THE CBCA | History

Civil construction is the most important steel consuming sector in the world. Thanks to continuous breakthroughs in the steel industry – which is responsible for developing products with the utmost quality demanded by designers and by growing market requirements– the consumption of steel in construction applications are expanding all around the globe.

The same phenomenon occurs here in Brazil, but under isolated initiatives. This prevents the full use of the existing synergies between the different involved segments, therefore preventing the potential benefits to users and steelmakers.

As opposed to other intensive steel consuming segments of the economy, where a handful of producers can meet most of the market needs and have conditions to afford studies and research intended to strengthen the production process, in the steel construction segment, demand is still insignificant. There are only a few companies capable of providing such initiatives and have the required means and experience to create long-term partnerships with clients. Also lacking is the cultural tradition in the respective production chains towards joint parterships.

In the attempt to overcome these inconveniences and target better solutions found by other countries that have successfully faced similiar issues, Cosipa and Usiminas started to work together in 1997 in order to develop the steel construction market. The year of 1999 marked the creation of the GSCM – Steel Group of Metallic Construction, formed by CSN, CST, Usiminas, Cosipa, and later, by Açominas.

The decision to create the CBCA – Brazil Center for Steel Construction in Brazil was based on analyses (by the founders of the GSCM) of experiences from other countries, mostly those that spared no efforts to expand the use of steel in construction works, such as the UK, the USA and Japan, where entities such as Steel Construction Institute (SCI), American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and Kozai Club, had a fundamental role in the development and consolidation of the steel construction in their respective markets. CBCA now comes to join forces with local organizations representing the local industry, entities and professionals related to steel construction.

CBCA was created in 2002 as a "consortium" with the Brazil Steel Institute serving as its manager.

CBCA is not a commercial entity.