Unique partners Brazilian group to invest in Latin America

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The airport operator’s new joint venture aims to build and operate airports in Central and South America

Airport operator Unique has entered a joint venture with Brazil-based Camargo Corrêa Group to build and operate airports in Latin America. Together they created the company A-Port, with domicile in São Paulo, in which Unique will hold a 15% interest worth roughly $2m. Chilean firm Gestión e Ingenieria SA (IDC)—with which Unique operates Purto Montt, La Serena and Calama airports in Chile—will hold another 5% of A-Port’s shares. The company said in a statement it aims to “strengthen its position in this market and to establish a basis for further growth in Central and South America”.

Unique CFO Beat Spalinger said: “The joint venture with Camargo Corrêa Group is an important milestone for our international activities in Latin America. Together with our partner IDC, we are already well represented in this market. With the joint venture with Camargo, we can now penetrate the market even more, especially Brazil.”

The three partners plan to list some of A-Port’s shares at the São Paulo stock exchange after a starting period of between three and five years. The deal is particularly relevant as Brazil has won the rights to host the football World Cup in 2014, an event which will require extensive renovation of the country’s airport infrastructure.