Areva shows optimism with electric and oil and gas sector
DCI 03/16/2009
The combination between expansion of the electric sector and the increase in the investments in oil and gas is the bet of the Transmission and Distribution division of the French multinational Areva as the solution to grow, at least, 10% in 2009. However, the goal is to keep the average rate of 20% obtained in the last years. All such optimism even with the world crisis has a reason: the one that in Brazil the projects in infrastructure are maintained due to a necessity of the Country, whose investments are included in the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) and the Business Plan of Petrobrás for the next five years foresees investments of US$ 92 billion in Exploration & Production, area in which Areva has a goal of providing equipment to the state company. Such targets are pointed by the new commercial officer of the company, Marcelo Machado, who took the office in the beginning of the year and is responsible for the contracts of the company in the countries of the Mercosur (Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) and Chile, besides Brazil. Only in this region, which is served by the Brazilian unit, the Areva T&D sold almost R$ 1 billion (US$ 546 million) in 2008, an amount that represents nearly 5% of the world result of the division that got to more than US$ 7.8 billion last year. According to the executive, such result is significant for Areva because among the five divisions of the company, the T&D division is the one which presents greater earnings, with more than 25% of the income obtained worldwide in 2008. Out of the total earnings obtained by Brazilian operation, nearly 40% to 45% came from the supply of equipment for the industrial sector. Without revealing figures, Machado says the goal is to increase the participation of the industry in the results of the subsidiary.