FIALA & COMPANY was founded by Mr. A.E.A. Fiala in 1948, being its original field of activities shipping and equipment for the shipbuilding industry.
By 1963, the represented companies covered the complete range of marine equipment. Besides charter, freight and general brokerage, two large vessels were sold: a 20.000 DWT tanker for YACIMIENTOS PETROLIFEROS FISCALES, and a cargo liner for URMAR.
From then on, to the already running marine business, mining equipment was included as well, being our principal client YACIMIENTOS CARBONIFEROS FISCALES, the Argentine equivalent to the National Coal Board, to whom through several package deals and individual sales, we have supplied most of the long wall production and tunneling equipment, which was mostly commissioned with the assistance of our engineers, who were periodically supervising its proper maintenance.
Pumps for oil pipe lines, belt conveyors, flame proof lightning equipment, hard rock drilling equipment, roof bolts, etc., were supplied to local companies like Y.P.F., Y.C.F., MINERA TEA, MINERA AGUILAR, ELMA, ALIANZA.
Practically the 50% of all the vessels built in the Argentine shipyards during the last 20 years have, through our intervention, MAIERFORM S.A. (Switzerland) design or have been built under their supervision.
As from 1970, the ports of Rosario and Quequén were dredged by the companies ROYAL VOLKER STEVIN and HAM from Holland, through our representation. Several other projects were approached, some of which still have possibilities to end on a contract in the fields of dredging and civil constructions.
Several package deals for equipment and materials required to build different types of vessels have been prepared, and two of them supplied: two grain carriers for ASTARSA shipyards; and more recently 20% of all equipment for the "Patricio Murphy" and 15% for the "Centurion", both multipurpose ships for local shipowners CIAMAR and MARUBA.
Under CONVER GmbH license we had locally made containers stowage and lashing systems, as well as hatch covers designed by VON TELL.
Moreover, FIALA & COMPANY has a technical office, where ordinary consultation and projects for local owners and shipyards (ALIANZA, Y.C.F., SHELL, ESSO, BUQUEBUS, CIAMAR, GEOMATTER, MARIFRAN, etc.) are made, and whose engineers and technicians are supporting the marketing and commercial efforts when required. In this field, when large tender proposals must be prepared, or when the commissioning or service of equipment requires special assistance, the whole organization works as a team.
Mr. A.E.A. Fiala passed away in 1979 assuming his son Ing. Juan Agustín Fiala as the General Manager of the company. On that date the firm was enlarged to its actual dimension and other representations were included.
FIALA & COMPANY represented, imported, distributed and made the maintenance of a great variety of products, being the following some of them: tunneling machines for civil and mining industry (DOSCO), gas and Diesel engines and generating sets (LISTER-PETTER, DORMAN DIESELS), hydraulic components and systems (HYDRASSIST), fire fighting equipment (MACRON FIRE), air and heat systems for the marine field (BRONSWERK), and others. Among the light marine industry: auxiliary engines (LISTER-PETTER, BETA MARINE, and MERMAID), inflatable boats (AVON INFLATABLES), etc.
We got closely involved in the consultancy and control of pollution, as well as the study of environmental impact with the support of NEDECO's consultancy (Holland).
In the late nineties were successful in obtaining the dredging contracts of Martin Garcia and Bahia Blanca canals worth over $150 millions for HAM Dredging. A contract between ARAMADA ARGENTINA and RDMTH is signed for the purchase of all necessary materials for two submarines TR 1700 and with a reactivation option of the MINISTRO M. DOMECQ GARCIA shipyard
All contracts for the supply of process pumps for the Bajo de la Alumbrera and Cerro Vanguardia gold fields were obtained on behalf of WARMAN INTERNATIONAL representation, where our engineers also assisted is the commissioning of this equipment.
Initially with the assistance of DERRICK CORPORATION INC. of U.S.A. and afterwards with the German company HILLER GMBH, new alternatives for the waste water treatment field were developed for different industries like tanneries, paper mills, slaughter houses and others.
These developments have solved different environmental contamination problems, especially with the use of high speed decanters, with the corresponding laboratory tests in order to find the most adequate chemical additives.
The use of decanters solved other industrial contamination problems, such as Calcium Carbonate dewatering, Chrome recovering in tanneries and others.
With the reactivation of the coal field at Rio Turbio, we have supplied ALLENWEST WALLACETOWN LTD. flameproof electrical equipment, as well as spare parts for Long Wall Faces on behalf of the Spanish company EMEINSA,
We also provided crushing equipment from WILLIAMS PATENT CRUSHER and PULVERIZER Co., Inc. to Cementos Artigas in Uruguay, and KINERGY Bin Activators to Minera Gualcamayo.
On behalf of MD HELICOPTERS Inc., we give technical support and the supply of the required spare parts for the Argentine Air Force (FAA) fleet of Hughes helicopters.
In conclusion, as a result of what has been previously described, FIALA & COMPANY's main activities are in the fields of marine, dredging, mining, oil, environment and general business development, where qualified personnel, a strong commercial experience and technical support are required. In addition, we represent the interests of many principals in Paraguay and Uruguay.