What have been the main milestones achieved by Tecno Fast in 2021 and 2022?

Tecno Fast has had a very dynamic few years with a lot of activity and growth in all our business lines. We focused on finishing the Quebrada Blanca 2 project. We also finished the camp and auxiliary infrastructure for Gold Fields’ Salares Norte project, and a special remark for the camp of Rajo Inca, Codelco, where we are not just building and renting the camp, but we are operating it, which is an entirely complete service, including administration, maintenance, operation and food and cleaning services. In Peru we have been working successfully in Yanacocha. In our newest division, Tecno Fast Montajes we have been very busy, also working in Quebrada Blanca.

Our rentals line of business for commercial and industrial renting also saw a lot of activity, growth, and high utilization for Chile and Perú.

The most remarkable issue of the year was the acquisitions of Triumph Modular in Boston, USA, and then Alco Rental Services in Barcelona, Spain. Both companies are dedicated to renting modular infrastructure.

In an era of rising inflation, supply chain delays and high logistics costs, how is Tecno Fast dealing with these challenges to maintain cost efficiency?

Fortunately, since we have had so much to do, we have reached the point where we can negotiate by volume, and evidently anticipate purchases, while increasing our levels of inventory to have a greater certainty. There are three pillars to overcome supply chain challenges: the first is to anticipate, the second is a close relationship with suppliers, and third is volume.

What opportunities do you see for renewable energy projects?

Tecno Fast has worked very closely with solar and wind power projects, and we see a lot of opportunities in this space. We have developed several camps with Enel. Collaboration with the renewable energy sector is very important because it will allow mining to have access to lower energy costs and be able to move towards greener copper.

Can you elaborate on Tecno Fast’s plan to become a carbon-neutral company?

Some three years ago, we began the project to become carbon neutral. We turned our main plant in Santiago to one that is powered by solar panels. 85% of the power we use in our plants now comes from solar. We also undertook a huge process of automatization and modernization with cutting edge technology, which improves our energy efficiency. We are now trying to make our plants and hotels self-sufficient in energy terms, using power sources that would allow us to be carbon neutral.

Can you give examples of the latest technologies being utilized by Tecno Fast?

We have incorporated cutting edge technology in the factory, including automatizing the entire fabrication process of the modular structures. Two years ago, we incorporated German technology for everything that is wood construction, and now we are setting up an automatization line for light steel structures. With this, we have not just automatized production processes but we have widened the catalogue of solutions that we offer. Historically, we delivered solutions in wood, but now we can deliver them in light steel as well. Automation makes processes more efficient and accurate when it comes to schedules and use of materials, which allows for improved productivity and quality.

What opportunities do you see in Chile’s mining sector in the coming years?

We expect a lot of activity in the mining market in coming years, including a camp for Collahuasi of around 6,000 beds, as well as the Centinela project. From a business perspective, we see opportunities in delivering value-added products – not just delivering the camp but also managing, administering, operating it and adding services. This is supported by the digitalization of our processes and the use of data.

Tecno Fast has over 30 years’ experience in the market and has been a pioneering and leading company for all of this time, which is not an easy task. Our professionalism, close relationships with clients and partners, and our agility and capacity for innovation, have been key to this. We frequently tweak and modify our business model and add new lines and services so that we can have a more robust offer.