Talleres ZB, S.A. (Panama)

Sponsor: Talleres ZB S.A.
Business: Aggregate processing plants
Industry: Aggregate and mineral processing
Product: Joint venture loan
Total investment: 3.15 million euros
Resources: COFIDES / FONPYME

After a succession of mergers and acquisitions, the formerly atomised aggregate and minerals processing industry is now virtually controlled by a handful of large multinational groups. That notwithstanding, companies such as TALLERES ZB, an independent SME with proprietary technology, continue to operate in this highly concentrated industrial environment.

TALLERES ZB was founded in 1983, initially to grind aggregate intended for construction and public works. Over time, the company has come to specialise in the design, manufacture, commissioning and operation of turnkey aggregate processing plants. TALLERES ZB defines the pillars of its corporate strategy to be the implementation of R&D programmes for its lines of business and the gradual internationalisation of its activity.

In connection with the latter objective, TALLERES ZB has landed a contract to design, manufacture, commission and operate an aggregate processing plant at Buena Vista in the Panamanian province of Colón. The total investment for the project comes to over 3 million euros and constitutes TALLERES ZB's first experience in managing and operating a plant outside Spain.

COFIDES has granted the TALLERES ZB subsidiary in Panama a joint venture loan for 300,000 euros toward the investment. The loan will be drawn from both COFIDES (25%) and FONPYME (75%) resources. TALLERES ZB employs a staff of 36 in Spain, while the Panamanian project is expected to generate six direct jobs. This is the first project financed by COFIDES in Panama. Since its inception, COFIDES has committed over 33 million euros for 11 operations in Central American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and now Panama.