same: if you don’t study, you don’t play.
grades, but what impressed us the most was the
Like Rodrigo, many children and teens partici-
change of attitude in students participating in Broto
pating in Broto de Gente dream of making a living
de Gente. They know that whoever disrespects their
as professional athletes. One of them is Rafael Fer-
classmates or teachers will be off the team,” says
nandes, 11, better known as Rafinha. With the help
Célia Moraes, Principal of Scila Médici State School.
of Riverton and Rafinha’s brother Dernivaldo Ma-
informa
Rodrigo Félix
(center):
persistence and
help in achieving
his goal. Opposite,
young dancers in
action: a varied
range of activities
is one of the
project’s main
characteristics
noel, a member of ETH’s Eldorado Unit, the young
him. “I’m going to make friends and have a good
man has participated in starter team try-outs for the
time.” With a daily routine of training on the soccer
São Paulo Soccer Club, one of the most important
pitch and in the sand, as well as scoring exercises
squads in the country. In September, Rafinha will
and skill training, Rafinha does not hesitate when
spend another week at the club’s Training Center in
asked what else they teach him at Broto de Gente:
Cotia, São Paulo. The bus ride there will take over
“I’m learning to teach people to do good. Just like
12 hours. Despite his youth, the striker knows that
my family did at ETH, here I’m learning to serve oth-
not everyone gets to turn pro, but that doesn’t worry
ers and never give up.”
informa
33
INTERVIEW
legacy of
THE GREATEST
B
written by Cláudio Lovato Filho
photos by Holanda Cavalcanti and Mário Grisolli
enedicto Barbosa da Silva Junior is an
Odebrecht Informa – Can you describe the process of
entrepreneur and soccer fan (“more like
preparing Odebrecht to participate in major sports
a fanatic”), but, above all, he is a Brazil-
arena projects? What were some of the major mile-
ian who knows his country well. At 51,
stones?
the CEO of Odebrecht Infraestrutura (In-
Benedicto Junior – In the late 1990s and early 2000s,
frastructure) is spearheading the com-
the leadership of Vasco da Gama and, somewhat
pany’s participation in a number of projects that are part
later, the Botafogo and Fluminense soccer clubs,
of Brazil’s preparations to host the two largest sporting
expressed their desire to build new stadiums. In the
events on the planet: the FIFA World Cup (in 2014) and
end, those projects did not go ahead. There were
the Rio Olympics (in 2016). As an entrepreneur, he feels
other initiatives, also in Rio, which ended up not go-
driven to participate in complex, innovative projects with
ing forward for Odebrecht. Until the city was chosen
a huge legacy, most of them long awaited, and therefore
to host the 2007 Pan American Games, that is. We
challenging. As a sports fan, he is happy to experience
took charge of the restoration of the Maracanã and
first-hand the process of constructing large arenas (in-
Maracanãzinho stadium complex. And later on, also
cluding his beloved club’s stadium), which he says could
in the context of works for those games, we were
play a role in modernizing the management of Brazilian
contracted to install the smart building systems and
soccer. As a citizen, Benedicto Junior is confident – more
finish constructing João Havelange Olympic Stadi-
than that, he is convinced – that his country will host the
um, or Engenhão, as the locals have affectionately
most joyful and exciting World Cup and Olympics in recent
dubbed it. On that project we faced the challenge of
memory. Their greatest legacy? “Proving to ourselves that
finishing the stadium in record time, seven months,
we are capable of such accomplishments as a people”:
after replacing the joint-venture contractor that was
the legacy of increased Brazilian self-esteem.
in charge of the infrastructure works. The biggest
challenge was installing the roof arches in that very
34
34
informa
short timeframe. The joint venture that was leaving
the project had completed 25% of that stage in 15
months, and we would have seven months to deliver
the remaining 75%. With our contribution, Engenhão was listed [by the British magazine SportBusi-
ness] as one of the top 10 sports facilities built in the
world in 2007. Our participation in those works for
the Pan American Games resulted in a tremendous
engineering asset for Odebrecht. Our experience on
Engenhão was an important milestone in our history
of building major arenas.
all
Benedicto Junior:
proving the
Brazilian people’s
capacity to host
major events
informa
35
OI – Could you sum up the current status of the
south and north. In Bahia, the rebirth of Fonte Nova
four stadiums Odebrecht is building or renovating
Arena will bring about the regeneration of a social and
for the 2014 World Cup: Maracanã and the Corin-
historical asset that has what it takes to add value to
thians, Pernambuco and Fonte Nova arenas? What
Bahia’s most important exports to the rest of Brazil,
percentage of progress is each project making?
going beyond soccer: its unique culture and popular
Benedicto Junior – The projects in São Paulo and
music concerts. Fonte Nova Arena will be a new en-
Pernambuco are more than 40% done. In Rio and
tertainment hub for Salvador’s residents. In Rio, you
Bahia, they are over 50% complete. After breaking
could say we have the most iconic of all these ongo-
ground, we faced an additional challenge in Rio
ing initiatives: refurbishing Maracanã, which opened
de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Bahia: in 2011 those
during the 1950 World Cup, when it served as a dem-
three stadiums joined the list of venues for the
onstration of Brazil’s capacity to undertake complex
Confederations Cup to be held in 2013. That sig-
engineering and construction works. Through this
nificantly reduced the deadlines for those projects
revitalization project, Maracanã will certainly become
by 12 months on average, but everything is run-
a byword for comfort, safety and advanced technol-
ning on schedule. Work on the Corinthians Arena
ogy, in line with the stricter requirements of the 21st
is going like gangbusters. We are working with the
century. Furthermore, the area around this stadium,
BNDES (National Economic and Social Develop-
which will also host Olympic events, will be the target
ment Bank) and the Bank of Brazil to conclude the
of a number of investments that will transform the
financial engineering for that project, which is the
local scene in terms of urban mobility and housing,
only one with funding still pending.
among other things, integrating this historic giant
into its surroundings.
OI – Arena construction projects have to go beyond
36
the stadiums themselves. You must take the sur-
OI – As we both well know, soccer is more than
rounding area into account as well. Rio, São Paulo,
just a sport in Brazil. It is a national passion and
Recife and Salvador are four major cities whose daily
a factor that helps define an identity. You are not
lives are replete with challenges. How will the con-
only an entrepreneur who heads arena construc-
struction of these arenas benefit those communities?
tion projects but a soccer fan. In your opinion,
Benedicto Junior – The arenas alone are important
what will be the future impact of the era this
assets for their communities, but the highlight is the
country is currently experiencing – the construc-
legacy of social integration they will bring in their
tion of major sports arenas in several cities?
wake. Take Corinthians Arena for example. The Ita-
What sort of changes could this bring about?
quera neighborhood, where it is being built, is very
Benedicto Junior – The current era for Brazilian
needy. I have no doubt that we can divide the history
soccer leads to important reflections: first, about
of that neighborhood and the surrounding region
new ways to build arenas, but more than that, about
into “before” and “after” the arena. Previously, no in-
the participation of private enterprise in the design
vestments had been made in Itaquera, but now the
and management of these arenas. Club directors
arena will bring about profound changes due to the
and supporters who do not have the privilege of up-
improved transport infrastructure, increased prop-
grading their “home” may ask: why doesn’t my club
erty values, and the arrival of businesses, shops and
have a modern arena? What are we missing out on?
service providers. Today land values in the region
But this is only the initial reflection, because deep-
have gone up something like 50%. The situation in
er issues are coming to light. The construction of
Pernambuco is different, but the prospects are just
new arenas has led to the discovery of new forms
as encouraging. There, thanks to the government’s
of management, not only for the physical facili-
modern and bold vision, Cidade da Copa (World Cup
ties but the clubs themselves. It has led to greater
City) will become a new vector of development for
professionalism. We are gradually approaching the
Greater Recife and the interior of the state, which will
reality of European clubs, which can sell tickets to
join the current vectors in the coastal regions to the
their games for this year and the next. The pres-
informa
informa
“The 2016
Olympics are the
main goal of the
transformations
underway in Rio
today. The city will
get an even more
comprehensive
and appropriate
urban transport
system”
in that state, such as Rio International Airport,
Angra Nuclear Power Plant No. 1, the headquarters
buildings of Petrobras and BNDES and the Rio Sul
Complex, among many others. In 1993, when many
companies were leaving Rio, Construtora Norberto
Odebrecht moved its headquarters there. We came
here to be closer to some of our major clients,
such as Petrobras, Furnas and Eletrobrás, whose
headquarters were located here. We have always
believed in this city and its power to overcome challenges, its ability to get back on its feet. We came
here to stay, and because of that we have developed
a long, productive and you could even say affectionate relationship with Rio de Janeiro.
OI – What are the highlights of that relationship
nowadays?
Benedicto Junior – The 2016 Olympics are the
main goal of the transformations underway in Rio
today. As a result, the city will offer an even more
comprehensive and appropriate urban transport
system. One of the first improvements in this area
is the 56-km TransOeste express bus corridor between Barra da Tijuca and Santa Cruz, in the West
Zone of the city. We will soon begin work on the
TransOlímpica corridor, a new route linking Rec-
ence of private enterprise is helping modernize
reio dos Bandeirantes and Deodoro, with dedicat-
the clubs’ management. New leaders are coming
ed lanes for the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system.
in with new ideas and a fresh way of looking at old
Then there’s the expansion of the Metro, which is
problems. Brazilian soccer must not miss this op-
advancing in four directions – from Barra to São
portunity. It’s a win-win relationship.
Conrado, from São Conrado to Barra and Gávea,
and from Ipanema to Gávea – through more than
OI – Rio de Janeiro is not only hosting World Cup
2,200m of tunnels that have already been built,
matches (including the final game) but the Olym-
and will be completed when more projects in Ip-
pics as well. The city is already making profound
anema and Leblon are up and running. Another
changes in its infrastructure. Odebrecht is play-
major challenge is the ongoing modernization of
ing a prominent role in preparing the city for the
the commuter rail system, a project carried out
two biggest sporting events on the planet. How did
jointly by the State Government and SuperVia, a
Odebrecht prepare itself to make this contribu-
subsidiary of Odebrecht TransPort. This is defi-
tion? How did the historical relationship between
nitely Odebrecht’s biggest challenge in Brazil. But
the Group and Rio de Janeiro help in all that?
it must be said that the works being built for the
Benedicto Junior – To start with, Odebrecht began
2016 Olympics will be remembered, above all, for
its national expansion in Rio de Janeiro. It was born
the regeneration and urban renewal of the dock-
in Recife, grew up in Salvador, and became a state-
lands through the Porto Maravilha project, led by
wide company in Bahia, then regionalized in the
the City of Rio and the result of the biggest urban
Northeast and went on to establish a national pres-
PPP (Public Private Partnership) underway in this
ence, starting in Rio de Janeiro. It built major works
country.
informa
37
“It’s no good
the city for the loss of its status as the federal capi-
having a perfectly
extraordinary events the city will host and the major
organized World
in a significant improvement in quality of life for local
Cup if it is unable
on the path of sustainable development.
to convey the
tal. That opportunity has come about through the
requirements they have generated. This will result
residents and a new impetus that will keep the city
OI – In short, why is it a good deal for a country to
host a World Cup? And why is it worthwhile for a
thrill that people
city to host the Olympics?
want, deserve
cause it gives the country an opportunity to show
and must have
extraordinary projects. For Brazil, I am convinced
when they visit
our country”
Benedicto Junior – It is worthwhile, especially beitself and the world that it is capable of building
that the greatest legacy of the World Cup and the
Olympics is this: to prove to ourselves that we are
capable of such accomplishments as a people.
The greatest legacy will be the Brazilian people’s
increased self-esteem.
OI – Will Brazil be prepared to host the World
Cup and the Olympics flawlessly?
Benedicto Junior – The World Cup and the Olympics
will be flawless, yes, but we will do it our way. I think
everything can be summed up by something I heard
from experts in major international events: “Germany held the most organized event on the planet
OI – You always say that Odebrecht “believed in
[the 2006 World Cup] and Brazil will hold the hap-
the Olympic dream” of Rio de Janeiro...
piest event on the planet.” We will host the happiest
Benedicto Junior – Yes, we’ve always believed
[FIFA World] Cup of all time, the most joyful. It’s no
in the success of this project, the realization of
good having a perfectly organized Cup if it is unable
this dream. Plus, I’ve always believed that the
to convey the thrill that people want, deserve and
choice of Rio to host the Olympics is, somehow,
must have when they visit our country. Let’s hold a
a form of reparations to the city on the nation-
Cup where Brazilians and tourists alike feel happy
al level, and worldwide recognition of Brazil’s
because they are enjoying an experience that goes
“calling card.”
beyond taking part in a major event. We want to give
people much more than that, and we will succeed.
OI – Reparations? How so?
38
Benedicto Junior – When, after two centuries,
OI – Here is a question for Benedicto Junior the
Rio ceased to be the capital of Brazil in the early
soccer fan: Will Brazil become a six-time cham-
1960s, nothing was done to compensate the city
pion in the 2014 World Cup?
for the losses it would suffer as a result. There
Benedicto Junior – Yes we will! It’s impossible to
wasn’t a plan. Rio began to undergo a process
work on the Maracanã project and see everything
of economic and political decline. Fortunately,
that is being done and not visualize Brazil play-
this process has begun to be remedied in recent
ing at the Cup final there, and winning. We have to
years. But it still needed a plan to compensate
erase the memory of 1950!
informa
informa
CONTEST
CAPTURING
CELEBRATIONS
OF LIFE
The photos by Carolina
Almeida de Souza and
(below) Anderson Munhoz:
first prize in the Camera
and Cell Phone categories,
respectively
See the winners
of Odebrecht Informa’s
Sports in Focus photo
contest
written by Emanuella Sombra
T
he subject? Sports. The tools? A camera or
cell phone. More than 60 amateur photographers took part in the Sports in Focus con-
test organized by Odebrecht Informa, which set
the following challenge: in one shot, Group members should show how different kinds of sports
drive the communities where they live and work.
