Colombian economy

IMF, World Bank Foresee 2.6%/2.5% GDP Growth for Colombia in 2017

Medellin Herald January 23, 2017

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank this month issued nearly identical 2.6% and 2.5% growth projections for Colombia gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. According to the IMF forecast – divulged in a new report on Latin American economies – Colombia’s 2.6% growth

Companies

Corona Launches Construction of Big Cement Plant in Antioquia

Medellin Herald January 11, 2017

Colombia-based multinational ceramic-products maker and basic materials producer Corona announced January 10 the launch of construction on a 1.35 million tonnes/year cement and 3,150 tonnes/day clinker plant at Sonson, Antioquia, about 50 kilometers east of Medellin. Corona and Spain-based partner Cementos Molins are putting US$238 million into project via a new joint

Companies

Exito, Bancolombia Affiliate FIC Ink US$256 Million Investment Deal in ‘Viva Malls’

Medellin Herald December 28, 2016

Medellin-based retail giant Grupo Exito announced December 27 that Fondo Inmobiliario Colombia (FIC) – partly owned by Medellin banking giant Bancolombia – signed a deal whereby FIC will invest COP$770 billion (US$256 million) in Exito’s “Viva Malls” subsidiary. Viva Malls has 12 commercial malls already operating in Colombia and two nearly complete, with a total […]

Companies

Navelena Achieves Financial Close on Crucial Magdalena River Dredging Project

Medellin Herald December 17, 2016

Cormagdalena – the Colombian government agency overseeing a dredging project for the Magdalena River that would dramatically improve freight movements – announced December 16 that project developer Navelena SAS has at last achieved financial close on the COP$2.5 trillion (US$877 million) “public-private association” (APP in Spanish initials) project. The project had

Companies

Huawei, Astound Expanding High-Tech Jobs, Investments at Ruta N

Medellin Herald December 7, 2016

Medellin’s high-tech development center Ruta N announced December 7 that San Francisco-based web and e-commerce developer Astound Commerce has opened a new office here — and aims to generate 50 to 100 new programming jobs over the next 12 months. Astound’s total investment at Ruta N is estimated at US$1.5 million to US$3 million. The […]

Companies

Responsible Mining: Continental Gold Wins Crucial Enviromental Permit

Medellin Herald December 2, 2016

Canada-based Continental Gold announced November 30 that it finally won a crucial environmental permit that paves the way for a US$600 million gold-mining development project at Buritica, Antioquia. Once industrial-scale production starts in 2019, the mine and upgrading plant would produce an average of 253,000 ounces of gold per year over a projected 14-year mine […]

Politics

Colombia Congress Rubber-Stamps ‘Peace’ Deal with FARC

Medellin Herald December 1, 2016

With the opposition Centro Democratico party boycotting the votes, Colombia’s House of Representatives and Senate voted unanimously November 29 and November 30 to approve a revised “peace” deal with the narco-terrorist Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Meanwhile, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos declared that following the vote, all of the FARC’s

Companies

Exito 3Q 2016 EBITDA Improves, but Posts Net Loss

Medellin Herald November 30, 2016

Medellin-based retail giant Exito reported November 29 that its third quarter (3Q) 2016 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 4.2% year-on-year, to COP$732 billion (US$238 million) on sales of COP$16.5 trillion (US$5.36 billion), up 12.5%. However, the company posted a net loss of COP$100 billion (US$32 million), down from a net

Companies

Grupo Argos 3Q 2016 Net Profit Jumps 39% Year-on-Year

Medellin Herald November 30, 2016

Medellin-based construction, energy, cement and port-operator giant Grupo Argos announced November 29 that its third quarter (3Q) 2016 net profits jumped 39% year-on-year, to COP$880 billion (US$286 million) on sales of COP$10.8 trillion (US$3.5 billion), up 24%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 29%, to COP$2.74 trillion (US$891

Companies

Netcentric Boosting High-Tech Hiring in Medellin

Medellin Herald November 18, 2016

Investment promotion agency Agencia de Cooperación e Inversión de Medellín (ACI Medellín) announced November 17 that Switzerland-based software developer Netcentric aims to boost hiring dramatically in Medellin over the next four years. The hiring plan – which would boost employment by 150 to 300 more positions – would drastically expand Netcentric’s current 10-employee