OPWAY Engenharia, S.A., emerges on the 1st January, 2008 following the OPCA - Obras Públicas e Cimento Armado, S.A., merger with SOPOL – Sociedade Geral de Construções e Obras Públicas, S.A

Within the framework of a business project speculating on constant growth, OPWAY aims to reach a turnover of € 1000 million shortly (4, 5 years), in order to gain dimension and subsequently attract another class of investor.

In order to reach these objectives, OPWAY will be focusing on areas with greater profit margins, such as road concessions and others, engineering works and real estate.

History of OPCA

OPCA - Obras Públicas e Cimento Armado, S.A. has been an engineering, civil construction and public works company since 1932. A company that within the last couple of decades has reached an important position in the market due to the company administrators’ permanent quest for innovation and risk, and this is reflected in many key architectural and engineering works undertaken throughout the country.

Over its 75 years, OPCA has benefited from the creative and pioneering spirit of its founders – especially Januário Godinho, an architectural genius – to become one of the number one companies in this highly competitive market. A company that in the 80’s, followed the tendencies of larger companies in the construction business; by diversifying and as a result, the company name was present in every area of the construction business; and by internationalization. Geotechnics and foundations engineering, new business areas such as real estate, environment (industrial waste management) and telecommunications (infrastructures), their entry into the Macau, Angola and Mozambique markets, are all prime examples of this new strategy.

Once these changes were overcome, and the strategic course redefined by the new team led by Filipe Soares Franco, who took control of the company in 2000, OPCA continued to forge ahead into the future.

The company has gone through significant organic growth, with a 124% increase in business volume between 2002 and 2004 despite the reverse tendencies of the market, major investments made in business opportunities in 2005, such as the acquisition of Pavicentro (pre-fabricated concrete factory), Cerâmicas Aleluia and Viúva Lamego (ceramics), and the internationalization project strengthened with the recent acquisition of Sarrion, a Spanish construction company.

And this is how OPCA has reached a €450 million volume of trade and sits among the top ranking Portuguese construction companies. This position was recently reinforced with the acquisition of Sopol, a Portuguese construction company OPCA foresees as ideal for consolidating company growth due to its cultural similarity, leadership, and market position.

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History of SOPOL

SOPOL - Sociedade Geral de Construções e Obras Públicas, S.A. founded in 1959, has played an important role in key construction and infrastructures works undertaken towards the country’s progress and development. Their involvement has earned the company recognition for Quality, technical work, and rigor.

A few examples of these are:

• Carrapatelo Dam, in the Douro
• Monte Novo Dam, in Évora 
• Pipeline extension from Castelo de Bode to Vila Franca de Xira
• Overpass for Northern Access to the bridge over the Tejo River (25 de Abril bridge) in Lisbon

SOPOL specialize in many different fields and areas of Construction and Public Works such as: Ground levelling, motorways and roads, bridges and overpasses, urban and industrial infrastructures, residual wastewater and effluent treatment plants, drainage and sewage systems, hydraulics and hydroelectric plants, pipeline extensions and reservoirs, industrial units and buildings.

» Download the complete SOPOL history (PDF)