Carolina Almeida de Souza, from Odebrecht
Four members received honorable mention:
Energia, won first prize in the Camera category
Alex da Silva Guedes and Julian de Paula Santos,
with her photo of stand-up paddlers in Copaca-
from Odebrecht Infraestrutura in Rio, Olavo de
bana: “The sport is catching on in the city and it
Pinho, from Foz do Brazil in Itapemirim, Espírito
is quite common to see paddlers on weekends,”
Santo, and Lauren Pereira, the only participant to
says Carolina, who works in Rio de Janeiro. Lau-
have two photos chosen by the judges.
ren Pereira, from Odebrecht International in
The judging committee included Marco Antônio
Guinea-Conakry, and Erick Marcel Carvalho, from
Antunes, Responsible for Communication for the
Odebrecht Infraestrutura in Marabá, Paraná, Bra-
Corinthians Arena project, Sérgio Bourroul, Re-
zil, were respectively the second- and third-prize
sponsible for Press Relations at Odebrecht S.A.,
winners.
Odebrecht Informa Photo Editor Holanda Caval-
Another photo sums up how strength and unity
canti and photographer Rubens Fernandes Ju-
go together when working as a team. “I saw a
nior, Director of the Armando Álvares Penteado
group of athletes exercising on the beach in Rio
Foundation (FAAP) School of Communication and
de Janeiro. Each of them depended on the other to
Marketing.
keep their balance,” explains Anderson Munhoz,
You can read the stories behind the winning
from Odebrecht Infraestrutura, who also works
photos in a report that will published in the on-
in Rio and was the winner in the Cell Phone cat-
line edition of Odebrecht Informa. You will also
egory. José Marcelo de Oliveira, from Foz do Bra-
be able to see the winners in both categories and
sil in Limeira, São Paulo, and Francisco da Cunha
four honorable mentions - plus a selection of the
Melo, from Odebrecht Infraestrutura in Rio, won
photos submitted.
second and third prize in that category.
Just log onto www.odebrechtonline.com.br
informa
39
Screen shot
COMMUNICATION
“Odebrecht at the Cup”: journalists use the website as a source of information
EYE ON THE prIZE
Fact sheets, news, photos, online cameras and videos can
all be found on the website for the four arenas being built or
refurbished to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup
written by Júlio César Soares
T
40
he construction and refur-
newspapers and specialized web-
Communication at Odebrecht In-
bishing of the venues that
sites. “To enhance our image as
fraestrutura (Infrastructure).
will host the opening and fi-
a result of this major exposure, it
This observation led to the cre-
nal games of the 2014 FIFA World
became clear to us that we needed
ation of the “Odebrecht at the Cup”
Cup (Corinthians Arena and Mara-
to set up consolidated Communi-
website. Created in the first half
canã Stadium, respectively) as well
cation programs that would give
of 2011, it offers fact sheets, news
as the Fonte Nova and Pernambuco
an added boost to initiatives al-
items, photos, and online camera
arenas have made Odebrecht a fre-
ready underway at each of the four
and video feeds from all four sta-
quent name in the Brazilian media,
arenas,” says Antonio Carlos de
diums in a single database. “Each
particularly the sports pages of
Faria, the officer Responsible for
project has its own Communication
informa
40
program but through this website
the last hour of pictures,” explains
we can offer information seam-
Ana Carolina.
lessly while spotlighting the impor-
But that’s not all. The website
tant role of Odebrecht Infraestru-
will also feature 360-degree pho-
tura and its partners,” explains
tos and a quiz with prizes for the
Antonio Carlos.
highest scores: invitations to visit
the jobsite. “All this encourages
lion page views later, the “Ode-
greater interaction with visitors
brecht at the Cup” site already has
and more participation from our
a few historic milestones under
users. The goal is to provide fresh
its belt, such as the augmented
reality view of Maracanã. Using a
webcam and a printed code, fans
can take virtual tours of one of the
world’s most famous stadiums.
photo: Carlos Júnior
Almost a year and over 1.6 mil-
content all the time,” says Ana
Carolina.
Flow of information
Feeding the site with content
Pictures of the implosion of the
old Fonte Nova Stadium, which
were particular moving for fans of
the Bahia soccer club, are another
highlight. The scale model for the
Corinthians Arena, which had over
300,000 views in one week, is still
a major attraction. “The website
conveys the message of technical expertise and concern for the
community, which is essential
to enabling the general public to
learn more about Odebrecht,” ar-
requires fast and careful work
“The website
conveys the
message of
Journalists often use informa-
are the objects of intense passions
and have many stories to tell. “We
often send information to ‘Ode-
technical
brecht at the Cup,’ and answer
expertise and
explains Ana Luiza Dornelas, a
concern for the
na project’s Communication team.
community”
gues Antonio Carlos.
tion from the site in their reports.
from the people responsible for
covering the four stadiums, which
the team’s requests immediately,”
member of the Pernambuco Are“In addition to immediately posting
important breaking news, we also
try to deal with all the Internet us-
Antonio Carlos de Faria
ers’ requests,” adds Marco Antonio
Antunes, the officer Responsible
“It’s the easiest and fastest way to
for Communication for the Corin-
clear up technical questions about
thians Arena project.
these projects,” says Leandro
“We also publish news about
Canônico, a reporter from globoe-
In June, some of the news was
other events, such as visits from
sporte.com. According to Carlos
about the website itself. “We now
FIFA delegations, social activi-
Hermanny, Odebrecht Infraestru-
have a new layout and cameras,
ties and interactive content on
tura’s Executive Director for the
so we can give even better service
the site,” says Carine Aprile, the
2014 World Cup, that is precisely
to our visitors,” says Ana Carolina
officer Responsible for Commu-
what the site was designed to do:
Martins, the Odebrecht Infraestru-
nication for the Fonte Nova Arena
“Providing more information than
tura Communication team’s officer
project. Igor Lamy, the officer Re-
the media does, with a focus on vi-
Responsible for the site. Positioned
sponsible for Communication at
sual information of a technical na-
at each construction site, the cam-
Maracanã, says: “The ‘Odebrecht
ture.” He adds: “This enables fans
eras take pictures from 7 am to 7
at the Cup’ site is an important
to learn more about the stadiums
pm. “We will have a one-hour de-
tool for publishing information, as
and see that they are the result of
lay for easier navigation, and after
well as sharing expertise with the
hard work and dedication.”
8 pm, visitors can watch a loop of
other projects.”
informa
41
Revamping
Maracanã:
a new stage
in the life
of Rio’s
legendary
stadium
42
arena
Hearts in the
The Corinthians Arena and Maracanã Stadium will host the
beginning and end of an event that will rally the world in 2014
42
informa
F
written by Luiz Carlos Ramos
photos by Américo Vermelho (Maracanã) and Yann Vadaru (Corinthians Arena)
or two days in 2014, half the world will have its eyes
In addition to participating in these two projects, Odebrecht
glued to stadiums in two of Brazil’s largest cities:
Infraestrutura (Infrastructure) teams are also active in the con-
the future Corinthians Arena in São Paulo and the
struction of two more stadiums for the FIFA World Cup: the Fonte
refurbished Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Nova Arena in Salvador and the Pernambuco Arena in the Recife
In addition to the crowds in the stands, approxi-
region which, like Maracanã, will also host Confederations Cup
mately 3.5 billion people from more than 200 countries will watch
matches in June 2013.
the opening of the World Cup on television, scheduled for June
Brazil is watching. So is the world. And they are all asking the
12 in São Paulo, and a similar number of viewers will watch the
same question: will they be ready in time? Odebrecht Informa
final, to be held in Rio de Janeiro’s giant stadium on July 13. Both
visited the Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador and Recife stadi-
facilities, which symbolize the talent of Brazilian soccer stars and
ums and spoke to leaders and team members who already had
the country’s passion for the most popular sport on the planet,
the answer: yes, the projects will be completed within the time-
are being constructed and renovated day and night at an acceler-
frames. And not just that, as they will also be contributing to the
ated pace, reinforcing the World Cup’s predicted success.
emergence of new paradigms in the construction of large sports
informa
43
arenas in the country. In this article you will find out more
Paulo Falcão explains that he recently went to the
about people who are transforming the dream of a rejuve-
Netherlands to visit the modern Amsterdam ArenA: “We
nated Maracanã and a newly built Corinthians Arena into a
will be able to do the same thing here that is happening
reality, ready to host passionate and faithful supporters.
there. As soon as a concert ends, they put the grass back
in the stage area and it is ready for a soccer game.” Fal-
A refurbished stage for the final
cão toured the Dutch arena alongside Carlos Alberto Tor-
In 2014 Maracanã will be almost nothing like the stadium
res, captain of the Brazil team that won the World Cup in
that hosted the 1950 World Cup. Its glorious 60-year history,
Mexico in 1970.
with photos and relics of the great stars and unforgettable
soccer classics, will be displayed in a museum next to the
stadium, which is being prepared to become one of the
most modern and comfortable of its kind in the world. “The
changes are both radical and necessary,” explains Project
Director Paulo Falcão Correa Filho. “The end result will be
a beautiful stadium seating 79,500 people; a multi-purpose
arena.” More than 5,000 people are working on these construction projects on a daily basis.
The project is the responsibility of a joint-venture contractor formed by Odebrecht Infraestrutura (leader) and
Andrade Gutierrez. The State Government, which owns Maracanã, is the client, through the State of Rio Public Works
Companies (Emop), whose President, Ícaro Moreno, visits
the jobsite every day. The stadium was closed to soccer two
years ago. Ícaro predicts: “Despite the time that has already
been dedicated to seeking a solution for covering the stands,
the work will be completed by the beginning of 2013. The
hardest 55% has been completed; there’s 45% left to go.”
Project Manager Carlos Bernardo Zaeyen, who has
played an active role in the project from the start, also
worked on the revamp of Maracanã for the 2007 Pan
American Games. He agrees with Paulo Falcão’s and Ícaro Moreno’s optimistic forecasts, announcing a new and
important stage: the installation of a cover for the stands.
“The plan was to maintain the old marquee and widen it
with a steel extension, but it became clear that the structure had deteriorated over the years and would have to
be demolished,” Zaeyen informs. “The marquee was demolished and now a concrete ring is being installed. Steel
rods will emerge from it to hold up the cover, which is
made of special resistant fabric.”
Characters in a beautiful story
Zaeyen and Falcão ride up to the highest level in an elevator from where all of the work on the upper and lower
stands and in the surrounding areas can be seen, with
Mount Corcovado, a symbol of Rio, in the background.
The lower stairway will be closer to the pitch, and the
plastic seats will soon be installed.
44
informa
Clockwise from top, Arnaldo Cambraia and Almir Fontenele in
the Stadium Radio studio; Fluminense fan Raquel Souza da Silva;
workers watching co-workers play ball at the Itaquera jobsite;
and Flamengo fan Carla de Jesus Arthur: people who are making
the new Maracanã Stadium and Corinthians Arena a reality
Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, twice-champion on the pitch
and the team’s coach for its third world championship, was
moved by his recent participation at the monthly Breakfast
with the Leader meeting at the Maracanã. It involves inviting a famous soccer star for an informal discussion with 13
workers with different responsibilities at the site, as well as
Paulo Falcão and Carlos Zaeyen. “It has been a good way of
encouraging dialogue between the leaders and other team
members and for developing unity and team spirit. Former
players Zico and Roberto Dinamite have also taken part in
the Breakfast with the Leader meeting,” says Falcão.
Flamengo fan and Rio de Janeiro native Carla de Jesus
Arthur, 27, was one of the most enthusiastic Odebrecht
members there. She was thrilled at the presence of these
great stars from the past at the Maracanã construction
site. A former soccer player, Carla has been working as a
welder for the past year. “I have soccer in my blood. I was
a defender at Madureira, São Cristóvão and Botafogo and I
played next to Marta on the 2000 Brazil team.”
Production Assistant Elisângela Soares supports Vasco
da Gama, the archrivals of Carla’s team. She is clearly emotional when talking about her job. “I never thought that one
day I would take part in this beautiful project. It is a question of destiny.” Carpenter Joaquim de Oliveira, a Vasco and
Corinthians fan, is working on the base for the cover. He
guarantees: “If it depends on the new Maracanã, the World
Cup will be an enormous success.”
Raquel Souza da Silva, 19, from Rio de Janeiro, shows
off her headgear, which has a Fluminense crest attached
informa
45
to it. “I love soccer and Fluminense. My Dad, Francisco,
works here as a foreman. And I help him count the workers’ hours.” And what about Botafogo? Yes, the club which
unveiled Garrincha at Maracanã is also represented at the
Coming into being: the
Corinthians Arena, the
backdrop of the opening game
of the 2014 World Cup, is
rapidly taking shape
construction site: the passionate Botafogo fans include
leaders Paulo Falcão and Carlos Zaeyen.
Where the ball will roll first
When it is completed in December 2013, the Corinthians
Arena will have set several records, thanks, above all, to the
unison between the client, the contractor and the federal,
state and municipal governments. This is lucky for the Corinthians club, who are now seeing a 100-year old dream
come true. The main record set: construction speed. The
inauguration of the stadium, which will seat up to 48,000
people and will also be the center stage for the opening of
the 2014 World Cup with 68,000 seats (thanks to the installation of removable stands for 20,000 people), will take place a
little more than two and a half years after the first Odebrecht
workers broke ground in the Itaquera district. The city of São
Paulo, the host for this great event, is very lucky indeed.
On May 30, 2012, the work team stopped for a few moments to celebrate the first anniversary of the beginning of
construction in the Itaquera district in the East Zone of São
project. Everyone wants to know how the Corinthians Arena
Paulo. Soon afterward, and with the same enthusiasm,
is progressing. The answer is simple: it is going really well.”
each member went back to work to erect the stands that
Architect Jorge Borja represents Corinthians. “The se-
are already gaining shape. They are working at a speed that
cret here is everyone’s involvement, as we are all on the
will guarantee fulfillment of the deadline for Odebrecht,
same team, seeking solutions.” Frederico Barbosa has
the only company working on this project. Forty percent of
been at the site since the first shovel dug into the ground
the project had been completed by June.
at Itaquera a little over a year ago. There are photos of the
The 198,000-sq.m area where the stadium is being
scale model of the stadium and a poster in his office: “Here
constructed is located next to metro and train stations. The
we sit at the same table, eat the same food and wear the
project was designed by the architects Aníbal Coutinho and
same jersey: team Odebrecht Infraestrutura.” Accus-
Antonio Paulo Cordeiro of Coutinho, Diegues, Corteiro/
tomed to building tunnels, railroads and subways, he had
DDG. The Corinthians club’s current president, Mário Gob-
a surprise when he arrived at the stadium site to get the
bi, and vice president, Luiz Paulo Rosenberg, are informed
project started. “I had to give interviews to dozens of TV and
about the project’s status on a daily basis.
radio stations, newspapers and magazines.”
