Aboitiz firm eyes transmission lines, power plants

Aboitiz Construction Inc. (ACI) said that it is working on significant projects in Cebu and the whole of Visayas, which is expected to generate more jobs.

Albert Ignacio, ACI president and chief operating officer, said that they are in the process of delving into ventures on transmission lines to power plants, not only in Cebu, but also in the Visayas.

“We are looking forward to more projects because Aboitiz Construction was born in Cebu,” Ignacio said.

This includes the construction of ports and jettys in the country.

Ignacio said that they are eyeing the infrastructure plans in Cebu and assured that they are keeping track.

“If you will look at the infrastructure plans for Cebu, whether it’s an expressway or a new highway, a bridge or even a new airport, a new seaport, we’re keeping tabs on (it). Not only Cebu, but also in the Visayas,” he said.

Felma Yap, first vice president for business development, sales and estimating, said that they are working on upgrades of major power plants in Cebu.

“We’re looking at transmission lines, the upgrade of the Naga power plant and the new Cebu International Port,” she said.

She said that for 40 years, they have been doing structural and mechanical piping works and some small civil works.

This time, they are targeting a new market.

“We want to go into commercial and industrial facilities or logistic hubs. And large-scale transmission lines interconnecting Visayas to Mindanao,” she said.

Yap said that 80 percent of their revenue comes from various projects in the country while the other 20 percent comes from the international market.

In Cebu, Yap said that ACI’s projects from previous years included Austal Shipyard, an Australian shipbuilding company in Balamban; the Toledo power plant in Sangi; Atlas Fertilizer; and Carmen Copper Corp.

With around 6,000 personnel employed by the company, ACI not only caters to domestic companies but also foreign clients with projects in the country. /