Heavy Construction has been at Odebrecht’s essence since its foundation in 1944 and dates back even before this. Emílio
Odebrecht was already working in the area with his company, which he would later pass onto his son, Norberto Odebrecht. With construction projects completed in 35 countries, the Organization has acquired solid expertise in the area.

Through a combination of concrete, planning, discipline and innovations, Odebrecht promoted transformations in the traditional construction methods already back in the 1940s. A time at which a nine-story building would take nearly three years to be constructed, but which was ready in only nine months.

The advances of Construtora Norberto Odebrecht gained steam with the acquisition and merger of the Brazilian Project and Construction Work Company (Companhia Brasileira de Projetos e Obras or CBPO) in 1980, and National Engineering Technique (Técnica Nacional de Engenharia - Tenenge) in 1986.

Starting in the 1990s, the company integrated its areas of operation to complete Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) projects. This allows Odebrecht to manage all stages of a development: from basic engineering to its relation with the so-called “procurement” (specification, acquisition and supply of material and equipment) on to the construction phase and start of operation.

Today, the advances in technology are clear, streamlining communication between offices and construction sites and improving the sharing of knowledge. The company also internally developed planning, budget and monitoring systems for its construction processes.

The transformations in the work methods are permanent, aligned with the need of each Client, although without ever losing sight of the construction regulations and labor laws applicable around the world. Odebrecht applies quality, environment and occupational safety and health management systems to its projects, oriented by the international norms ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, respectively.