Sitting in his office at the construction site, Project Director Antonio Roberto Gavioli observes that the close relation-
46
Barcelama, Ruimadri...
ship between the partners has contributed to the acceler-
Fred, as he is known, is proud of saying that “the ball
ated pace of the arena’s construction. “The setting in this
has already started rolling” at the World Cup Arena. The
office helps, because I’m working side by side with Corin-
Mini Brazilian Championship began on May 21, involving 40
thians and FIFA representatives.” The Operations Manager,
society soccer teams. Each team has six workers from the
Frederico Barbosa, is in the office next door. “I am always
jobsite and the final will be held on December 3. Among the
talking to the workers in the construction areas, at breakfast
teams are Barcelama, Ruimadrid, Os Ronaldos, Marteleiros
meetings and also at the Daily Safety Dialogues, which are
and Os Ferraduras. The gray synthetic pitch – avoiding the
held at the start of each of the three shifts” he says, add-
green of Palmeiras, Corinthians’ archrival – which is next to
ing: “I can see how proud everyone is of this high-visibility
the recreation sector called Warrior’s Corner, is the location
informa
for the late-afternoon matches which receive a commen-
work but it has been really good to be a part of all of this,”
tary from the internal radio station.
he says. Another supervisor, Valentim Valeretto, from Bi-
There is a real radio station at the site, called Stadium
rigui, São Paulo State, agrees: “If there was any doubt, all
Radio. It is run by an engineer, the Sustainability Manager,
of this confirms the fact that the stadium will be ready.”
Antonio Pigat Zuchowski, and two commentators – safety
The words painted on a nearby wall reflect this state of
technician Almir Fontenele and environmental engi-
mind: “The 2014 World Cup starts here.”
neer Arnaldo Cambraia. Almir, who is from the state of
Carlos Hermanny Filho, Odebrecht Infraestrutura’s
Piauí and worked in radio in his home town of Piracuru,
Executive Director for the 2014 World Cup, observes:
explains: “The radio station operates 24 hours a day and
“The Cup is a unique event, and building a project in this
can be heard in the site’s common social areas, such as
context requires the harmonious participation of a large
the cafeteria, with music and information, as well as com-
number of key actors, such as the government, FIFA, in-
mentary on our championship matches.”
vestors, banks, the Local Organizing Committee (COL),
The Itaquera project currently involves 1,820 workers
suppliers, NGOs, trade unions, supervisory bodies, and
from 22 states. Almir’s Piauí is represented by 218 work-
the public in general. This has required patience, flexibil-
ers, second only to São Paulo, which has 373 from that
ity and determination from the Odebrecht teams involved
state. Of the 250 who completed the Acreditar (Believe)
in the event.”
Ongoing Professional Education Program, 81 have been
According to Hermanny, in this context, delivering the
hired and are still working at the site. Most are Corin-
Corinthians Arena for the opening of the World Cup and
thians supporters but there are also São Paulo, Palmei-
Maracanã Stadium for its closing game, while making the
rense and Santos fans...
construction of the Pernambuco and Bahia arenas fea-
Francisco das Chagas Lopes, from the state of Paraí-
sible through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), has in-
ba, is better known as Supervisor Pará. He has worked
volved tremendous challenges. They became even bigger
for Odebrecht for 38 years and organized the first work-
following the decision (taken in 2011) to include three of
ers mobilized in Itaquera. He smiles as he points out the
these arenas on the list of host sites for the FIFA Confed-
stands which have already been erected. “It was a lot of
erations Cup in June 2013.
informa
47
homes
FOR SPORTS. THE ARTS. AND
CULTURE. AND MORE...
The Fonte Nova
and Pernambuco arenas
will go beyond soccer
to host major national
and international events
for business, edification
and pleasure
written by João Paulo Carvalho
photos by Arthur Ikishima (Fonte Nova) and Lia Lubambo (Pernambuco Arena)
A multipurpose venue: the Fonte
Nova Arena will also host concerts,
exhibitions and conferences
48
informa
48
T
he President Dutra Bridge between
Juazeiro
and
The club has already signed a Memorandum of
Petrolina
Understanding with Fonte Nova Negócios e Par-
is not the only link between the
ticipações (FNP) – a Special Purpose Company
northeastern Brazilian states of
(SPC) formed by Odebrecht Participações e In-
Pernambuco and Bahia. Their
vestimentos (Holdings and Investments) and OAS,
passion for soccer and prospects of hosting one of
which was contracted by the State of Bahia to build
world’s most spectacular sporting events are new
and operate Fonte Nova Arena for 35 years – con-
ties that bind these two Brazilian states.
firming their intention to hold their games at the
On October 30, 2007, FIFA President Sepp Blat-
new stadium. FNP has also been in contact with
ter announced that Brazil would host the 2014
the Vitória Sports Club, which has not decided
World Cup. The country already knew it would be
whether it will also be using the facility.
chosen, because the other competitors had withdrawn their bids, but after the official announce-
Unprecedented operation
ment was made, the explosion of joy in the streets
Salvador began to live and breathe the event
could have been for a goal in a championship final.
when it saw the old stadium being demolished to
In fact, championship finals are a familiar situ-
make way for the new arena. The implosion, which
ation for fans of the great teams of Salvador and
took place on August 29, 2010, required 700 kilos
Recife, respectively the state capitals of Bahia and
of explosives, and some 1,300 professionals were
Pernambuco. The numbers prove it. While the Ba-
in charge of the details of an unprecedented op-
hia Sports Club has the most fans in the North-
eration for that city. All told, 2,467 people, includ-
east, according to an Ibope poll commissioned in
ing residents and local merchants, were evacu-
January by Lance! magazine, the matches of Re-
ated from 962 buildings between 7 am and noon
cife’s Santa Cruz club have the highest average at-
that day to contribute to the project’s success. And
tendance in Brazil, even when the team was only
it was so successful that the Fonte Nova Arena’s
playing in the Third Division. Last February, in a
PR and marketing team garnered the 2011 Aberje
match for the Pernambuco championship against
Prize for the North and Northeast in the Press Re-
Sport Recife – which has the largest fan base in
lations category.
the state – no less than 45,109 supporters turned
Some of the 77,000 tonnes of concrete from the
out to cheer for Santa Cruz and see their team be-
original Fonte Nova stadium have been turned into
come this year’s state champion.
sculptures at the hands of Bahian artist Bel Borba.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is coming to crown
Creatively using twisted iron mixed with cement, he
Brazil’s passion for soccer. The sports arenas
transformed them into works of art that were exhib-
under construction are a dream come true for
ited from January to March this year at the Rodin
millions of fans from Bahia and Pernambuco. In
Bahia museum in Salvador. Other bits of concrete
addition to their pride in hosting an event of that
were sold as souvenirs at the Fonte Nova Arena Visi-
magnitude, these stadiums are a chance to boost
tors’ Center to support the Sister Dulce Social Works
the development of their state capitals through the
(OSID) charity. However, most of the debris resulting
urban renewal and new business opportunities
from the implosion has been recycled and reused in
that will come in the wake of the multi-purpose
the construction of the new arena and other infra-
facilities that are under construction. Their legacy.
structure works underway in Salvador.
Bahia supporter Alisson Jones says: “The feel-
In Pernambuco, the new arena will be the re-
ing is profound joy because we’re going back to our
sult of a project that started from scratch. The
‘melting pot,’ which is Fonte Nova Stadium. Now Ba-
land was already owned by the State Government,
hia will be able to play at home again, surrounded by
which held a tender for the project according to
all the history the club has lived in this arena. I’ve got
FIFA’s specifications. The Recife metropolitan re-
nothing against Pituaçu Stadium, but there’s nothing
gion rejoiced in late May when FIFA confirmed that
better than watching Bahia at the Fonte (‘Source’).”
it would be hosting the Confederations Cup, which
informa
49
Clockwise from top, the Pernambuco Arena
under construction; Bahia fan Alisson Jones at the
Fonte Nova Arena; shift supervisor José Rosano
and assistant electrician Thiago da Cunha José
at the Pernambuco Arena: future venues of
major sporting and entertainment events
will be held in June 2013 at six of the 12 host
cities for the World Cup.
Work on the arenas is going on at an energetic pace. Fonte Nova in Salvador has already
exceeded the 62% mark, while Recife’s arena
is already 43% complete and stepping up hiring. Both projects are at the peak of construction. Fonte Nova Arena has 3,300 workers,
while the Pernambuco Arena had 4,000 by the
end of June. The first shift begins promptly at
7 am and the last ends after 4 am the next day.
According to Alexandre Chiavegatto, Project
Director for the Fonte Nova Arena joint-venture
contractor: “Our goal is to finish the project by
December this year, six months before the
Confederations Cup, enough time to carry out
all the tests required before the games begin.”
On May 30, FIFA announced the schedule for
the matches and confirmed that the Brazil side
will play at least one game in Salvador. Recife
may host Spain’s national team, the current
world champions.
50
informa
informa
Soccer and shows
In Bahia, the new arena will also provide a
venue for major shows and concerts, something Salvador had been lacking. Many major
events have bypassed the city for lack of a facility with suitable infrastructure. Therefore,
Fonte Nova Arena will feature 50,000 covered
seats, 70 boxes seating 1,250 people, 2,100 VIP
seats and 94 toilets, including 23 for people
with special needs. It will also offer a convention center, restaurants with panoramic views
of green spaces and Dique do Tororó lagoon
– one of Salvador’s most scenic spots – a cultural space, 39 food stands, a press area, 2,000
parking spots, bicycle racks and plenty of room
for the public to circulate.
According to Dênio Sidreira, President of
Fonte Nova Arena, Salvador is about to get a
multipurpose facility that will put it in a prominent position on the national scene. “As of
2013, the city will be able to host major cultural
events, such as concerts, exhibitions, seminars
and conferences, and provide a new option for
smaller gatherings, like graduation ceremonies
and weddings, as well as housing a museum of
sports and culture. It is a paradigm shift in how
to organize and host events in a vibrant city like
Salvador,” he observes.
To ensure the venture’s successful operations, Fonte Nova has hired a consulting firm,
Amsterdam ArenA, the company responsible
for operating the facility of the same name in
the Dutch capital, where the Ajax team holds
its matches. The Amsterdam ArenA hosts an
average of three events per week, with constantly changing backdrops. In less than 24
hours, a soccer match can give way to a major
concert, play, dance performance or corporate
event. The Dutch stadium hosts The Sensation,
one of the biggest electronic music events in
Europe and, among other artists, has featured
concerts by Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2
and Lenny Kravitz. According to Henk Markerink, President of the Amsterdam ArenA, Fonte
informa
51
The illustration shows what the
future Pernambuco Arena will
look like as an integral part of
Latin America’s first Smart City:
a new vector of development
for the state
52
Nova will become a major landmark for Salvador.
of pre-cast parts and 31,000 cu.m of parts cast at
Like Amsterdam’s arena, the new facility will be
the jobsite.
a fresh destination for business, leisure and en-
To ensure excellent construction standards, the
tertainment. “This partnership will give the Fonte
Fonte Nova Arena has recently undergone two au-
Nova Arena world-class standards of operations,
dits that resulted in international quality certifica-
enriched with the local ‘flavor,’” he says.
tion and the title of FIFA-Standard Multipurpose
The Fonte Nova Arena occupies a total area of
Arena Construction approved by Inmetro under the
116,000 square meters, of which 90,000 sq.m are
ISO 9001 standard. The first audit, which took place
dedicated to the multipurpose facility. Scheduled
between April 23 and 27, was conducted by Bureau
for completion by early July, along with the metal
Veritas Certification (BVC) to evaluate issues such
structure of the compression ring that forms the
as work environment, engineering, technologi-
roof, the fully covered stands occupy a 36,000-sq.m
cal control of incoming materials and products,
area. Once it is ready, steel cables will hold the sta-
personnel training and qualification, and records
dium’s cover in place. The early stages of comple-
management, among other items. The second as-
tion are also scheduled for July, and the seats and
sessment took place between May 21 and 25, per-
the grass will be installed in October, covering a
formed by Vanzolini to verify the implementation of
108 m by 65 m area. Altogether, the project will re-
procedures and routines that perform all functions
quire 45,000 cubic meters of concrete, 14,000 cu.m
with the highest degree of accuracy.
informa
tions through the opportunity presented by the
World Cup. The public will enjoy improvements
in urban mobility, investments in hospitality,
entertainment and public safety, and go on to
have one of the best and most advanced soccer stadiums in the country, which is the heart
of Cidade da Copa. This represents an improvement in quality of life, and we are proud
of our company’s participation in this process,”
he says.
Like its counterpart in Salvador, the Pernambuco Arena will do more than host soccer games. With a total area of 156,000 square
meters, including 24,000 sq.m of stands, the
facility will offer 46,000 seats, 4,700 parking
spaces, 13 escalators, eight elevators and 102
boxes. The Pernambuco Arena Consortium,
an SPC formed by Odebrecht Participações e
Investimentos and Odebrecht Infraestrutura,
has hired the US firm AEG Facilities to run the
arena. A world leader in the entertainment industry, AEG is responsible for the design and
management of LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, and owns the Los Angeles Lakers basketball club and the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer
team. It also runs more than 100 stadiums in
14 countries, including the O2 Arena in London, hailed as the best indoor facility of its kind
Legacy for Pernambuco
in the world.
According to Marcos Lessa, President of the
Pernambuco is making the most of the up-
Pernambuco Arena Consortium, this partner-
coming World Cup. An area located 19 km from
ship with AEG will attract big names in show
the center of Recife was chosen to house the
business, making Pernambuco a national
state’s new arena. The state capital is growing at
benchmark. “Even without this facility, we have
an accelerated pace, and its population density
already hosted artists of the stature of Paul
and heavy traffic have created challenges that
McCartney, so once the Pernambuco Arena
can be overcome with the help of a new vector of
opens, these moments of celebration should
development: Cidade da Copa (World Cup City).
become increasingly frequent.”
