As it has done every December since 2006, Grupo Azvi has once again recognised the merits, efforts and good work of its teams in the 17th edition of its Corporate Awards.
This year the event was held at the Real Fábrica de Artillería of Sevilla, which became a meeting point not only for the teams, family and friends of the Seville-based company, but also for the business, financial, social and cultural fabric of the city.
During the event, prizes and awards were presented in the following categories:
BEST WORK AWARD
The Best Work Award is given to the work whose technical characteristics, quality of execution, compliance with deadlines and fulfilment of client expectations make it deserving of the accolade. This year, the evaluation committee has awarded the prize to the construction project of section 3 of the Tren Maya in Mexico, linking Calkiní in Campeche with Izamal in Yucatán.
The Tren Maya is one of the most important railway projects currently underway in the world and Azvi, through its Mexican subsidiary, Construcciones Urales, is proud to be involved in the construction of this 160 km section (100 km single track and 60 km double track) of the 1,554 km line that will cross the Yucatán Peninsula and which will be completed in the coming months.
The project, in consortium with Grupo Indi, has been carried out in record time to meet the client’s deadlines and led to the creation of over 12,000 jobs during its construction. Some of the most remarkable figures include the use of more than 950,000 tonnes of ballast, 360,000 sleepers, 25,000 tonnes of rails and 96 pieces of track equipment. In addition, three viaducts of different types have been built, including the 320-metre-long viaduct over the Mérida-Campeche road. In addition, 34 level crossings, 73 underpasses and 80 wildlife crossings have been built, as well as transverse drainage works.
During the construction of this section, Construcciones Urales was also responsible for the construction of the depots and workshops on section 3, in Mérida and Tulum, and Escárcega, Cancún and Chetumal respectively. It was also responsible for the design, construction and operation of the sleeper supply factory for this section.
José María Martínez Benavente, General Manager of Construcciones Urales, Alejandro Sánchez Castillo, Production Manager of Construcciones Urales, Julio José Cruz Moya, General Manager of Cupisa, José Manuel Martínez Moral, Section 3 Site Manager, José Manuel Martínez Moral, Andrés Vazquez, Head of Grupo Obras Ferroviarias, and Nicolás Calero, Gonzalo Font, Alberto Navas, Miguel Ramírez Catena, Eduardo Osorio, Pedro Carlos Jorge Vega, Juan María Díaz Cabanillas, María José Pino, Diana Quiroga, Alfonso Alemany, Germán Orozco and Humberto Galicia.
FINALIST – PUERTA DEL SOL
The works carried out by Azvi in the major project to transform the Puerta del Sol in Madrid have been shortlisted in the Best Work category. The team, led by Ana Galán, project manager at UTE Madrid Centro, has transformed the emblematic square of Madrid into a new, more open space, eliminating obstacles and putting the pedestrian centre stage, through the complete pedestrianisation of the square and converging streets. The square’s main symbols have also been repositioned: the equestrian statue of Charles III, the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the Mariblanca and the Km 0.
All these works were carried out in an area through which 250,000 pedestrians pass every day. Measures were taken to ensure they were able to safely coexist with the ongoing construction works, which have been carried out impeccably, completed on time and in line with our objective of zero accidents.
SPECIAL MENTION
This year, the evaluation committee has decided to award a special mention to José Alberto Montero, the head of operations in Azvi’s machinery department.
Since his arrival in 2017, José Alberto has led a remarkable transformation of the company’s machinery fleet, which has even led to an increase in turnover. His proactive approach is reflected in the expansion of the use of machines by third parties and their integration in the company’s own works, working in close collaboration with the site personnel. He has excelled in strengthening the workshop, extending the life of equipment and maintaining rigorous economic control. He also led the internationalisation of the department in Mexico, actively participating in the recruitment of specialised personnel. His recognised prestige in the national railway environment and his total commitment to the company make him an exceptional colleague.
INNOVATION AWARD
This year, Grupo Azvi also wanted to recognise the development of innovative actions in the execution of its projects. , Such is the case of the comprehensive infrastructure improvement of the Guadalmez-Córdoba section of the Madrid-Seville high speed rail line, , where a series of ballast containment walls were implemented on site, used in nine double-track viaducts between Villanueva de Córdoba and Adamuz.
