Spanish group Aqualia, 51% owned by construction company FCC, controlled by Carlos Slim, has moved forward with a proposed purchase of Aquapor, which operates several water and sewage systems from north to south of Portugal. The merger was notified to the Competition Authority on December 22.
The value of the transaction was not disclosed. But according to the regulator’s announcement, the operation consists of the acquisition by FCC Aqualia of the exclusive control of Crie Vantagens, a company which owns the entire share capital of Aquapor – Serviços and which is controlled by the Braga DST group. .
Since 2015, the DST company has had sole control over Aquapor and its subsidiaries, which include Águas de Cascais, Águas do Sado, Águas de Gondomar, among others. This control is done through Create Advantages, which was created in February 2008 by DST – Domingos da Silva Teixeira and ABB – Alexandre Barbosa Borges, as a purchasing platform, precisely, for part of the capital of Aquapor of the group of ‘State of Águas de Portugal. Positioning subsequently reinforced in 2015.
Currently, in addition to Portugal, The Aquapor Group is present in Mozambique, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. On the national territory, 26 municipalities have services in concession to Aquapor and 42 municipalities have a contract with Luságua, held by the Group.
The Spanish giant FCC Aqualia, also present in Portugal in the water and sanitation sectors, is 51% owned by millionaire Carlos Slim FCC Group and 49% by IFM Global, an international investment fund of Australian origin.