This is the name of Latin America’s first Smart
In addition to the entire structure, the Per-
City, where the arena is located. According to
nambuco Arena will feature a solar power
Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure) Proj-
plant installed through a partnership between
ect Director Bruno Dourado, who is responsible
Odebrecht Energia (Energy) and the Neoen-
for the venture, the state has seized this op-
ergia Group. The plant will have a 1-MW gen-
portunity to further strengthen the Recife met-
erating capacity, enough to power a town of
ropolitan area’s development through projects
6,000. It will primarily supply energy for the
carried out in several segments. “Pernambuco
new arena and generate carbon credits for the
is striving to leave a legacy for future genera-
venture.
informa
53
The end of the last game
of the NBA’s 2012 season, when
the Heat won the championship:
Miami celebrates
heating up
THE CAULDRON
54
54
informa
The home of the Miami Heat,
the current NBA champions,
the American Airlines Arena
complex can be adapted to host
many kinds of events
photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images
written by Thais Reiss
informa
55
T
he American Airlines Arena (AAA) rang
The construction of the AAA was marked by several
with the voices of over 20,000 fans. “Let’s
challenges, including hurricanes and tropical storms,
go Heat, let’s go Heat, let’s go Heat!”
in addition to the special precautions required to pro-
The chanting grew with each pass, every
tect the environment while draining the land where it
shot, every point the Miami Heat scored
was built, which is very close to Biscayne Bay.
against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final match
The biggest challenges, however, resulted from the
for the 2012 season of the NBA, the world’s main bas-
highly ambitious schedule. Built on the fast-track sys-
ketball league, on the night of June 21. The fans went
tem (engineering developed simultaneously with con-
wild, cheering the moves and precision of the players,
struction), it was completed in just 22 months, despite
especially the “Big 3”: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James
the need for design changes during construction and
and Chris Bosh, who, along with their teammates,
the fact that the team only had 30% of the blueprints
raised the cup as two-time champions.
when they broke ground, situations that were part of the
Inaugurated on December 31, 1999, with singer Gloria
job when carrying out the project at an extremely fast
Estefan’s Millennium Concert, the AAA, home of the Mi-
pace. “We were only able to overcome these challenges
ami Heat, which won its first NBA championship in 2006,
because of our excellent relationship with the client,
has also hosted boxing, wrestling, martial arts, tennis and
designers and subcontractors. I remember the atmo-
Olympic gymnastics championships, firmly establishing
sphere of cooperation, the constant exchange of ideas
itself as a major sports complex in southern Florida.
and proactive attitude towards the needs of the project
With a 640,000-sq.m built area and 112 m in height,
in order to accomplish all our goals, as well as how we
the arena seats up to 23,000 people and can be adapted
handled and incorporated all the changes required,”
to accommodate various kinds of events. The complex
says Gustavo Lazaro, who was Responsible for the Air
has hosted world-famous artists such as U2, Madonna,
Conditioning System.
the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga, and
Pablo Rodriguez points out that the complex was
Brazilian icons like singers Roberto Carlos and Ivete
delivered on schedule and the occupancy permit was
Sangalo. It has also been the backdrop for Disney on
issued in record time. “The city officials were surprised,
Ice, Blue Man Group, the Latin Grammy Awards and the
because of the magnitude of the project,” he recalls.
MTV Video Music Awards.
56
photo: Henrique Valle
American Airlines Arena
and, opposite, Florida
International University’s
stadium: achievements
for their communities
Vivian Rojas-Keller, the officer Responsible for Ad-
“To this day, I remember the installation of the last
ministration on the project, observes that it also pro-
set of beams. It was amazing to see the sheer magni-
duced enduring personal rewards and lasting friend-
tude of the steel structure holding up the roof of the
ships. “We were a very close team, and I believe that
building, and the suspended apparatus used for the
the ethos of service was behind our success through-
maintenance of lighting, air conditioning, the speak-
out the entire program. The satisfaction of completing
ers,” says a visibly moved Pablo Rodriguez, who was
a project like that and delivering it to the community is
Responsible for Finishings on the project.
extraordinary – there’s nothing like it.”
informa
Steve Binford, who was responsible for the arena’s
has had (and is still having) a strong impact on the lo-
structure and is now on the Odebrecht team in New Or-
cal community. This became clear once again on Oc-
leans, agrees: “It was a defining moment in my career
tober 1, 2011, when 22,682 fans fervently supported
and the most rewarding project I’ve ever been involved
their American football teams on the campus of Flor-
in. I’m crazy about sports and always dreamed of build-
ida International University (FIU). The home team, the
ing a cutting-edge complex. I still look back on that
Golden Panthers, was playing against Duke Universi-
project with pride, 12 years later.”
ty’s Blue Devils with record attendance at the stadium.
The AAA is strategically located in the heart of Mi-
Popularly known as “the cage” because it is the home
ami, and has contributed to the regeneration of the
of the Golden Panthers, the facility was built between
region, giving life to adjacent properties. The famous
2007 and 2008 by Odebrecht USA, on the same spot
Bayside tourist area and Adrienne Arsht Center for the
where the company had demolished the old one.
Performing Arts Center, also built by Odebrecht USA
“The new stadium had a huge impact on the com-
and opened in 2006, are just a few blocks away from the
munity. Besides being one of the few universities in
arena. Gustavo Lazaro notes that the AAA marked the
Florida with its own stadium, by opening this stadium
beginning of a new era in that region, not only creating
FIU provided a fresh source of pride for the administra-
jobs in the construction industry but also in the service
tion, faculty, students and athletes of that institution.
sector due to the emergence of new residential and
Sports can bring people together in a very special way,”
commercial buildings and culinary attractions.
says Odebrecht’s Carlos Nuñez, who was promoted
Always looking for ways to become more energy efficient and eco-friendly, the AAA has been certified as
from Project Engineer to General Superintendent during that project.
an LEED building by the US Green Building Council.
According to FIU Athletic Director Pete Garcia: “Ode-
The certification was based on the performance (and
brecht has built a stadium capable of bringing the com-
improvement) of its operations. In the case of the AAA,
munity together for various kinds of events.” He also
it means efficient water use and energy consumption,
observes that partnering up with the company was the
and underground parking (reducing emissions of gases
best decision they made. “The project was completed
that trap heat in the atmosphere), among other factors.
on schedule and within the proposed budget. Working
Vivian Rojas-Keller observes: “We are still experienc-
with Gilberto Neves [CEO of Odebrecht USA] and his
ing the enduring positive impact of the AAA. Anyone who
team was a great experience. In addition to the exper-
has visited the arena and enjoyed what it has to offer
tise they provided, they all treated the stadium like it
knows that the AAA provides an intense experience and
was their own.”
helps bring our community together in a powerful way.”
Rudy Armenta, the Project Director for the stadium,
enthusiastically recalls the time when that project was
On-campus stadium
underway in Miami: “It was an unforgettable experi-
The American Airlines Arena is not the only sports
ence to help build an iconic project like that at my alma
mater!”
Odebrecht archives
facility Odebrecht has built in Miami. Another stadium
informa
informa
5757
memOrY
The run-up to the
2007 Pan American Games
demonstrated Rio’s ability
to host major events
written by Zaccaria Junior
F
58
ive years ago, between
if it were yesterday. “The Pan Ameri-
July 13 and 29, 2007,
can Games were very important for
Rio de Janeiro emerged
Odebrecht. We not only saw them as
as the backdrop for one
an opportunity to contribute to infra-
of the most important
structure and stadium construction
sporting events on the continent: the
projects but they allowed us to focus
15th Pan American Games. The bud-
on a different type of business, view-
get for the city’s candidacy, the sum
ing sports and entertainment as new
of BRL 1.48 billion, which covered the
business,” he observes.
organization’s investments and costs,
Odebrecht’s challenge in taking
was based on the estimated partici-
part in the Pan American Games
pation of approximately 25,000 peo-
took the form of delivering a retrofit-
ple, including athletes, referees and
ted Maracanã stadium to the people
delegates, volunteers and registered
of Rio de Janeiro, along with a new
journalists, among others. Helping
Mini Maracanã (gyms) equipped with
Rio host the Pan American Games
air conditioning and a 800-sq.m court
was a challenge for Odebrecht and its
and João Havelange Olympic Sta-
members. Odebrecht’s involvement
dium, or “Engenhão,” which is one of
with this mega event started in 2003,
the most advanced facilities of its kind
when the Organizing Committee for
in the world and suitable for competi-
the games requested the company’s
tions at the highest level – a chapter
support and began making the prep-
apart in Odebrecht’s role in the 2007
arations which would allow the state
Pan American Games. The Olympic
capital to host an event of that mag-
Stadium is considered an engineer-
nitude.
ing landmark, especially because of
João Borba, the officer Responsi-
the challenging construction of its
ble for New Business at Odebrecht In-
metal cover, which despite weigh-
fraestrutura (Infrastructure), enthusi-
ing more than 4,000 tonnes, seems
astically remembers those events as
to float over the stands, protecting
informa
58
Odebrecht Archives
TRIAL
BY FIRE
João Havelange Oympic
Stadium being built for the
2007 Pan American Games:
a challenging project for Rio
and Odebrecht
informa
informa
5959
people from the rain and dispersing noise and heat. The upper part
is supported by four large arches,
which are more than 70m in height.
Installing the cover was not originally Odebrecht’s responsibility, but the
company ended up taking on part
of that task and went into action to
carry out all of the finishings, installation, building automation, ticketing
systems, lighting, air conditioning
and roof tiles, among other items included in the tender.
Another Odebrecht project in Rio
de Janeiro that was also carried out
to prepare the city for the Pan Ameri-
stadium projects, he is particularly
given to projects which could be de-
can Games was the new arrival and
referring to Odebrecht’s leading role
veloped in the city.
departure terminal at the city’s cen-
in structuring the concession pro-
“Beginning in 2003, due to our in-
trally located Santos Dumont Air-
cess for the Jacarepaguá Race Track
volvement in the preparations for the
port, which can handle up to eight
Complex. This was a totally innova-
Pan American Games, I started trav-
million passengers per year.
tive project, developed to make that
eling abroad to see what was being
site one of the most advanced multi-
done around the world from the per-
purpose sports complexes in the
spective of sports as business, look-
A new business emerges
When João Borba mentions the
world. It came about following the
ing beyond construction, which had
idea of a “new business” that went
Organizing Committee’s request for
not been done before,” Borba recalls.
beyond building infrastructure and
support so that consideration was
“I started doing some research on
Maracanã and “Mini Maracanã”
being refurbished for the Pan
American Games and Santos Dumont
Airport shortly after its expansion:
a legacy for the city informa
60
photos: Odebrecht Archives
how multi-purpose arenas operated,
points out that all of this would be
held by the City of Rio de Janeiro to
what was done, how it was possible
developed and constructed with Ode-
implement, operate and maintain
to have an ice-hockey game in the
brecht’s own resources, with the right
Olympic Park for the 2016 Games.
morning and a rock concert at night,
to commercially develop the area for a
This BRL 1.5-billion venture will
for example. That’s how the Rio Sport
50-year period. Project financing was
be built on the same spot where
Plaza was born,” he adds.
developed to make these investments
the Rio Sports Plaza was conceived
The Rio Sport Plaza was conceived
feasible, with the sale of naming rights
eight years ago. The complex will oc-
to consolidate a multi-purpose sports
for the complex as the key product –
cupy an area greater than 1,000,000
complex and other facilities in the vi-
a solution that would be viewed as a
square meters and will include four
cinity in a single location, including
major innovation at the time.
gyms, two stadiums, 16 tennis courts
and an Olympic arena that will in-
leisure and entertainment develop-
Olympic Park
clude an aquatic center and velo-
ness centers. The area envisaged for
The relationship between inno-
drome.
this project is located on Jacarepaguá
vation and project financing, lack of
The project includes the con-
Lagoon in the Barra da Tijuca district,
political support, the tight timeframe
struction of Olympic facilities which
where the Rio de Janeiro International
for completion and organizational
will become the legacy of the Games,
Race Track is currently located. “The
complexity kept this dream from
including three halls which will
concept was that we would invest
coming true, but a seed had been
house various competitions and an
our own resources to build a multi-
planted.” Over time we were able to
athletics track. In addition, Olympic
purpose arena, a multi-functional
develop the concept behind the Rio
Park’s complete infrastructure, a
velodrome and an aquatic park for
Sport Plaza project, which led us to
social center, a commercial building
the Games and modernize the race
invest in PPPs today, using a model
that will be used as a Media Center
track, which would be approved for
which is very similar to what we were
for most of the 20,000 journalists
Formula 1 races by the International
thinking of at the time. It could be
covering the Games and a 400-room
Motor Sport Federation. In return, the
said that our recent participation in
hotel will be built. The main sports
Rio Sport Plaza Special Purpose En-
constructing and operating Olympic
complex for the 2016 Olympics, the
tity (SPE) would have the right to de-
Park is the evolution of that concept,”
park will be the venue for 15 Olym-
velop a real estate complex that would
João Borba observes.
pic events and 11 Paralympic events.
ments, hotels and shopping and busi-
include a hotel, shopping mall, con-
The Rio 2016 Olympic Park joint
“Other investments involving this
vention center, leisure and entertain-
venture, comprising Odebrecht In-
type of partnership will certainly
ment areas and commercial build-
fraestrutura, Andrade Gutierrez and
come in time, consolidating Ode-
ings, located in a total area of 900,000
Carvalho Hosken, was formed to par-
brecht’s participation in this busi-
square meters,” Borba explains. He
ticipate in a tender for a PPP Project
ness,” says João Borba.
informa
61
raw materi
COME INTO PL AY
From natural leather to modern sports
equipment made from thermoplastic resin,
a story of technological developments
in sports
written by Emanuella Sombra photos by Fred Chalub
Rolls of synthetic
leather made
by Sintex: the
company supplies
materials used
to make sports
equipment for
some of the world’s
leading brands
62
62
informa
als
I
n the early 20th century, they were made of thick
leather, had no cleats and looked more like actual boots. But in the 1950s, their makers found
that cowhide, which is much lighter and more
flexible, gave athletes more speed and greater
control of the ball.
As soccer matured, the boots were modernized: in
the late 1950s, Pele wore kangaroo leather models with
cleats that could be switched to suit different kinds of
grass. Diego Armando Maradona tried a version weighing 270 grams, with polyurethane soles and cleats, and
Ronaldo started the fashion of sideways cleats and
bright colors. Today, superstar Lionel Messi dances
around the opposing team in ultra-light models weighing just 150 grams, made of leather and synthetic fiber.
“The developments in sports footwear have been
huge. Today’s sectorized production allows manufacturers to ensure better quality control,” says Reginaldo Milbradt, President of the Sintex Group, one of Brazil’s five
largest producers of synthetic leather. Every day, he follows all stages of production of the materials used at the
company’s factory in Boracéia, a town located in one of
São Paulo State’s strategic footwear manufacturing hubs.
