The Brazilian corporation with diversified businesses in engineering, construction, infrastructure and energy was founded in 1944 by engineer Norberto Odebrecht. The company has operations in over 14 nations and exports products and services to more than 100 countries.
Odebrecht began construction projects in Salvador and rural Bahia, completing its first hydroelectric power plant in 1952. In 1953, Norberto partnered with the state-endorsed petroleum producer Petrobras, building the Catu-Candeiasa oil pipeline. The company incorporated a year later as Construtora Norberto Odebrecht S.A.
The company grew its operations nationwide and had completed over 500 projects by 1973. The group diversified into petrochemicals in 1979 and expanded internationally the same year with the Colbún-Machicura Hydroelectric plant in Chile. The company made notable acquisitions such as the Portuguese construction company José Bento Pedroso & Filhos in 1988. Odebrecht became the first Brazilian company to complete a public construction project in the U.S.A. with the construction of the Metromover in 1991 in Miami, Florida. Emílio Odebrecht, son of founder Norberto, succeeded his father as company Chairman in 1998.
Today, the corporation is Latin America’s largest construction company. Odebrecht Oil & Gas was restructured in 2018 and renamed Ocyan. Emílio Odebrecht stepped down as the company’s Chairman in 2017, after 20 years. He was replaced by Ruy Sampaio, a former exective officer of another holding company of the group, Odbinv.
- Family name: Odebrecht and Gradin families
- Sector: RE, Hospitality & Construction
- Founded: 1944
- Founder: Norberto Odebrecht
- Country: Brazil
- Company headquarters: Salvador, Brazil
- Managers: Luciano Guidolin
- Revenue: US$33.5 billion
- Rankings:
- Family ownership: >82%
- Employees: 128,000
- Website: https://www.odebrecht.com
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