Emepa Group
| Company type | Conglomerate |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation, Engineering, Metallurgy |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina, Peru |
| Products | Railway rolling stock (Alerce trains), railway infrastructure, rail transport operation |
Emepa Group S.A. (an abbreviation of Empresa Metalúrgica Patricias Argentinas) is a diversified Argentine conglomerate engaged in the transportation and engineering industries.
The group controls multiple enterprises, including Ferrovías, which operates the Belgrano Norte Line and is headquartered in Buenos Aires. It was once the proprietor of Ferrocentral, responsible for services connecting Buenos Aires with Córdoba and San Miguel de Tucumán via the Mitre Network. These routes were transferred to the state-owned SOFSE in 2014, leading to Ferrocentral's discontinuation.
In addition, Emepa is involved in the production of railway rolling stock such as the Alerce diesel railcars, strengthening its foothold in Argentina’s rail vehicle manufacturing sector.
Overview
At its Chascomús facility, Emepa manufactures the Alerce trains (Alerce), with current deployment of diesel multiple units on the Belgrano Norte Line within Greater Buenos Aires. The company has placed orders for 20 two-car trainsets and has plans to develop electric versions for other routes. These trains are composed of approximately 90% locally sourced materials and accommodate up to 240 passengers. In June 2015, Emepa revealed an Alerce model adapted for broad gauge tracks on the General Roca Railway.
The firm has also been active in refurbishing and modernizing older train fleets across Argentina, notably upgrading rolling stock for the Buenos Aires Underground. This includes enhancements to historic La Brugeoise cars and Siemens-Schuckert Orenstein & Koppel units, executed in collaboration with Alstom.
Historically, Emepa held ownership of both Ferrovías and Ferrocentral. While Ferrovías continues managing the Belgrano Norte Line, Ferrocentral formerly operated routes from Buenos Aires to destinations such as Rosario, Córdoba, Tucumán, and the Tren de las Sierras within Córdoba Province—services that were progressively absorbed by Trenes Argentinos (SOFSE) by 2015. The group also controlled Argentren, which oversaw operations of the Roca and Belgrano Sur lines until their re-nationalization in 2014.
Via Ferrovías, Emepa extends its operations internationally by managing the Lima Metro system.
During the 1990s, Emepa collaborated with Belgian company Jan de Nul to obtain a concession for managing navigation along the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway.
Current companies
| Company | Sector | Operating area |
|---|---|---|
| Emepa | Metallurgy, Railway infrastructure | Argentina |
| Línea 1 | Rail transport operation | Lima, Peru |
| Ferrovías | Rail transport operation | Buenos Aires Province |
| Herso | Railway engineering | Argentina |
| Ferromel | Railway engineering | Argentina |