Reginaldo gives a detailed explanation of how the
production line operates, without taking his eyes off a
huge strip of moldable paper on which a viscous black
liquid is being poured. There, the liquid is spread out,
heated and cooled until it turns into huge rolls of black
synthetic leather, which are then packaged and labeled.
In half an hour, the black liquid is replaced by another,
this time light green, and then another, which is silver,
at a pace that must meet the constant demand from the
company’s clients – some of the leading sporting goods
brands on the market.
Sintex supplies raw materials to makers of soccer
boots, tennis shoes, balls and goalkeeper gloves. They
represent 50% of the factory’s total output, which also
includes products for the footwear market. It all starts by
mixing ingredients together. “It’s like a recipe for a giant
cake: the plasticizer is the milk, the pigments are the
eggs and the PVC resin is the flour,” Reginaldo explains
with a smile.
Every month, truckloads of this “flour” (from 75 to 120
tonnes per shipment) arrive at Sintex from Braskem,
which is responsible for 70% of the PVC resin the factory uses. These figures are expected to increase thanks
to the FIFA Confederations Cup (2013) and World Cup
INFORMA
63
(2014), which Sintex estimates will boost the plant’s production by at
least 20%. The strong US dollar should also help make domestic products more competitive in Brazil.
“Our production is directly linked to the end consumer. If people
buy more balls, we will have to produce more PVC resin,” observes
Braskem PVC Accounts Manager Alex Ricardo Duarte. He notes that
the mechanical properties of synthetic leather, which is lighter and
more resistant than the real thing, together with its low cost compared
with other materials, make PVC a product that is in great demand in
the sports industry.
Keenly aware of new trends and keeping ahead of the needs of
manufacturers of items like sports shoes and balls – who are increasingly focused on the performance, design and durability of their products – Braskem, the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the
Americas, is actively seeking solutions through research, technology
development and fine tuning with its clients.
Resins that the company produces, such as polyethylene, are being used as raw materials to make synthetic grass – a kind of turf
that is becoming more and more popular in stadiums because it
is easy to maintain and less susceptible to weather conditions. Inputs such as butadiene are used to produce gym mats, and solvents
like toluene become adhesives for high-performance tennis shoes.
And unlike the old days, when athletes wore heavy cotton shirts and
shorts, cumene is an ingredient for producing nylon used in the
manufacture of uniforms.
Amsterdam ArenA
On other fronts, the company is producing the innovations the
sports industry demands. They are coming down the pipeline thanks
to tried and tested solutions: a technology Braskem developed six
years ago, the manufacture of “green” plastic made with sugarcane
ethanol, was the focus of a contract signed between the company and
the Amsterdam ArenA in the Netherlands. It involves supplying 2,000
seats made from sugarcane polyethylene for the home
introduced the world to the great
Johan Cruyff.
Da
rio
de
Fre
itas
of the Ajax Football Club, the soccer team that
64
INFORMA
Manufacturing synthetic
leather: Braskem supplies
the raw materials Sintex
uses to make it
“This is about using a sustainable option, which is producing
ethylene from sugarcane ethanol,” says Fabio Carneiro, Braskem’s
Commercial Director for the Renewables Business. In addition to
coming from a renewable source – ethanol derived from sugarcane
– this kind of ethylene can be processed with the same equipment
used to make conventional plastics.
Inspired by global concern about the preservation of natural resources, this Braskem initiative was the subject of a feature published on CNN’s website in February. According to Carneiro, the expectation is that all 54,000 stadium seats in the Dutch stadium will
be replaced, and this will become a viable alternative for other sports
facilities in Brazil, such as the stadiums that will host the next FIFA
World Cup.
The industry is putting its chips on the Cup. And Braskem is already playing an active role in the preparations for the most eagerly
anticipated sporting event on the planet. The fans who watch the
World Cup final at Rio’s Maracanã Stadium on July 13, 2014, will be
protected by a metal shield composed of hydrocarbon resin licensed
and produced by Braskem at the Santo André Petrochemical Complex in São Paulo State.
Unilene resin, which is exported to Europe and the United States, is
one of the components of two types of paint manufactured by the Dutch
company Akzo Nobel. Intergard 475HS and Interseal 670HS will coat
the cover and metal structures of the legendary stadium, which is being
refurbished by Consórcio Maracanã Rio 2014, a joint venture of Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure) and Andrade Gutierrez.
“One of Unilene’s key attributes is that it’s waterproof, which provides greater protection from
corrosion for metal structures coated with that
product. This is essential for the manufacturer
because it makes their product more competitive,” says Arariboia Martins, the Technical
Manager at Akzo Nobel (M&PC – Marine and
Protective Coatings Unit). According to
Martins, the multinational
company is negotiating the
use of these coatings in other
arenas that are being built or revamped in Brazil.
“This type of resin has a wide
range of applications. It’s not only
used in paint but also on racing
tires, sports shoe adhesives,
soccer balls...”
and the
list goes on, according
to Braskem’s Unilene
Domestic Market Accounts Manager Leonardo Fernandes.
INFORMA
65
big
66
Elber Mateus: one of
the young talents at the
Pontal Beach Soccer
School in Maceió
66
informa
dreams
come true
Kids in three
Brazilian states
are coming closer
to their dream
of becoming
professional
athletes one day
written by Ricardo Sangiovanni (Bahia and Alagoas)
and Thereza Martins (São Paulo)
A
child does not need much to dream.
The living proof of this are two
Braskem-sponsored social projects
that have helped about 400 children
from low-income districts on the
outskirts of two Brazilian cities dream of someday becoming professional athletes.
In Salvador, Bahia, Braskem is a partner of SESI (the
Social Service for Industry) in the Athlete of the Future
program, which offers 400 places for three activities –
ballet, soccer and karate – for children and youths aged
between 6 and 17. In Maceió, Alagoas, the company supports the Pontal Beach Soccer School, which has 43 students between the ages of 5 and 14.
Athlete of the Future is part of the Salvador Monastery
Social Program, an NGO that works with underprivileged
children in outlying districts of the city. The educational
side is run by the SESI team, and Braskem comes in as a
partner company – which, in turn, enables the partnership
between SESI and the NGO – and oversees the project.
There are 223 young people taking classical ballet (the
first activity the project offered in 2010). SESI’s support has
helped ensure the survival of this program, which began
in 2001, and improved the infrastructure of the classroom,
which has been expanded to about 50sq.m and equipped
with mirrors, bars, a sound system and lighting, and a
photo: Márcio Lima
suitable wooden floor.
“This is very gratifying work,” says ballet teacher Ana
Cristina Ferraz, who has a degree in dance and is accredited by the Royal Academy of Dance in London – whose
method, an international benchmark for dancer training,
informa
67
the Monastery program has adopted. “These girls come
here as ‘ugly ducklings’ and leave as true ‘swans.’ Dance
provides discipline and poise,” says Ana Cristina, clearly
proud of the program’s achievements.
Judging by the elegance and grace of students like Deijane Gonçalves, 17, her teacher is not exaggerating. After a public class applauded by the students’ families, the
teen observed that she identified with ballet right away,
when she took her first class through the Monastery program eight years ago.
Deijane soon began nurturing the dream of every beginning dancer: to pass the Bolshoi Ballet’s exam and
move to Joinville, Santa Catarina, the home of the Russian company’s Brazilian headquarters. Despite arduous
preparation, she failed the first two trials – and wept. But
her dream finally came true in 2008 when, after a Bolshoi
audition in Salvador, she was given an opportunity.
However, her stay in Santa Catarina only lasted a few
months because Deijane’s parents had to pay for her room
and board, and could not afford it. Mature for her age, she
understood the problem and returned to Salvador, but she
has not stopped training at the Monastery program, nor
has she given up on a career as a dancer.
A resident of Salvador’s low-income Escada district,
Deijane believes that the ballet school “has saved many
people” from prostitution and drug trafficking, which are
rife in the region. Deijane’s classmate until the end of last
year, Grimaldo Oliveira Silva Filho, 17, agrees. “It’s an activity that keeps us away from those things. I have some
friends who went into that life [of drug trafficking],” says
the young ballet dancer, who lives in the neighboring district of Alto de Coutos.
Grimaldo began training through the Monastery program at the age of 12. He improved so much that, earlier
this year, he was accepted into a local dance company, the
Balé Jovem Salvador (Young Salvador Ballet). “Through
ballet, I’ve started to understand what the arts are all
about,” says Grimaldo, who has not escaped the prejudice against men who dance. “I don’t care. When I step
on the boards, the rest of the world stays outside and my
imagination starts flowing. That’s when I feel sure that my
dreams will come true.” His dreams are big: he wants to
Ballet with a ball
This successful experience with classical ballet led
SESI and Braskem to extend the program in 2012 to
68
informa
photo: Márcio Lima
dance in Russia’s Kirov company.
Deijane Gonçalves:
the perseverance to
pursue a career as a
ballerina
two other types of “dance” – indoor soccer and karate.
Salomão and
his mother,
Isabel:
watching her
son grow and
develop
Some 40 youths have signed up for soccer and about
50 for karate, but the goal is to reach up to 120 participants in each category by next year. The classes began
in March.
Some boys, like young Salomão Brejeiro, 8, enjoy the
program so much that they play both sports. His mother,
homemaker Isabel Brejeiro, 43, says that in just three
months of training, her son “has already grown a lot.” And
not just as an athlete: Salomão is also taking his studies
more seriously. After all, according to the project’s rules,
only students who do well in school can play.
“I like karate, but I want to be a soccer player,” says
Salomão, who, despite rooting for the Bahia club, really
dreams of playing on “Messi’s team” – Barcelona.
His classmates Carlos Alberto Junior, 9, Douglas Silva,
10, and Gessivaldo Lima, 14, share the same dream. Skilled
players, they have distinguished themselves in training and
could be recommended to join the entry-level divisions of
Bahian soccer clubs, according to coach Augusto Andrade.
“But the key is doing well in school,” he observes.
School of life
The kids at the Pontal Beach Soccer School in Maceió, Alagoas, also have the names of Barça stars on the
tips of their tongues. And like their counterparts in Bahia, they have to concentrate on their studies if they want
to keep training.
The soccer school is headed by former pro beach soccer player Rodrigo Willer, 30. A resident of the Pontal
neighborhood, a low-income district on the outskirts of
Maceió, Willer started the little school two years ago “to
give children what I didn’t have during my childhood.” He
works for Lagoa Viva (Living Lagoon), an institution that
Braskem created and is now the company’s partner in developing environmental projects.
Currently, a total of 43 boys from the neighborhood
get together to practice on Saturdays, learning the basics of beach soccer on the sand court built by the
Neighborhood Association with Braskem’s support. The
young athletes are inspired by another local star, the
second-best scorer in the last Brazilian Beach Soccer
of opportunity to train as a kid. If you work hard you will
definitely become great players, much better than me,”
said Tales when he gave a special guest lecture to the
budding athletes.
photo: Márcio Lima
Championship, Tales Marcel, 25. “I didn’t have this kind
informa
69
photo: Paulo Fridman
ACEB-SP swimming
group participants:
access to scholarships
Before the ball gets rolling, the players sit down for a
Last year, she was on the team that represented ACEB-SP
lesson: a combination of recreation and learning to re-
in Algarrobo, Chile, in the annual tournament held in what
spect their teachers and fellow students, tips on recycling
the Guinness Book of Records considers of largest pool in
and water conservation. To get the kids more involved,
the world. It is over 1 km long, the equivalent of 20 official
Willer makes bets with the students, who have fun com-
Olympic swimming pools. Nathália won the championship
peting for soft drinks in penalty shootouts.
in the young women’s category in that tournament.
Making the lessons fun helps kids learn the basics of
“It was a unique experience. I met athletes who have
the sport even better. In a training match against a young
won recognition in Brazil and other countries, so I could
team from Trapiche (another neighborhood on the out-
see how they go about training and follow their exam-
skirts of Maceió, which does not have a school), the stars
ple,” she says. At that tournament, ACEB-SP was rep-
of Pontal – Everton Souza, 12, Elber Mateus, 12, and João
resented by a total of 16 swimmers and sponsored the
Vitor Caetano, 13 – put on a show, not just of individual
participation of five.
technique but collective tactical awareness. Final score:
10 x 3. Civic spirit won big.
Swimming in the chill
Nathália’s group also includes two sisters, Ana Carolina and Mariana da Costa Pires, respectively 9 and 11
years old. In their case, swimming has opened the door
to scholarships at a local private school. Marco Antonio
From tropical Maceió we move south to São Paulo,
Pires, the girls’ father, explains how this came about.
where the climate may be different but the desire to make
“They were studying at a [public] municipal high school,
dreams come true is just the same. Not even the driz-
but my wife and I wanted to transfer them to private
zling rain and cold weather of a Southern Hemisphere
school. The school we were interested in offers athletic
autumn afternoon discouraged the youthful participants
scholarships to students who qualify for its team. The
in the ACEB-SP Social Project’s swimming group. At 4
girls barely knew how to swim, but they’ve developed
pm, there they were, ready to plunge in and start train-
rapidly and, thanks to their training at ACEB, they man-
ing – the kind of training that has led some of them to win
aged to get into the school, win the scholarship and join
championship medals.
the team.”
This is the case with Nathália de Souza Giolo, 16. She
70
has been on the Braskem Cultural and Sports Association
Link between company and community
(ACEB) swim team in Santo André, São Paulo, since she was
The ACEB-SP Social Project was created in 2006 with
11, and has won titles in swimming pools and the ocean.
the aim of encouraging social inclusion through sports
informa
cipline, attention, responsibility and social skills, and, of
Nathália
Giolo:
“It was a
unique
experience”
course, they are beneficial for people’s health at any age,”
says physical education teacher Flávia Molla, the coordinator of the ACEB swim team.
One of the requirements for participating in the social
project is being enrolled in primary or high school. The
other is maintaining ties with neighborhood associations, because people can only enroll in the ACEB project
through them, and the associations’ headquarters serve
as meeting points for the children and young people who
take Braskem-chartered buses to and from ACEB’s facilities. “A monitor from the community association always
accompanies the group,” says Flávia.
photos: Paulo Fridman
In addition to the buses, the company also offers uniforms and snacks for participants. Vinícius Nascimento
de Souza, 11, a Santos club supporter, loves playing soccer at ACEB. “At home I don’t have anybody to play with,
so I just play video games,” he says.
and educational activities. In addition to swimming, the
project offers other activities, such as football, basketball, handball, volleyball, music lessons and recreation.
