Schuff International, Inc and Empresas Hopsa SA announced the formation of Schuff Hopsa Engineering, a Panamanian joint venture focused on providing structural steel fabrication and erection services throughout Central and South America. The new company will own and operate a 52,000 square foot steel fabrication plant in Chilibre, just outside of Panama City.
Mr Einar Simons president of Empresas Hopsa said that "Hopsa opened the Chilibre plant in 2009 to meet the growing demand for steel construction services in the region. As we sought ways to expand the business, it became clear that a strategic partnership with a top United States steel contractor was the best approach. We had the opportunity to work with Schuff Steel on the Costa Del Este 25-story high-rise in Panama City, and found that Schuff was a great match for Hopsa. We both share the same philosophy when it comes to servicing our customers and providing superior products. We look forward to great things from the new company.”
Mr Scott A Schuff president and CEO of Schuff International said that "Schuff has completed numerous projects in Latin America over the years, and we thrive in this market. There are many opportunities for steel in the mining industry in these regions and there is also a fantastic opportunity to introduce steel construction as a beneficial and competitive alternative to concrete construction in commercial applications. As Central and South America continue to grow, the increased demand for sophisticated construction methods offers us a chance to show the benefits of steel, particularly with our design-assist method.”
Schuff Steel is currently providing fabricated steel and consulting services on its second major steel project in Panama, a 26 story high rise. For these two commercial office structures, steel fabrication was jointly provided by Schuff Steel's US facilities and Hopsa's Chilibre plant in Panama. The new company, Schuff Hopsa Engineering, will begin marketing its services immediately, pursuing steel projects in addition to introducing steel as a cost-worthy and time-saving alternative to traditional concrete construction often utilized in Panama and South America.