Designed to contain the track ballast during maintenance work on the railway infrastructure, in this case waterproofing, these walls offer a manageable solution thanks to their reduced volume and weight, allowing the wall itself to be placed manually. In addition, they improved traffic safety by preventing the displacement of ballast during the driving of the wall, avoiding waste of material during removal and implementing preventive maintenance by not leaving behind foreign elements that could cause problems during future maintenance work.
QUALITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AWARD
Quality, health and safety and environmental management are fundamental to all of us at Grupo Azvi. That is why we wanted to recognise the commendable work carried out in this area by our colleague Óscar Artesero, Group Leader of the Civil Works Department, who has been awarded this prize for his outstanding contribution and exceptional commitment. Since joining the company, Óscar has shown a deep connection with the challenges faced on site, particularly in his area of expertise. His role as a tireless collaborator in the search for solutions to day-to-day problems has had a significant impact on the development of his projects, both in his previous role as site manager and in his current role as group leader. This recognition reflects not only his ability to face challenges proactively, but also his ability to inspire his team to achieve exceptional results in the field of construction management.
BUSINESS TRAJECTORY AWARD
This year, Grupo Azvi has awarded the Azvi Business Trajectory Award to Humanitas Centros de Educación, three educational centres in the Community of Madrid managed by our concession company Cointer.
The Humanitas Bilingual School in Tres Cantos and the Humanitas Bilingual School in Torrejón de Ardoz have, in their 10-year history, positioned themselves as a benchmark for charter schools in the Community of Madrid, being pioneers in the teaching of Chinese in their educational programme and leaders in the use of new technologies as a training channel.
Legamar International School in Leganés, is a private, non-denominational, accredited, co-educational centre with more than 35 years of experience, covering all levels of education (nursery, primary and secondary). It follows the principles of value education and educational excellence according to the EFQM model, which has been awarded the 300+ seal. According to various rankings, Legamar is one of the 50 best public schools in Spain, and the best in the south of Madrid.
GOLD INSIGNIA FOR 25 YEARS
The Gold Insignia recognise the effort and commitment of professionals who have contributed to the development and growth of the company for 25 years.
These professionals represent a core value to the company. Their knowledge of our culture and good business practices should serve as a guide for all employees in the various companies that make up our group. It is a source of pride and satisfaction for all of us to pay tribute to these professionals.
This year, Juan José Berdún Botello, Pedro Francisco Blanco Gallego, Juan María Cabanillas Acero, Luis Javier Campello Estebaranz, José Luis Escobar García, Antonio Ferrer Delgado, Tomás Jodra Sanz, José Luis Montero Larizgoitia and José Miguel Perales Cuéllar received the gold insignia for 25 years of service.
GRUPO AZVI FOUNDATION RECOGNITION
For Grupo Azvi, social responsibility is voluntarily integrated in the management of our activities, in the needs, expectations and demands of our stakeholders, reconciling the improvement of economic results and the fulfilment of our obligations with social welfare and sustainable growth. The Grupo Azvi Foundation is one of the channels through which Grupo Azvi fulfils its commitment to the social development of the communities in which it operates, either through its own programmes or in collaboration with other organisations and entities.
This year, the Grupo Azvi Foundation wanted to recognise the work of Dr. Jesús Corral, oncologist at the Medical Oncology Unit in Jerez de la Frontera Hospital, for his outstanding work in counselling long-term cancer survivors. This recognition is part of the collaboration between the Grupo Azvi Foundation and the Andalusian Health Service (SAS), through an agreement with the Xerez Association for Oncological Research (AXIO).
GRUPO AZVI FOUNDATION DRAWING AWARD
Every year, the Grupo Azvi Foundation organises the Grupo Azvi Foundation Children’s Drawing Competition, in which the children and young relatives of Grupo Azvi employees take part.
In this edition, the jury, made up of artist Reyes de la Lastra and teacher Teresa Herrera, chose the drawing by 10-year-old Manuel García González as the winner. The first special mention went to Valentina Fuentes Martínez, 8 years old, and the second to Telmo Santiago Tocino, 7 years old.
As in previous years, these drawings were used as Grupo Azvi’s Christmas cards.