Vinícius
de Souza:
fascination
with soccer
“ACEB’s facilities were underused during the day,
when most of its associates, who are Braskem members, are at work. Because of that, we have the free
space and time to open our doors to the communities
near the Greater ABC Petrochemical Complex through
this social project, offering leisure options for everyone who signs up,” says Debora Hernandes Machado,
Braskem’s Institutional analyst for the ABC and Cubatão regions.
ACEB is located virtually across the road from
Braskem’s PE7 (polyethylene) and Unib 3 (basic petrochemicals) production units in Santo André, near the
Mauá district. Both low-income neighborhoods have
grown up in the vicinity of the complex, so the social
project was created to reach out to those communities.
“ACEB is also a link between local neighborhoods and
the company, a meeting and communication point,”
Debora observes.
Over 500 people from the local communities, including children, youths and people over 60, are making good use of ACEB’s facilities, including classrooms,
playgrounds, swimming pools and tennis courts. The
highlight of these activities is sports, due to their health
benefits and the interest they attract.
“Sports are good for the development of children and
adolescents. They improve coordination, encourage dis-
informa
71
72
Volleyball game
on Ilha do Cabo
(Cape Island),
Luanda: having
fun and socializing
outdoors
m
country
72
informa
The Angolan people
show their passion
for sports on beaches,
streets and parks
written by Eliana Simonetti
photos by Guilherme Afonso
motion
in
informa
73
Participants in the Active
Life program and, opposite
(top), Wilson and Lara Cunha
with their son Ricardo:
investing in health and
wellbeing
I
n Africa, Angola is a basketball powerhouse, win-
architect who gets together with friends to play after
ning 10 of the last 11 Afrobasket tournaments,
work Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on Saturday morn-
the men’s continental championship held every
ings. Peterson, who participated in the armed conflicts
two years as a qualifier for the Olympics and the
in the countryside and studied in South Africa after
world championship in that sport. Soccer mobi-
finishing high school in Benguela, notes with satisfac-
lizes another swath of the country. Most Angolans of
tion that more and more people are exercising on the
all ages play some kind of sport.
beaches and in Luanda’s parks and squares. “Our peo-
Odebrecht Angola’s teams have rehabilitated, en-
74
ple are seeking increasingly positive results,” he says.
larged and modernized the main street, sidewalks and
Since he takes the sport seriously, Peterson only
signage on Ilha do Cabo (Cape Island), in the nation’s
takes his daughters to the beach on Sundays, when
capital, Luanda, as well as installing sports facilities.
he is not playing volleyball with his friends. Many
The number of visitors there is impressive. “Angolans
families take advantage of the improved leisure facili-
have a huge desire to enjoy well-tended venues and en-
ties on weekends. In mid-May, IT entrepreneurs Wil-
sure their own wellbeing, so they are quickly taking pos-
son and Lara Cunha were enjoying a stroll there with
session of all the spaces revitalized by the project and
their eighteen-month son Ricardo. They don’t live near
helping keep them clean and beautiful,” says Eduardo
the island, but every day at 5 am, Wilson can be found
Badin, Project Director of the Luanda Roadways Project
warming up for his daily run and workout at the gym to
and the leader of the works done on Ilha do Cabo.
ensure that he is well prepared for the rest of the day.
“We already used to come here to play volleyball on
“The landscape, the exercise equipment installed on
the beach before Odebrecht put up the nets. Now we
the beach, everything invites us to seek better health,
come here more often,” says Peterson Patrício, 33, an
and have a more positive outlook on life,” he says.
informa
Active Life
blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. Then they
The Angolans’ receptivity has led Odebrecht to go
can join the group of people who are stretching, jump-
one step further, in partnership with the Provincial
ing and playing on the boardwalk. “We’ve had over 200
Government of Luanda. On weekends, along with the
people taking the classes offered at 7 am on Sundays,”
exercise equipment, a disc jockey and aerobics teach-
says Virgínia Machado da Silva, the Luanda Roadways
er are available on the closest part of the island to the
Project’s officer Responsible for Social Programs and
city for people who want to work out with professional
Community Relations.
guidance. First the candidates are screened by a nurs-
This professionally guided exercise program is
ing technician who records their general information,
called Active Life. It was introduced on January 29, and
1,800 people had enrolled by May, most of them taking aerobics classes or using the volleyball, basketball
and soccer courts available in the area. “I’ve always
worked out to keep in shape, but doing guided exercises is more organized and efficient,” acknowledges
Manuel Fernandes, who does public relations for a
consulting firm. It takes an hour for him to walk from
his house to the island to participate in the weekend
morning classes.
The Luanda Roadways team has also taken another initiative that is very popular with the communities in Angola’s capital. While revitalizing roads,
plazas and sidewalks, it has also installed exercise
equipment tailored to the space and the region. The
results have been remarkable. Every evening, wher-
Basketball fan Flávio
José Mateus: Angola
is Africa’s powerhouse
in that sport
informa
75
Project directors and other
Odebrecht Angola members
at Ombaka National Stadium
in Benguela: an experience
that will forever remain in their
memories and hearts
ever you go along these revitalized areas of the cap-
coach says that anything is possible, so I’m working hard
ital, you see large numbers of people. None of the
to make my dreams come true,” he adds.
equipment goes unused. Planted with shade trees,
paved and fenced in, the plazas offer playground
equipment for kids, and there is always at least half
a basketball court.
76
At-risk youth
Flávio and Candido are cousins. Along with five other young people, they live with Dona Emília, Candido’s
This is the case with Largo Cambambe, in the Cru-
mother, in Bairro Operário. Life is hard, but things have
zeiro district, next to the Bairro Operário (Worker’s Quar-
been worse. Currently they all go to school and partici-
ter). Flávio José Mateus, 19, and Candido Antonio Gas-
pate in at least one extracurricular activity. The youngest
par Madureira, 17, play basketball there, whether or not
boy, Ivanilson, 7, is also Dona Emília’s son. He is prac-
there are more people on the court. “We always meet
ticing capoeira in another facility made possible by the
up on here after school to practice,” says Flávio, whose
contribution of the Structuring Roadways Project, car-
dream is to join the Angolan Air Force. Candido, who be-
ried out by Odebrecht Angola: sports courts built and
gan playing basketball four years ago, has been invited
handed over to the Don Bosco brotherhood, which runs
to join Angola’s under-17 team. “I want to represent my
educational projects in Angola.
country, be recognized abroad and play among the best,
The partnership between Odebrecht and the Sale-
in the US basketball league,” he says confidently. “My
sian Congregation of Don Bosco marked its tenth an-
informa
informa
in children and young people do them and all of us a
lot of good,” says Larissa.
Exercise within the company
For Odebrecht members, all this is familiar, rewarding and also challenging. Taking care of their
bodies is a responsibility for workers who want to
be in good shape every day and prepared to do their
best. All of Odebrecht’s facilities are equipped with a
sports court or weight room that encourages people
to exercise.
But company members had an unprecedented experience in Benguela on the south coast of Angola
in early May. The monthly coordination meeting was
scheduled to be held in that city, attended by all project
directors and members of the team reporting directly
to the CEO of Odebrecht Angola, Ernesto Baiardi, who
was also present at the meeting. To close the event in
style, the company’s team in Benguela staged a surprise: a soccer match at Ombaka National Stadium
– the setting of some of the African Cup of Nations
(ACN) matches held in 2010 – with uniforms hanging
in the locker room. The teams walked onto the pitch to
Odebrecht Archives
the sound of Waka Waka, the official song of the 2010
FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the game was refereed by a team of officials from the Benguela Soccer
League, and the players were interviewed at the end
of the match.
Felix Augusto Martins scored the first goal. The Infrastructure Director for Southern Angola, where he is
niversary in Angola in 2011. That year, the Structur-
responsible for a new iron mining project, he is mad
ing Roadways Project team built eight sports courts
about soccer. He says that playing in a professional
where activities such as soccer, basketball, volleyball,
stadium was a dream come true. “It was wonderful
capoeira and gymnastics are available day and night
to realize that our connection with the Angolan people
for at-risk children and youth. “We support the initia-
goes beyond aspects of our cultures and language to
tive because we believe that sports are a means for
include our love and respect for sports,” he recalls.
integrating young people into society. They give them
According to Marcus Felipe de Aragão Fernandes,
an opportunity, a way forward,” says Project Director
the Project Director for Benguela and Kwanza Sul,
Tiago Britto.
“The best thing about this event was that people were
Larissa Cristina Ribeiro, a Brazilian gymnastics
socializing and bonding in the relaxed atmosphere
teacher who volunteers at the Salesian missions, ar-
of sports.” José Carlos “Zeca” Pinheiro, the officer
rived in Angola two years ago. She teaches gymnastics
Responsible for Administration and Finance, had ar-
to children and adolescents, and the students love her.
ranged every detail of the match with the help of
“Everyone likes to learn, to feel wanted, to make prog-
Odebrecht’s team members in Benguela. He arrived
ress. In these activities, where the movements must
in Angola in January 2011 and already feels right at
be very precise, you have to develop attention and dis-
home. “I used to run a soccer league in Mundo Novo,
cipline. The changes that physical activity brings about
Bahia,” he explains.
informa
77
78
fight
the good
78
informa
In Macaé,
Rio de Janeiro,
teens get help
to overcome
the social-risk
situations
they face
Kemille de Jesus (left)
and Agata de Oliveira:
more poise and
balance
written by Júlio César Soares
photos by Marcelo Pizzato
informa
79
M
Maicon Fernandes:
working towards a
future of peace and
growth
aicon Fernandes da Silva, 17, is a student at Botafogo Municipal High School
in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. He studies in
the morning and does judo and karate
as extracurricular activities at school in
the afternoon. A resident of the Malvinas district, one of
the poorest in the city, Maicon sees sports as a chance to
escape from a daily routine of violence and seek a future
of peace and growth. “I used to be a brawler who never
backed out of a fight,” he says. “Thanks to martial arts,
I’ve learned to control my temper, to be more patient, to
have the same discipline I use on the tatami.”
Agata Almeida de Oliveira and Kemille Peçanha de
Jesus study at the same school and tell similar stories.
They describe the difficulties of daily life in the slums and
how their lives are changing in a way that, until recently,
many would have thought unlikely. “We’re off the streets
and safe in school,” says Agata. “Doing martial arts has
brought me calm and balance.” Kemille agrees: “I’m a
better person today, more attentive in class and respectful to the teachers and staff.”
Maicon, Agata and Kemille are participating in the
Open Spaces Program, an Odebrecht Oil & Gas (OOG)
initiative supported by UNESCO (the United Nations
agency that works with education) and the Macaé Department of Education. Located in northern Rio de Janeiro State, Macaé is known for its booming oil industry.
National and international companies have established
themselves there, helping make it the eighth-richest
city in Brazil in 2006. However, while maintaining good
economic indicators since then, the city still faces major
social challenges.
Created in 2007 within the strategy of helping children and adolescents overcome obstacles and improve
their living conditions, the Open Spaces Program is part
of Schools in Action, which organizes initiatives focused
on education, sports, recreation, job skills for youth,
income creation, digital inclusion and environmental
education, while encouraging community involvement
and volunteerism.
The principal of Botafogo High School, Luiziana
Open Spaces is changing students’ behavior. She has run
the school for 15 years and recalls difficult times in the
course of her job: “Our school has changed a lot. We don’t
have any broken doors nowadays, and the staff gets more
respect. Now the students feel that this space is their
80
informa
photo: Américo Vermelho
Simões de Almeida, underscores and praises the way
heritage.” She adds: “This partnership between the pub-
ability Program. The main channel of communication
lic and private sectors is essential for helping us change
between the company and the schools, Domiciano, or
these children’s lives.”
“Domi,” as he is known in Macaé’s communities, believes in the project’s potential to shape young lives.
Grooming good citizens
“We’re working to groom good citizens who understand
The Open Spaces Program aims to include sports in
their communities’ needs and fight to change the way
school activities as an alternative for communities with little
things are right now.”
or no space available for recreation, and a way to help over-
OOG’s support for the program includes supplying
come day-to-day violence. Since its inception five years ago,
sports equipment and helping pay the students’ travel
it has benefited over 19,000 students from seven education-
expenses when they compete in championships, as well
al institutions and one cultural association. Based on the
as getting directly involved in the planning, monitoring
Five Pillars of Learning developed by UNESCO – “learning
and evaluation of activities and liaising with the commu-
to know, learning to do, learning to live together, learning
nity and families. The main idea may be grooming good
to be, and learning to transform oneself and society” – the
citizens, but without a doubt, some students are proving
program seeks to groom not only athletes but most of all
that they have the “DNA” of great future athletes. This is
good citizens who are aware of their role in society.
the case with Renan Souza Pereira, 16, a student at the
“When I don’t produce great athletes, I turn out great
Engenho da Praia School. Slim, and nearly 1.80m tall
teachers, people who will pass on what they’ve learned
(roughly 5’11”), he demonstrates his athletics skills and
and help their communities,” argues Paulo Cesar Maillet,
plans to share what he has learned. “I want to teach kids
the jiu-jitsu teacher at the Art and Light Center. A program
who don’t have a chance to play sports. That used to be
volunteer, Paulo trained with the renowned Gracie family
me,” he says. He also dreams of playing for his country
and has 17 years’ experience as a jiu-jitsu fighter.
in the future. “My favorite sport is indoor soccer, and I’m
“This is not just sports for sports’ sake,” says Domiciano de Souza, a member of the OOG Sustain-
working hard so that one day I can represent the Brazilian
team,” he says.
Leonardo Campos (left)
and Ezequias Rocha:
making daily life safe
and productive
informa
81
water
passes the test
written by Aline Brandão and Daelcio de Freitas
photos by Mario Grisolli
82
82
informa
The opening of a sewage
treatment plant in the region
that will host several Rio
Olympics events in 2016 marks
the beginning of the Foz Águas 5
utility’s operations
Community leader Carlos
Renato Sampaio:
a project that will boost
the community’s
self esteem
informa
83
I
magine a movie where different life stories
come together at a given time. The setting, Rio
de Janeiro, specifically the West Zone, is far
removed from the famous landmarks of one
of the world’s most beautiful cities, and faces
a number of social and environmental challenges.
