Airtificial cements its leadership in water management solutions in Peru
- Airtificial Civil Works expands its operational presence in South America with the signing of an agreement valued at around 9 million euros, the largest contract in its history for engineering infrastructure design projects.
- The project, awarded by the Government of Peru through the National Infrastructure Authority (ANIN), consists of the design of improvements and extensions to the protection facilities of the Rimac River and has a duration of 15 months.
- The scope of works comprises the design of 42.5 km of rockfill embankments and gabions and 21 km of concrete walls in the river basins in the provinces of Callao, Lima and Huarochirí, an intervention area of more than 3,100 km2.
- This contract consolidates Airtificial Civil Works’ capabilities in large civil engineering projects linked to water resources management, especially those related to the fight against climate change and its negative consequences on the affected communities.
Airtificial cements its leadership in large-scale civil engineering projects, social impact and high contribution to the fight against climate change. The Company has won a public contract with the Government of Peru, valued at just over 17.8 million euros (72,129,885 million Soles), through the Consortium Soluciones Integrales Rimac, 50% owned by Airtificial Intelligence Structures and well-known industrial partner.
This contract, formalised yesterday evening, is the largest in the history of the Airtificial Civil Works division in engineering infrastructure design projects, includes the complete design of the defences and sustainable canalisation of the Rímac River as it flows through the provinces of Callao, Lima and Huarochirí, an area of intervention of more than 3,100 km2. This public contract follows previous civil engineering projects executed by Airtificial in Peru, specifically in the basins of the Lacramarca, Virú and Chicama rivers for the development of river defences to control flooding caused by climate change.
The project, which will last around 15 months, involves the execution of the design works for river flow retention structures to reduce the risk to the population and civil infrastructure from flooding or erosion caused by the El Niño climatic phenomenon. Airtificial will design 42.5 km of rockfill embankments and gabions and 21 km of concrete walls in the river basins. Elements such as gabions, concrete walls or rockfill dykes or embankments present several advantages in this kind of engineering works due to their great solidity, resistance, flexibility and long useful life, while at the same time they integrate and settle in the environment with a low environmental impact.
The scope of the project covers a river length of 95 km on both banks and will also mitigate the effects of the eventual activation of 23 seasonal torrential water crossings (quebradas) in the regions of Chaclacayo, Chosica San Mateo, Santa Eulalia and in the district of Lurigancho. Most of the river sections run through the urban and peri-urban area of Lima, including the sections bordering the historic city centre, making this part of the design a major architectural and landscape challenge.
The purpose of this engineering work is to ensure sufficient hydraulic capacity of the river and its streams, or temporary torrential tributaries, and to limit the potential impact of floods caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon. This work is part of the Peruvian government’s major project for the viable, sustainable and resilient design of the Rímac River, which has a total investment of some 406 million euros (1,623 million soles).
The river defences that Airtificial will design will benefit more than 178,000 people and more than 33,000 homes affected by heavy flooding, land erosion and land mass movement. The Airtificial Civil Works unit has extensive experience in projects of this kind, especially in Peru, where it has been awarded several similar projects.
This kind of public procurement is framed in a context marked by the serious consequences caused by climate change. Airtificial has worked successfully in Spain and South America on various civil engineering projects, with a special focus on the emerging challenges in the management of water resources and improving the quality of life of communities affected by the impact of climate change.
In this case, floods are the result of the increasingly latent effects of climate change. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, in 2023 South America recorded heavy rainfall and consequent flooding, caused, among other things, by the El Niño climate phenomenon. This phenomenon, in addition to its major social impact, had serious economic consequences in Peru due to its impact on economic activity in the primary sector, which in turn exacerbated food insecurity, especially in communities that depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Guillermo Fernández de Peñaranda, CEO of Airtificial, said: “We are very proud that the Government of Peru has once again placed its trust in us for an engineering project of this magnitude, especially in view of our experience and proven capabilities in this type of civil work. With this award, the largest in the history of the Airtificial Civil Works division in the design of infrastructure projects, we are making progress in our strategy of executing contracts linked to the core of the unit, engineering projects linked to environmental and social sustainability, with a special focus on the efficient management of water resources. This award highlights our capabilities and recognises our experience in similar projects”.
About Airtificial
Airtificial provides global and innovative design and manufacturing solutions for the automotive, aeronautics, infrastructure, and other industrial sectors, integrating advanced technologies, such as robotics and artificial intelligence that, together with human interaction, contribute to a more sustainable development. It has an operational presence in thirteen countries in the main markets of Europe, America, and Asia; and contributes to the digital transformation and the automation and optimisation of its customers’ processes in the industrial field through sustainable and competitive growth.
Press contact:
Iñigo Palacio / Fernando García
(+34) 91 576 52 50
