Argentine family business profile: Techint Group
Founded in 1945, Techint Group has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of seamless steel tubes, mainly for the oil industry. The Buenos Aires-headquartered firm is currently the largest steelmaker in Latin America.
FAMILY
Italian businessman Agostino Rocca founded precursor firm Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale in 1945. A few years later, newly rebranded Techint won a contract to build a 1,000-mile gas pipeline from Comodoro Rivadavia to Buenos Aires, and went on to become a leading government contractor. Rocca retired in 1975 and transferred control of the company to his eldest son, Roberto. By that time it was an international conglomerate. Third-generation brothers Paolo and Gianfelice Mario Rocca lead the company today.
X-FACTOR
Agostino Rocca's original philosophy for the Techint Group was one of long-term presence. As a result, Techint describes its companies as being deeply rooted in the communities in which it operates. Through this thorough understanding of local cultures, the firm says it is able to recognise and draw upon local strengths in order to manage extremely complex projects. Equally important is reinvestment in these communities.
LOOKING AHEAD
Working in an increasingly demanding market with lower margins, Techint intends to remain competitive through continuous training of its employees – a move it says helps encourage professionals to stay in the company. The firm also believes that training of employees helps to build knowledge on a permanent basis. With more than 58,000 members of staff, their unique approach seems to be withstanding the poor performance of the Argentine economy.
