Finding the right partner in Sapa key to Central do Alumínio's growth

Central do Alumínio began its metal-building business in some of the boldest and most modern building projects in Rio de Janeiro. Now its work can be seen all over Brazil. Sapa is contributing.

Central do Alumínio is one of the premier metal builders in Brazil, specializing in aluminium frames for windows and facades. Its start came in Barra da Tijuca, a neighborhood in Rio that is considered one of the most developed places in Brazil, where the company was asked to support the construction of the area’s downtown shopping complex.

Director Luiz Felipe Lucena says the company used approximately 370 tons of aluminum profiles for the frames in the complex.

“This project was a success, but we have come a very long way since then,” he says.

It is also a long way between Central do Alumínio and its most important supplier, which has its plant located some 500 kilometers away in Itu, near São Paulo.

Lucena says the distance does not matter, because Sapa is committed to helping his business grow.

“When we started the company, I went after a lot of things, like price, but I realized the most important thing was to have an alliance, a commitment. I want to succeed, and I want to have the technology and product development that the market wants and which keeps moving us forward,” he says.

“My mind was set on becoming bigger and full of innovation, so I went to Europe to learn about Wicona’s systems. This was the brand that was known to have the best technology,” he says. “After that, we began building only unitized facades in Rio de Janeiro, and now we are working all over Brazil.”

Indeed, after having installed more than 100,000 square meters of unitized structural glazing facades since that time, the company is considered to be the leader in the field. Wicona is one of Sapa’s aluminium building systems brands.