Adaptability is a constant that has allowed VEPICA to meet the requirements of its clients, offering innovative solutions for a sustainable world.
The 1970s marked a milestone in the history of the country's oil industry due to the progress of the nationalization process, which materialized in the year 1976 with the creation of the company Petróleos de Venezuela.
This historical context prompted Engineer Miguel Vicente Bocco Savery to found the Venezolana de Proyectos Integrados C.A. (VEPICA) in 1972, with the sole purpose of providing high-quality Venezuelan engineering services to clients in the growing industrial sector. As a result, specialized staff teams committed to the country were established, which have allowed to execute with excellence more than 4,000 projects over the years, in the oil, gas, petrochemical, energy, infrastructure and metallurgy fields.
With the intention of providing integrated services, VEPICA expanded its horizons in the 1980s to offer project management services and run CPI projects. In 1982, VEPICA'S subsidiary company LOS INSPECTORES DE VENEZUELA (LIVCA) began its activities, providing clients with inspection services in nondestructive testing, Quality Assurance (QA/QC), as well as the launching and start-up of installations.
In the year 1987 the book “Our Common Future” was published, also known as “The Brundtland Report”, which exhibited the concern for the deterioration of natural resources and introduced the term “Sustainable Development”. This marked another milestone that led to the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992, from which important changes in the social and environmental legislation were initiated in many countries around the world.
Venezuela was not the exception and the Environmental Criminal Law was promulgated, along with a set of Environmental Technical Standards that had a direct impact on the industrial sector. In such a context and with the clear vision of serving the customer, VEPICA incorporated its subsidiary company AMBIOCONSULT, CA in 1990, to offer solutions that include Environmental impact assessments, Environmental audits, and Environmental engineering projects (air, water, noise, and waste). Additionally, the execution of Operation and Maintenance projects also progressed in the 1990s.
With the arrival of the 21st century, the main goal was to globalize the processes, so the Vepica-Wood Group company was then formed with the Scottish transnational Wood Group. Vepica-Wood Group was operational until 2009, when VEPICA repurchased all shares and continued its activities as a 100% Venezuelan company, with Engineer Miguel Bocco Cordero as Chairman/CEO.
VEPICA ventured into offshore oil and gas projects, and faced with clear signs of an energy transition driven by climate change, the Alternative Energy Unit (2010) was incorporated into the organization to meet customer needs in this area. In addition, progress was made in the construction of the new headquarters designed with sustainability criteria, obtaining LEED Silver certification and becoming the first building in Venezuela to receive such recognition.
With offices operating in Venezuela, the USA, Canada, Colombia and China, considering the challenge of accessing highly competitive markets, VEPICA advanced hand in hand with technology, offering high-quality solutions, integrated engineering and Work Share at its various locations, making way for digitization, SP/ CADWorx Plant, SmartPlant Foundation and making progress in the use of 3D and 4D modeling.
For eight consecutive years, its strengths as a company have positioned it among the Top 225 International Design Firms in the Engineering News-Record (ENR), occupying the 209th place. Additionally, VEPICA’s steady growth over the years has led the company to rank number 10 on the “Best Companies in Steel and Non-Ferrous Metals Projects” ranking, number 36 on the “Best Companies in Industrial Processes”, and number 240 as a “Contracting Company”. (2021 Ranking).
50 years and we continue working to offer innovative solutions for a sustainable world
On March 3, 2022, VEPICA celebrated its 50th anniversary. Far from crippling the economy, being two years into a global pandemic has encouraged the search for new ways and strategies to operate and execute projects.
Innovation came to play a fundamental role in the sustainability of companies; in a social, environmental and economic sense. Thus, VEPICA chose to incorporate the Innovation Unit into the organization, with which it bets on the expansion of its technological offer, moving forward in digital transformation, providing prompt and efficient responses in project implementation.
With the purpose of providing solutions that add value in the areas of operation and maintenance, VEPICA signed a strategic alliance with the INTELCON company, focused on the development of hardware and software products, that allow to improve production and maintenance operations in the oil business, manufacturing industry, and telecommunications, incorporating technologies that guarantee process safety and asset integrity, among others.
In order to honor its pledge to sustainable growth, VEPICA is incorporating into projects, and in its head office building, activities that boost the SDGs actions for the environment, industry, innovation, infrastructure, responsible production and consumption, and quality education. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, VEPICA proudly signed an Institutional Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Universidad Central de Venezuela, through which it seeks to consolidate and develop research programs that allow for the promotion of the science, technology, innovation and extension areas.
With over 4,000 projects across four continents VEPICA continues to move forward, expanding its service offerings with the mission of “Making the vision of our clients come true through the execution of excellent projects” and the vision of “Being an internationally known company for the implementation of engineering, procurement and construction projects, maintaining sustainable and profitable growth”.
For more information on the subject, please contact Ninoska Cilento: ninoska.cilento@vepica.com
