Atech Tecnologias Críticas, a Brazilian technology company, has just signed a contract to develop aerial traffic control systems in Venezuela. The deal, for the value of US$ 1.5 million, was signed with the neighboring country's National Institute of Civil Aviation this month.

This is the second contract the company signs with the Venezuelans in three months. In October, Atech was chosen by the local government to manage the integration of a network of meteorological radars and sensors in the country.

The company is responsible for 90% of the aerial traffic control systems in Brazil and started exporting technology around three years ago. The company first clients on the foreign market were the United States and Mexico, where there are three Atech aerial traffic management systems in operation.

At the beginning of this year, the company also started selling to the Japanese. According to the company marketing director, Zareh Balekjan, a contract was signed for the development of software for an industry in Japan, whose name cannot be announced.

Balekjan stated that international sales still answer to a small share of the company revenues, but they helped increase company revenues in 2004. Atech grew from revenues of US$ 60 million in 2003 to a forecasted US$ 100 million in 2004, a 66% increase.

Atech was the company responsible for integrating the entire System for the Vigilance of the Amazon (Sivam), implemented in 2000 by the Brazilian federal government to collect figures about the Amazon forest.

Through the new contract signed with Venezuela, Atech is going to help modernize the Maiquetia Aerial Control Centre (ACC), which controls aerial traffic in the north of Venezuela, where the largest movement of civil aircraft is concentrated.

The company is going to supply software for aerial control of civil aviation, install the system and integrate it to the existing system, as well as train operators to provide technical service. Balekjan believes that the system will be operational in one year.

(From BrazzilMagazine, Dezembro 27, 2004)

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