Odebrecht

Holding group Odebrecht's primary operation is thermoplastic resin producer Braskem. That company was formed in 2002 when Odebrecht merged its chemical business with those of Copene and Mariana. Braskem makes plastics and acrylics, synthetic fibers, chemical compounds, pipes and tubes, and gasoline and solvents, among other products. Another subsidiary, Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, leads Odebrecht's engineering, heavy construction, and specialized technology operations, such as its electromechanical structures and offshore drilling services. In 2007 it also formed, with Japan's Sojitz, ETH Bioenergia to develop an ethanol production business that uses sugar cane as its base.