In early 2021, infrastructure giant CCR was about to lose one of its biggest concessions: Nova Dutra. The company was also fighting with the government of São Paulo over the concession period for the Anhanguera-Bandeirantes System (Autoban).
Together, these contracts represent 25% of the company’s revenues. A year later, the picture is different. The company not only guaranteed the maintenance of these highways, but also added 18 new assets to its portfolio.
During this period, CCR won four auctions for highways, airports and urban mobility contracts, which means an investment of R$ 23 billion in new ones alone. For this year, the company will increase by around 80% the resources dedicated to the expansion and improvement of concessions, to R$ 4.5 billion.
This amount represents almost double the amount invested by the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) and by state-owned companies in the sector in 2021, of R$ 2.5 billion, according to the National Transport Confederation (CNT).
Since taking charge of CCR, in mid-2020, executive Marco Cauduro has started a process of internal change. He changed the organizational part and set up a growth agenda. “The goal is to create the mindset that we are not just an asset operator, but an essential public service provider.”
Over the next five years, the company will focus its forces on highways, urban mobility and airports. “We will continue to play a leading role in the auctions”, he says.
In 2021, the company maintained the Dutra highway concession for another 30 years after winning the auction in October last year, with a grant of R$1.8 billion and investments of R$15 billion during the contract. “This was a key asset for the company. It’s almost 1 million trips a day”, says the president of CCR. In this case, the biggest work that will have to be done is the duplication of 16 kilometers (km) of Serra das Araras, in Rio de Janeiro, which will cost R$ 1.2 billion.
dispute closed
The company also resolved the dispute over the concession of the Autoban System. Since 2015, there has been a discussion around a contractual amendment that would give CCR another eight years of concession. Before leaving the government of São Paulo, João Doria extended the concessions of Autoban, SPVias and Via Oeste until 2037, with the company paying R$ 1.2 billion for the grant. “This dispute caused great legal uncertainty and prevented a series of projects from being executed at the necessary speed”, says Cauduro. The extension of contracts with the São Paulo government involves a total investment of R$ 2.3 billion in the improvement and expansion of highways.
The company suffered from the effects of the pandemic. In 2021, it earned almost R$12 billion, 60% of which came from highway concessions. But toll revenues grew only 1.6%. On the other hand, the other businesses advanced: mobility and airports grew by 73% (in part due to the incorporation of new assets).
According to a report by Itaú BBA, these assets have been important to increase revenue. The numbers are expected to improve, as the volume of airport passengers and urban mobility is still, respectively, 27% and 35% below pre-pandemic levels.
The information is from the newspaper. The State of São Paulo.
Source: CNN Brasil
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