Companies

Medellin’s Cementos Argos EBITDA jumps 123%; Debuts Low-CO2 Cement Plant

Medellin Herald February 25, 2016

Medellin-based multinational cement producer Cementos Argos announced February 24 that its fourth-quarter (4Q) 2015 corporate-wide earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBIDTA) jumped 123% year-on-year (y-o-y), to COP409 billion (US$123.6 million). Gross

Economy & Finance

Antioquia Economy to Grow 3.3% in 2016: Medellin Chamber of Commerce

Medellin Herald February 24, 2016

The Chamber of Commerce of Medellin for Antioquia (CCMA in Spanish initials) announced February 23 that it expects the Antioquia departmental economy to grow by about 3.3% this year, down from 3.6% in 2015. The latest economic outlook indicates that 2016 “won’t be easy for the country nor for the [Antioquia] region,” CCMA calculates. Among the global […]

Companies

Medellin’s Grupo Sura Wins Fitch Debt Upgrade; Full-Year 2015 Gross Income Jumps 17%

Medellin Herald February 24, 2016

Medellin-based insurance, pension-fund and banking-investor giant Grupo Sura announced February 24 that its full-year 2015 gross income rose 17% year-on-year, to COP8.47 trillion (US$2.6 billion), while net income came-in at COP533 billion (US$165 million). Despite positive net income in 2015, the company took hits from Colombia’s recently adopted “wealth tax” as well as

Health & Insurance.

San Vicente Fundacion, Mount Sinai Unveil Groundbreaking ‘Clinical Alliance’

Medellin Herald February 19, 2016

New York’s world-famous Mount Sinai Hospital announced February 18 that it has finalized a “clinical alliance” deal with Medellin-based San Vicente Fundacion (SVF), aiming to “transform access to health care for communities within Latin America.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is one of seven hospital campuses within The Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest […]

Colombian economy

Colombian Industry Growing Despite Oil-Price Crash

Medellin Herald February 18, 2016

The latest annual “joint industrial opinion survey” (JIOS) organized by Medellin-based Andi (Colombia’s national industrial trade association) shows that Colombia’s industrial sector continued to grow in 2015 despite the global oil-price crash that has crippled its oil-dependent neighbors. The JIOS for full-year 2015 “reflects a slight increase in both production and

General News

Antioquia a Winner in First-Ever International Bond Float for ‘4G’ Highways

Medellin Herald February 15, 2016

A US$260 million bond float successfully organized by U.S.-based Goldman Sachs represents a big boost for Colombia’s massive “fourth generation” (4G) highway construction projects, which aim to overcome decades of logistical isolation from world markets. According to Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos and the Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI) highway development

Events

Upcoming: ExpoInmobiliaria, Global Entrepreneurship Congress, World Economic Forum

Medellin Herald February 15, 2016

Among major events upcoming at Medellin’s Plaza Mayor convention center this year are the ExpoInmobiliaria real-estate fair February 26-28, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) March 14-17, and the World Economic Forum (WEF) June 16-17. ExpoInmobiliaria showcases new homes and buildings for sale in metro Medellin, including the Oriente and Occidente suburbs,

Companies

Colombia Court Ban on Mining in ‘Paramos’ Won’t Affect Antioquia Project

Medellin Herald February 15, 2016

Toronto-based Continental Gold announced February 10 that a new Colombia Constitutional Court ruling that bans mining in the high-elevation “paramo” wetlands won’t affect its big gold-mining development project in Buritica, Antioquia. According to the company, “the main thrust of the ruling will be to eliminate the exceptions in the law which allowed certain mining

Professional services

Endeavor: Medellin’s Emerging Tech Sector Needs More Angel Investors

Medellin Herald February 5, 2016

A new report  on Medellin’s emerging information technology (IT) sector from global entrepreneur-development organization Endeavor finds that Medellin needs more “angel investors” to spur more IT start-ups. The report — developed in collaboration with Medellin’s government-funded “Ruta N” IT business development promoter — finds that just half of

General News

Antioquia Sees Progress on ‘4G’ Highways, Ocean Freight Port, but Gov. Perez Blocks Toyo

Medellin Herald February 3, 2016

Colombia’s national infrastructure development agency (ANI) announced in late January that progress is being made on crucial “fourth generation” (4G) highway projects (totaling COP$12 trillion/US$3.5 billion) in Antioquia, as well as the just-approved “Port Antioquia” ocean freight project. Approved “4G” projects in Antioquia so far include construction of a second,