The characters are the region’s almost 2 million
inhabitants and the athletes who will be participating in the 2016 Olympic Games. Celebrities from
the world’s sporting elite and ordinary people, everyday heroes who sweat and labor all year round,
will come together in a film that was made to have
a happy ending.
Under the 2016 Olympics Infrastructure Program, the City of Rio officially opened the Constantino Arruda Pessôa Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)
in the Deodoro district on June 5, World Environment Day. This occasion marked the beginning of
the operations of Foz Águas 5 – a utility formed by
Foz do Brasil, Odebrecht’s environmental engineering company, and Saneamento Ambiental Águas do
Brasil (SAAB). It will be responsible for infrastructure investments and the operations of the sewer
system for 30 years in what is known as AP-5 (Planning Area 5) of the state capital, which is divided into
five major urban planning areas. The region, which
covers 48% of the city’s territory, is comprised of 21
on training young athletes at the Deodoro water
districts and will host several Olympic competitions,
park, the district’s main recreational facility.
including equestrian and shooting events and the
pentathlon.
Changing lives
84
“A good athlete needs to be physically and emotionally healthy to overcome their own limitations.
To achieve high performance, you need a strong,
healthy body but, above all, you need self-esteem,”
While this is a prime opportunity for athletes to
says Cacá, who has high hopes about the improve-
display their talent to the world, for the local com-
ments that will be made in the region because of
munity it is a chance to have access to sewage col-
the Olympics. “The lack of basic sanitation causes
lection and treatment. Basic sanitation can make a
health problems, so people have a hard time devel-
radical change in people’s lives. This is the case with
oping a good self image as long as there are open
community leader Carlos Renato “Cacá” Sampaio,
sewers around,” he argues. “We’ll be getting lots of
39, who was born in the Deodoro neighborhood and
facilities near our community, including new access
has lived there all his life. Married with four chil-
roads and modern buildings, but we still lack the
dren, he holds a degree in Physical Education and
basics: we need essential services like sewage col-
Social Work, but spent most of his youth trying to
lection and treatment. Many residents still live near
make a living as a professional soccer player. At age
ditches full of raw sewage, and this has a major im-
23, he hung up his boots prematurely and started a
pact on public health,” he adds.
school for children and young people in the region.
In yet another project that confirms that the way
He realized that sports are an important means of
to provide universal water and wastewater services
social mobility, and today he is focusing his efforts
involves a joint effort from the public and private sec-
informa
Fernando Bessa and the
plant: maximizing the
region’s economic and
social gains
tors, during the concession period Foz Águas 5 will
“We have a big challenge ahead, but thanks to
invest more than BRL 2.6 billion so that in 10 years
planned investments and the expertise of Foz do
it will be treating 100% of the sewage collected from
Brasil and SAAB, we are confident that local resi-
the homes of 1.5 million people. By the time the
dents will soon be seeing the positive impact of
Olympics begin, 95% of the sewage collected from
our work,” says Fernando Bessa, President of Foz
40% of the local population will be treated, thanks
Águas 5. “Increasing access to basic sanitation
to initial investments totaling BRL 600 million. “This
will enhance the economic and social gains the re-
is a fantastic win for the West Zone. Measures like
gion will get from the 2016 Olympics,” says Bessa,
these are effectively improving the environment and
stressing that this project was made possible by the
changing people’s lives,” said Rio de Janeiro Mayor
initiative and support of the City of Rio and Nova Ce-
Eduardo Paes at the opening ceremony for the sew-
dae, the company responsible for water and sewer
age treatment plant.
services in Rio de Janeiro.
Studies show that improved water and sewer
In addition to its benefits in terms of quality of life
services provide a number of socioeconomic bene-
and environmental protection, in the short term the
fits ranging from increased property values to lower
service will ensure more efficiency and speed when
public health costs. A study by the Getulio Vargas
providing sewage collection and treatment. Expec-
Foundation (FGV) conducted for the Trata Brasil In-
tations are that the organization and development of
stitute shows that in 2009 almost 70,000 children,
this system will not only enable local youth to watch
from newborn babies up to age 5, were hospitalized
the Olympics in a community with basic infrastruc-
for diarrhea in Brazil, and nearly 220,000 workers
ture but give them better conditions to represent
had to take time off work as a result.
Brazil in future Olympic Games.
informa
85
gets
as good as it
Odebrecht Run and Walk brings members and their families
together to celebrate sports and enjoy a healthy lifestyle
A
written by Renata Meyer
n initiative designed to encourage Group
Overcoming a sedentary lifestyle
members and their families to practice
The program starts with guidance from physical educa-
sports, the Odebrecht Run and Walk pro-
tion specialists from Assessoria Esportiva MPR, a sports
gram was held for the first time in 2007
consulting firm that is a partner of the event, who discuss
and now forms part of the Group’s regu-
the importance of sports for good health. Then, a session of
lar calendar of events. It was created under the responsi-
warm-up and stretching exercises guarantees that everyone
bility of the Health Support Area at the São Paulo Office,
is prepared for the upcoming workout. Groups are formed
as part of the program to commemorate World Health
for light and faster walks, jogs and runs according to each
Day on April 7.
person’s preference and fitness level. The end of the activi-
Held twice a year, always on a Saturday, at Villa Lobos Park in São Paulo, Odebrecht Run and Walk – which
ties is marked by a presentation by a choir formed by Group
members, and a healthy breakfast.
brings together members from several of the organiza-
Statistics collected by the Health Support Area show
tion’s businesses and their families – seeks to show
that approximately 55% of members have a sedentary life-
how specific activities can enhance general wellbeing:
style. “We need to make people aware that improving their
exercise, healthy eating, child recreation, leisure, relax-
lifestyle is key to maintaining good health and preventing
ation, music, getting together with friends and family
illnesses,” observes Alice Sawamura, an Occupational
and contact with nature.
Health Nurse at the Group.
86
86
informa
photo: Edu Simões
photo: Edu Simões
photo: Holanda Cavalcanti
Galbênia Costa and her husband, Jomar: healthy habits. Right, Braskem members warming up, and below, running in Villa Lobos Park:
overcoming a sedentary lifestyle
Run and Walk has reported a continued increase in the
pervision. A Group leader was invited to spread the message
number of participants since its debut. There were 200 peo-
of sustainability at the last two events. “We are very lucky to
ple taking part in 2007 and approximately 1,900 at the last
work in an organization that takes sustainability seriously,”
event, which was held on April 14, 2012. It also took place in
says Marcelo Arantes, the officer Responsible for Entrepre-
Brasília this year, as an Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias
neurship Support (RAE), People and the Organization, In-
(Real Estate Developments – OR) initiative, and in Salvador,
formation Technology and Procurement at Braskem, at the
Bahia, under Braskem’s responsibility.
last Odebrecht Run and Walk event. On that occasion, all of
A regular at the Odebrecht Run and Walk event, Galbênia
Costa, who is part of the People and Organization team at
the participants received ETH Bioenergy bags made from
Braskem’s “green” plastic.
Odebrecht S.A., has taken part in almost every event. A firm
According to Galbênia Costa, the major challenges for the
believer in sporting activity, she makes a point of taking her
Group’s companies are connecting the theme of health to
husband Jomar along. He is also a member of the Group.
each business’s strategy as a factor for adding value. “Pro-
“This is a special opportunity to get together with co-work-
grams such as these should be encouraged and seen as an
ers and meet their families. The event provides an unparal-
investment, because they contribute to improving members’
leled moment for relaxing and bonding, which is impossible
quality of life and consequently boost productivity. Further-
when you have a hectic daily schedule,” she says.
more, they encourage the practice of healthy habits, create a
tance to participants under the Health Support Area’s su-
healthy culture and help make the world more sustainable,”
she argues.
photo: Fernando Vivas
A team of coaches and fitness specialists provides assis-
informa
87
ARGUMENT
88
88
informa
SPORTS AND
SOCIAL INCLUSION
Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, furnishes an example of
how sports can help build good citizens
S
ports not only benefit body and mind but they
portance. This can be measured by the reduced
are an important tool for teaching civic spirit,
need for repairs and improved conservation of the
and there are numerous reasons why chil-
schools participating in the Open Spaces Project.
dren and adolescents decide to engage in a partic-
Furthermore, young people who are actively par-
ular sport. Whether they see it as an opportunity to
ticipating in sports serve as a mirror to others who
make new friends or the means to overcoming their
become aware of their achievements and want to
own limitations, anyone who practices a physical
participate as well. Children and adolescents, most
activity recognizes its importance to the improve-
of whom had never left Macaé or even done any
ment of motor and cognitive skills and sometimes
sports before, are now winning medals and cham-
serves to motivate those around them.
pionships. When they see these results and the
The Open Spaces Project, part of the Schools
improved civic spirit and social skills of the people
in Action Program, an initiative of Odebrecht Oil &
participating in these activities, non-participants
Gas (OOG) in partnership with UNESCO and the City
want to join the groups too.
of Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, since 2007 has offered
However, these youths and their families are
sports activities such as athletics, judo, capoeira
not the only ones who stand to benefit from sports.
and hockey for children and adolescents from pub-
The company also wins. In fact, everyone wins
lic schools in nearby low-income communities. On
through the promotion of sports. In addition to
weekends, these schools open their doors, and
reduced vandalism in schools, there is also a de-
volunteers from the communities help teach the
crease in the number of youths involved in crime-
classes, which are attracting a growing number of
ridden environments, gang violence, drug traffick-
students.
ing and drug abuse. OOG believes that by helping
Family members, teachers, school principals,
improve people’s quality of life in the communities
and especially the project’s young participants
where it operates, it is investing in the social inclu-
recognize the benefits. They can see significant
sion of young people (especially them), and helping
improvements in their school performance, con-
them grow and adapt to adult life.
centration and social skills. While they learn, the
students have the opportunity to get together, exchange experiences and enhance their physical and
mental fitness. In communities where there are no
leisure facilities available, opening the schools on
weekends is often the only opportunity for children
and adolescents in those areas to get together and
socialize.
The lower dropout rate is enhanced by increased
recognition and appreciation of the school’s im-
Marco Aurélio
Fonseca
is the officer
Responsible
for Sustainability
at Odebrecht
Oil & Gas (OOG)
informa
89
90
informa
&
News
People
Reports about Odebrecht Group
teams’ recent achievements
in Brazil and worldwide
92
Deploying a model for agricultural, environmentally
friendly and sustainable tourism in northeastern Brazil
95
Luiz de Mendonça, CEO of ETH Bioenergy, discusses
the company’s accelerated growth
98
Defense & Technology: Odebrecht’s contribution
to the protection of the nation’s assets
100
Folks: Rafaela Araújo, Sílvio Freitas and Bruno
photo: Almir Bindilatti
Gonçalves discuss their daily lives and passions
informa
91
Sustainable Development
Trails to
new worlds
Ecoethnic Tourism Route:
a new vector for development
in the Southern Bahia Lowlands
written by Gabriela Vasconcellos photos by Almir Bindilatti
A
mid the beauty of the At-
Bahia municipalities of Taperoá and
lantic, the mingled scents
Nilo Peçanha. In its waters, tourists
of orange and cinnamon
have the chance to enjoy ziplining
trees fill the air, making the trail’s
and whitewater rafting. The first of
lush vegetation even more exuber-
three days on that route, offered in
ant. Ancient trees flank every step,
partnership with the Ativa Rafting
followed by the oil and piassava
and Adventures agency, comes to
palms characteristic of the South-
an end at the Rio das Matas lodge,
ern Bahia Lowlands in northeast-
where you can fall sleep to the
ern Brazil. This is the setting of the
sound of bird songs.
first stage of the Ecoethnic Tourism
Shortly after dawn on the second
Route, which the Institute for the
day, it’s time to start experiencing
Sustainable Development of the
the local culture of Nilo Peçanha
Southern Bahia Lowlands (IDES) is
(284 km from Salvador, the state
structuring in that region.
capital). The first stop is the head-
The idea is that visitors will be
quarters of the Pratigi Environ-
welcomed by farmers like Juvenal
mental Protection Area Farmers’
Divino, a resident of the Rio das
Cooperative (Cooprap), which sells
Matas community in Taperoá, Ba-
handicrafts, brooms and bio-jewel-
hia. A small producer, for the last
ry made from piassava fiber by local
four years he has guided groups
residents. Like the IDES, Cooprap is
interested in learning about life in
an institution linked to the Program
this part of rural Brazil. “As I walk
for the Integrated Development and
through the farm, I talk about dif-
Growth with Sustainability of the
ferent crops and show them what
Southern Bahia Lowlands Mosaic
I know, in practice,” he says. For
of Environmental Protection Areas
Divino, tourism is an opportunity to
(PDCIS), supported by the Ode-
increase his family’s income. “I get
brecht Foundation.
a daily fee and lots of tips,” he says
with a smile.
92
The route goes on. In the Jatimane
quilombola
community,
At the end of the trail, the farm-
which was originally established by
er reveals a gift: the Almas River,
escaped slaves, tourists have the
which flows unhurriedly past the
opportunity to see some more of
informa
the rural workers’ routine, like that
of Miltaides do Rosário, who was
born and raised there. The owner of
a restaurant on the Jatimane River,
Miltaides offers canoe rides and
visits to the nearby waterfalls. “By
organizing tourism, I know we’re
going to grow. I’ve had a visit from
consultants from SEBRAE (the Brazilian Service to Support Micro and
Small Enterprises) to conduct a diagnosis and identify our needs,” he
says.
According to Márcia Mattos, the
Leader of the IDES Cooperative
Tourism Alliance, that is the institution’s role. “We are helping the
communities network and form
partnerships that will help enhance
Juvenal Divino:
“I walk through the farm
and talk about the
different crops”
the Ecoethnic Route. We look for
professional training courses and
marketing support. The idea is to
make adjustments that will attract
more visitors,” she observes.
The partnership with SEBRAE
began in 2011, when the Ecoethnic
Route was selected by the Talents
of Rural Brazil Project. This initiative is the result of a joint effort
between the Brazilian Ministries
of Agrarian Development, Tourism
and Environment, SEBRAE and the
German Cooperation Agency, which
is encouraging the inclusion of family farm products and services in
tourism. Zenilda do Rosário, also
a resident of Jatimane, already has
the support of SEBRAE. A shellfish
gatherer, she not only participates
in training sessions but gets advice about running her restaurant,
Restaurante
Quilombola
Pedro
Sorriso, which she named after
Miltaides do
Rosário: “I know
we’re going
to grow”
her husband. As a result, she has
made changes in the structure and
organization of her establishment.
