5/4/2017 – COMSA has seen its activity in Argentina strengthened with four new contracts for the conservation and improvement of tracks belonging to the General Belgrano Railway in the provinces of Santa Fe, Salta and Chaco. With the awarding of these contracts, the construction company confirms its growth trend in international markets with high demand for the construction and modernisation of infrastructure, especially in Latin America.
The country’s Rail Infrastructure Manager has selected COMSA, operating in consortium, for the renewal of more than 25 kilometres of track between the towns of Los Frentones and Pampa del Infierno in the province of Chaco. The contract also includes the supply of 80,000 tonnes of ballast, the mechanised treatment of an additional 36 kilometres of track, and the renovation of nine level crossings and the stations of Los Frentones, Pampa del Infierno and Concepción del Bermejo.
In the province of Santa Fe, COMSA will modernise a 23-kilometre rail link between the municipalities of Rosario and Luis Palacios and it will also carry out the upgrading of twenty level crossings and part of the sewerage system of the section. Meanwhile, ADIF Argentina has also entrusted the company to carry out the replacement of track in the railway bridges of Arroyo Serodino, Monje, Bragado and Arroyo Matadero, located in the same province, along with other civil works, such as the construction of canals in both sites to prevent water accumulation in the event of rain or river flooding.
Additionally, the company will execute the rail replacement on four bridges that belong to C12 and C18 branch line in the province of Salta and will carry out the construction project to strengthen five additional bridges. The total value of these contracts amounts to 23.4 million Euros.
Consolidated presence in Latin America
In addition to Argentina, in the last decade COMSA has exported its know-how and high level of rail specialisation to other regions of central and southern America, where has started activity in Uruguay and has already consolidated activity in both Brazil and Mexico. In the latter country, and backed by the rehabilitation of Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro, work on which was particularly challenging due to its technical complexity and the tight deadlines, COMSA recently completed the maintenance of track and catenary of the 15 kilometres that make up Line A, a project with a value of close to 4 million euros. The company has also completed the structural modernisation of a section of Line 1, where it has completed civil works, signalling and electrical installations.
In Brazil, COMSA, as part of a consortium, is currently carrying out the construction of the second phase of Line 4 of the Sao Paulo Metro. The company’s extensive railway experience in the country has allowed it to extend its portfolio of clients to the private sector. At present, it is implementing double tracks in various sections of the Carajás Railway in the state of Maranhao for the second largest mining company in the world, Vale do Río Doce. This is a new private railway contract, following completion last year of the duplication of the Boa Vista-Canguera track in the state of Sao Paulo for América Latina Logística (ALL), one of the main logistics operators in the country.
During the last financial year, COMSA also gained access to Uruguay with the remodelling of 327 kilometres of railway line between the towns of Piedra Sola and Salto Grande. This is a branch used mainly for the transport of goods and the project is ongoing.
