Metso, Progen to Create JV for Project Construction Management in Brazil

Metso, Finland, and Progen, a Brazilian engineering and consulting company specialized in project management and implementation, have formed a joint venture to strengthen strategy and to diversify activities in Brazil. The parties have founded a new company, Valpro gerenciamento de obras Ltda, to attend exclusively to Metso projects in the South American pulp, paper, and energy market, supplying specialized technical services in construction and erection management, commissioning, and startups. The value of the agreement was not disclosed.

The new company plans to start its activities during the next 30 days, with its head office in São Paulo. "We believe in the potential of the pulp, paper, and energy market. It will continue to be an interesting segment, especially with the Chinese demand, that has boosted the Brazilian pulp exports," said Eduardo Barella, Progen's CEO.

Progen's expertise in project management and implementation, combined with Metso's know how in the pulp, paper and energy business, are the biggest advantages for Valpro. "This company will add value to the new projects, bringing in the best management practices that have proven successful in other markets," Barella explained.

Progen's CEO. Edmund Schwarz, Projects and Supply Chain director at Metso, noted that "from now on we will have a leading company fully dedicated to site management, performed earlier by subcontractors. We will ally what is best at Metso and Progen and apply it at Valpro".

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