“I’ve learned something new dur-
informa
93
ing each session. This is turning
A new outlook
Ecoethnic Tourism Route is the
us into a role model for the com-
Continuing to explore the lo-
first step towards consolidating a
munity. Lots of people from all
cal culture, on the third and
unique program. “This region al-
over come here for lunch,” she
last day tourists have a chance
ready offers sun and beach tour-
says. SEBRAE has invited Ze-
to visit the headquarters of
ism. We need to bring visitors
nilda to share her experience at
the Zambiapunga folk group,
in touch with the local culture
an event in the southern state of
take drumming lessons with
and strengthen the community’s
Rio Grande do Sul. “There I’ll talk
the Olopunga group and prac-
leading role in that process while
about my cassava porridge, my
tice capoeira with the Capo-
raising awareness on the struc-
smoked fish and my seafood stew.
arte group. “We’ve brought to-
turing basis of sociobiodiversity,”
Those are my specialties.”
gether people from all over the
Liliana explains. “We are seeking
After savoring the dishes cooked
Southern Lowlands to present
harmonious coexistence with na-
by Dona Nida, as she is known, our
our traditions here. This was
ture, combined with the preser-
second day on the route ends on
our dream, and now it’s com-
vation of cultural identity within a
Pratigi Beach, in the municipal-
ing true,” says Walmório do
producible and sustainable pro-
ity of Ituberá, Bahia. Roughly 15
Rosário, President of the Nilo
cess, thereby establishing agro-
km long, it is nearly deserted, with
Peçanha Zambiapunga group.
ecotourism and providing an ad-
just a few beach shacks as the only
signs of human habitation.
Zenilda do Rosário:
“We’re becoming
a role model”
94
informa
According to Liliana Leite, Executive Director of the IDES, the
ditional source income for family
units,” she concludes.
Organization
The call of
new frontiers
Luiz de Mendonça has the mission of leading ETH
on its growth trajectory
written by Luciana Lana photo by Dario de Freitas
T
owering almost 6,000 meters above sea level, Mount
Kilimanjaro in northern Tan-
zania, near the border with Kenya, is
the highest point in Africa. A dormant
volcano, its peak is covered with snow
surrounded by savanna forest. This
was the fascinating and challenging
setting where engineer Luiz de Mendonça first had the idea of becoming
the CEO of ETH Bioenergy.
“I was on vacation, climbing the
mountain with my kids, when I found
out about the opportunity that had
just opened up at ETH,” says Luiz.
He reflected on his career within
the Group and decided it was high
time to take on a new challenge. At
the time he was Vice President of
Braskem’s International and Green
Business Unit.
Then a 10-year veteran of Odebrecht, Luiz returned from Kilimanjaro to tackle a challenge that was
much like climbing that mountain:
ETH is a new company with tremendous potential for expansion
that has seen significant growth in
recent years. Active in the production and sale of ethanol, electricity
Luiz de
Mendonça:
“We intend
to double the
company’s
installed
capacity by
2020”
and sugar for the domestic and international markets, the company
aims to become the Brazilian leader
in generating clean, renewable en-
informa
95
96
ergy. It currently owns nine plants
trucks, people, shifts, dealing with
Crushing capacity
– two acquisitions and seven green-
varying weather conditions and a
Fully mechanized, the company’s
field projects (facilities built from
series of logistical issues,” Luiz
nine units comprise five production
scratch) in the Brazilian states of
observes, adding: “At the moment,
hubs and can crush up to 40 million
Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do
ETH is hitting a plateau. So far, the
tonnes (metric tons) of sugarcane to
Sul and São Paulo, and has 15,000
company has hired, on average,
produce 3 billion liters of ethanol and
members.
about 3,000 people per year, and it
2,700 GWh of electricity. To achieve
“ETH’s agro-industrial units are
ended 2011 with the major achieve-
this level of production, however,
an industry benchmark. We un-
ment of 100,000 additional hectares
the company must invest in the cane
load one roadtrain per minute. But
planted. Now it’s time to enhance
fields and plant 100,000 additional
that’s not the most striking thing
all our processes.”
hectares per year by 2014. In 2011 it
about the business for someone
“Planting better” is the first step,
crushed 13 million tonnes of sugar-
who comes from petrochemicals.
according to Luiz de Mendonça –
cane. This year the company expects
When I visited one of ETH’s agri-
and this means planning, treating
to crush 20 million tonnes, and the
cultural fronts for the first time, I
the soil, replanting when needed
forecast for 2013 is 29 million tonnes
understood the complexity of the
and leasing new land, among other
of sugarcane.
operation: unloading one roadtrain
initiatives. One of the goals is to re-
“We intend to double ETH’s in-
per minute requires huge effort
duce the cost of planting from the
stalled capacity by 2020, by which
and flawless synergy involving plant-
current BRL 5,600/hectare to BRL
time when we intend to be capable
ing, harvesting, scheduling tractors,
4,300/hectare.
of crushing more than 80 million
informa
Odebrecht Archives
ETH’s Eldorado Unit
in Mato Grosso do
Sul: offering direct
work opportunities
and investing in
education, health,
infrastructure and
social inclusion
tonnes of sugarcane,” says Luiz.
from the juice produced by crush-
most about his new responsibilities,
Reaching that target will require
ing cane (fatty oils for the cosmetics
he says, is the challenge of recruiting
new greenfield projects, acquisi-
industry and lubricants).
people, empowering and engaging
tions and partners, and Luiz is bas-
As if this were not enough, there
them, and contributing to community
ing his business plan on a positive
are also projects underway outside
development. “ETH is exploring new
assessment of the market: meeting
Brazil. In Angola, ETH is helping build
farming frontiers. When we arrive in
the domestic demand for ethanol
a sugar mill on a 32,000-hectare area
a town, in addition to creating about
alone will require twice the com-
capable of producing 2 million tonnes
3,000 direct work opportunities, we
pany’s current production. There
of the product. In South America, the
transform people’s lives by investing
are also a number of projects un-
company’s Business Development
in education, health, infrastructure
der study with partner companies.
team is studying opportunities in Co-
and social inclusion,” says Luiz. He
Braskem, for example, is discuss-
lombia, Peru and Mexico.
adds: “The amazing thing is that we
ing the implementation of a new
From the design of a cane field to
also introduce a new way of think-
“green” polymer unit linked to an
the amount of sunlight necessary for
ing to these communities. Today our
ETH unit. Biotechnology companies
the sugarcane to grow, Luiz de Men-
members are entrepreneurs who are
are working with ETH to evaluate
donça says he has a lot to learn about
all familiar with TEO [the Odebrecht
the production of so-called second-
this new market segment. “I’ve even
Entrepreneurial Technology]. We have
generation ethanol (made from
learned that solar flares can disrupt
done an excellent job of acculturation
sugarcane bagasse) as well as the
the harvesters’ GPS systems,” he says
in such a short time, which makes us
development of various chemicals
with a smile. But what he likes the
very proud.”
informa
97
Defense & Technology
A sovereign
issue
Created in 2011, ODT consolidates
the Group’s initiatives in a key sector
for national development
written by FABIANA CABRAL
B
razil is the fifth-largest coun-
tablishment of the Brazilian Navy’s
try in the world, occupying
National Submarine Development
47% of South America, and
Program (Prosub).
Chosen by the French company
ders cover 23,000 kilometers, more
DCNS – a world leader in naval de-
than 15,700 km on land – shared with
fense – Odebrecht has joined the
10 neighboring countries – and 7,300
km of sea borders. Endowed with a
varied geology, topography, climate
and vegetation, Brazilian territory is
known for its extensive biodiversity,
water resources and vast energy po-
Roberto Simões:
developing
technologies
photo: HOLANDA CAVALCANTI
has a privileged geography. Its bor-
which manages the program, and
Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN),
the company responsible for building four conventional submarines
and a nuclear submarine through
technology transfer. Odebrecht In-
tential. The country is now preparing
to explore the “Blue Amazon,” an
lation and democracy. The creation
fraestrutura
area covering about 4,500 square ki-
of an autonomous, technology-inde-
been tasked with building the ship-
lometers that contains the country’s
pendent national defense industry
pre-salt oil reserves, among other
has already begun. “A solid defense
riches.
industry generates new technolo-
Recently, Brazil has taken anoth-
gies and skilled job opportunities,”
er important step towards consoli-
said Roberto Simões, CEO of Ode-
dating its role on the international
brecht Odebrecht Defesa e Tecnolo-
geopolitical stage, participating as
gia (Defense & Technology, ODT).
a leader in military interventions
in Haiti and the Command of the
United Nations Fleet on the Lebanese coast.
98
Sepetiba Bay Consortium (CBS),
National defense
To ensure border control and protect the nation’s natural resources,
However, in the past 30 years,
the Brazilian government in De-
Brazil has done little to invest in
cember 2008 launched the National
protecting its own territory. It has
Defense Strategy (END), aimed at
become necessary to update its
modernizing the Armed Forces and
defense and security systems, en-
the strengthening of the aerospace,
suring the nation’s sovereignty and
cybersecurity and nuclear sectors.
protecting its borders, wealth, popu-
One of the first initiatives was the es-
INFORMA
(Infrastructure)
has
Prosub is building four
conventional submarines, like
the one in this photo, and a
nuclear sub, which are scheduled
for delivery by 2017
Mectron: developing and
manufacturing equipment used
aboard civilian and military aircraft
yard and naval base in Itaguaí, Rio de
experience of service to the Armed
Janeiro, where the submarines will
Forces that consolidates complex
Protecting the
nation’s assets
be built and operated. Last year, the
systems for the defense, aerospace
These projects led the Group in
company’s teams cut the first plates
and security sectors.
2011 to create Odebrecht Defesa e
Mectron manufactures missile
Tecnologia, which brings together
systems and high-technology prod-
all the organization’s initiatives in
But Odebrecht’s participation in
ucts for the aviation market, such as
the field of defense and security.
this sector does not stop there. In
radar, communications, and com-
“The Group felt that the sector is es-
2010, the company formed a joint
mand and control systems for air-
sential for the nation’s growth and
venture with Cassidian, a subsid-
craft. For the space industry, it man-
development, because it ensures
iary of the European group EADS, to
ufactures the electronics embedded
the protection of assets such as
work on the consolidation of critical
in launch vehicles and satellite sub-
water, energy and biodiversity,” ob-
defense and security systems. Last
systems, such as power, data stor-
serves Roberto.
year, the Group acquired control of
age, telemetry and remote control
Mectron, a company with 20 years’
systems.
for sections of the subs now under
construction.
Since then, ODT has begun designing major projects in a highly
complex environment, structuring
the financial engineering of investments and absorbing, developing
and deploying advanced technologies. According to Roberto Simões,
the company is also contributing to
the modernization of Brazil’s National Defense System as a vector
of development that will stimulate
the country’s industrial production.
“We have the capacity for strategic and political relationships and
absorption of technology, as well
as the industrial expertise to work
with END and the Defense Ministry’s
programs, such as SISFRON on the
‘dry’ border and SisGAAz on the ‘wet’
border,” says Roberto Simões.
INFORMA
99
FOLKS
Life of a teacher
Wearing his inseparable black
helmet, Sílvio has worked for the
Group for 52 years
photo: Elvio Luiz
S
ílvio Freitas joined Tenenge on November 13,
1958, as a welder. In 1967, seeing that the engi-
neers wore white helmets, he decided to wear a custom
black model – his trademark to this day. A member of
the Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial (Industrial Engineering) team working on the PTA POY PET project in
Time for fulfillment
Pernambuco, Sílvio will celebrate his 80th birthday in
Rafaela is experiencing a very special
time – in her work and personal life
the sun goes down. Although he has only studied until
E
ngineer Rafaela Elaine Araújo is the operations
October. He arrives at the jobsite at 6 am and works until
the fourth grade, he is now a teacher. “I learned everything I know on the job and through work,” he explains.
manager for the Rota dos Coqueiros concession
company in Pernambuco, Brazil. This 33-year concession
involves the construction, operation and maintenance of
a 6.5-km stretch of road linking the state capital, Recife,
with the towns of Cabo de Santo Agostinho and Ipojuca
in the south of the state. According to Rafaela, Rota dos
Coqueiros, a route that includes the Paiva Bridge over the
Jaboatão River, has become “a landmark for Pernaming her first child in September, and is making the most
of the area where she works. In her spare time in the
mornings and evenings, she is often seen walking on the
beach and enjoying the landscape. “We are in a place that
is blessed with natural beauty,” says Rafaela
photo:
Lia Lubambo
foto
: Holanda
Cavalcanti
buco.” Born in Campina Grande, Paraíba, she is expect-
Work and family
Bruno shares what he learns
with his co-workers and kids
I
‘ve always wanted to learn, and Odebrecht has enabled me to do
more than that. I can pass on what I’ve learned to my co-workers
and my family, says Bruno Miguel Gonçalves, the Mechanical Services supervisor for Odebrecht’s projects in Benguela Province, Angola. A 12-year Odebrecht member, he says the company has been
photo: Guilherme Afonso
his most important school. “My leaders have taught me to take care
100
of my household economy.” In his spare time, Bruno enjoys his children. He often goes to the beach with the older kids: Ronaldo, who
wants to work in electronics, and Rivaldo, who dreams of becoming
an Angolan soccer star.
informa
Next issue:
Environment
RESPONSIBLE FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AT CONSTRUTORA NORBERTO
ODEBRECHT S.A. Márcio Polidoro
Founded in 1944,
Odebrecht is a Brazilian
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RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLICATIONS PROGRAMS AT CONSTRUTORA NORBERTO
ODEBRECHT S.A. Karolina Gutiez
BUSINESS AREA COORDINATORS Nelson Letaif Chemicals & Petrochemicals |
Andressa Saurin Ethanol & Sugar | Bárbara Nitto Oil & Gas | Daelcio Freitas
Environmental Engineering | Sergio Kertész Real Estate Developments |
Coordinator at Odebrecht Foundation Vivian Barbosa
quality. Its 160,000 members
EDITORIAL COORDINATION Versal Editores
Editor-in-Chief José Enrique Barreiro
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Originally published in Portuguese. Also available in Spanish.
diversified businesses with
global operations and
world-class standards of
101
informa
photo: Fernando Vivas
“The best executives in
any profession always see
the people they groom
and develop as the most
splendid monument they
can leave behind them”
TEO [Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology]
102
informa