Alacero – Santiago, Chile, June 18th, 2013. Between June 12th and 14th, in Cartagena (Colombia) the IV International Congress of Steel Construction took place, with Alacero (Latin American Steel Association) as one of its sponsors. The event presented 33 international and Colombian speakers and an exhibition that brought together more than 50 companies. More than 500 participants included manufacturers, professionals and a large number of university and technical students, who came from all over the country.
Nowadays, Colombian annual steel consumption per capita is well below the world average. However, good prospects in the construction and infrastructure sectors encourage the steel construction industry trust a future of accelerated consumption and new opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Colombian government has been helping promote steel construction. As part of this initiative, it invited more than 30 students (chosen among the most outstanding ones) of the National Apprenticeship Service (Sena) to the Congress to familiarize them with steel construction. As recognition for this effort, Alacero awarded a scholarship for its Steel Design Course to one of the teachers that led the group.
“This initiative of Alacero –and the ones to come- will contribute to train technical high school students as designers or as field technicians in steel construction” – said Alberto Pose, in charge of the Diffusion of Steel Use area in Alacero, who was representing this organization in the Congress.
The drive and preference for steel construction has a tradition in Colombia. Already in 2010, this country was the first in the region to issue rules based on the ANSI / AISC 360-10 (building steel) and ANSI / AISC 341-10 (seismic provisions), that had been issued in USA that same year, and in the AISI 2008 for coldrolled steel. These measures became a solid technical foundation for structural design and strengthened the sector.
At the opening ceremony of the IV Congress, Juan Manuel Lesmes -Executive Director of
Andi-Fedemetal and Alacero Regional Secretary- said: “The construction accounts for 45% of steel apparent use in Colombia and 12% of employment, which compares with 15% of domestic industry”.
Lesmes also informed that Fedemetal expects that steel value chain (including steel mills,
metal-mechanic plants and shipyards) to be considered part of the government´s Productive Transformation Program, for which they working on the preparation of a business plan for the sector, with the support of an international consultant.
Fedemetal encourages “joint ventures” between foreign and Colombian companies in projects related to government procurement, as a mean to allow technology transfer to local industries. In this sense, agreements with USA and Canada (and the coming with the European Union) are perceived as an opportunity for the development of Colombia.
Regarding steel construction, Lesmes said “in the schools of Engineering and Architecture, steel construction materials should not be an elective but a mandatory course.” He also emphasized the value of the Design Competition for Architecture Students organized by Alacero, which attracts students from all over Latin America and generates great enthusiasm among Colombians.
About Alacero
Alacero –Latin American Steel Association- is the organization that brings together the Steel Value Chain of Latin America to promote the values of regional integration, technological innovation, corporate responsibility and social and environmental sustainability. Founded in 1959, Alacero is formed by 52 companies of 25 countries, whose production –of about 70 million annual tons- represents 95% of the steel manufactured in Latin America. Alacero is a Special Consulting Organization to the United Nations and is recognized as International Non-Government Organization by the Republic of Chile, host country of Alacero´s headquarters.