Techint

Techint

Company type	Private
Industry	Conglomerate
Founded	1 September 1945 (1945-09-01) in Milan, Italy
Founder	Agostino Rocca
Headquarters	Buenos Aires and Milan , Argentina and Italy
Area served	Multinational
Products	Steel manufacturing, steel pipes, engineering and construction, mining technology, energy exploration and production, healthcare
Owner	San Faustin S.A. (controlled by Rocca & Partners Stichting Administratiekantoor Aandelen San Faustin)

Techint is a multinational conglomerate with roots in Italy and Argentina, established in Milan in 1945 by the Italian industrialist Agostino Rocca. Its main offices are located in Buenos Aires and Milan.

The organization primarily functions through two main branches: Techint S.A. based in Buenos Aires and Techint - Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale S.p.A. situated in Milan.

The group maintains majority ownership in six prominent enterprises: a 62.02% share in Ternium, a steel manufacturer serving the construction sector; 60.45% of Tenaris, recognized as a top producer of steel pipes for the oil industry; Techint Engineering & Construction, which focuses on overseeing large infrastructure projects; Tenova, dedicated to creating technologies aimed at minimizing environmental impacts within metals and mining industries; Tecpetrol, an energy company engaged in exploration and production activities across Latin America; and Humanitas, which operates healthcare facilities.

Control of these assets is centralized through San Faustin S.A., itself governed by Rocca & Partners Stichting Administratiekantoor Aandelen San Faustin, a Stichting entity.

History

Founded in September 1945 under the name Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale ("Technical International Company") by [[Agostino Rocca], a prominent figure in Italy’s steel sector during the 1930s, the company originated after Rocca relocated to Latin America due to his opposition to Italy’s fascist government post-World War II. Initially, the firm specialized in engineering and construction services, with its first major undertaking involving the installation of large-diameter pipelines throughout Argentina and Brazil.

In 1949, Techint was awarded a contract by President Juan Perón to construct a 1,600-kilometer gas pipeline linking Comodoro Rivadavia to Buenos Aires, establishing itself as a key government contractor during Argentina’s period of infrastructure development. The company expanded internationally by founding subsidiaries in Brazil (1947), Chile (1951), and Mexico (1954). In 1954, it inaugurated its inaugural seamless steel tube manufacturing plant in Campana, Buenos Aires. By 1969, its facility in Ensenada had become Argentina’s exclusive producer of cold rolled steel.

Subsequently, the company adopted the shortened telex identifier Techint as its official name. Throughout the 1980s, it broadened its project portfolio across Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico, diversifying into sectors such as nuclear power plants and offshore oil platforms.

During the early 1990s, Techint acquired equity in Argentina’s state-owned SOMISA, thereby reinforcing its manufacturing capabilities within the oil-and-steel corridor spanning San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Villa Constitución, particularly focusing on cold rolled steel production. Concurrently, the group increased investments in oil and gas exploration via Tecpetrol.

In the mid-1990s, Techint ventured into healthcare by establishing and managing Istituto Clinico Humanitas near Milan. By December 2001, it created Tenaris to oversee its steel pipe manufacturing operations previously held by Siderca.

In August 2005, Techint purchased a 99.3% interest in Mexican steel company Hylsamex for US$2.2 billion. This acquisition was merged with Argentine firm Siderar and Venezuelan company Sidor to form Ternium, whose headquarters are located in Luxembourg.

The year 2016 marked Techint’s entry into mining through Tenova’s acquisition of several mining enterprises.