PLATETRADE was born on April 3rd, 1997, founded by Sebastian Zalaya and Mariano Grosso, PLATETRADE S.A. as a bet to develope a new concept of multimodal service, offering innovative solutions to charterers as well as to ship-owners. In the begining, PLATETRADE had the representation of the ship-owner CORECK MARITIME GMBH with whom the relationship was maintained for 3 years.

With Coreck, we were able to developed a deep relationship with the Tenaris Group winning the 40% of their annual bids mainly for cargoes appointed to the Persian Gulf, as well as covering market cargoes belonging to Curcija, Saman, Glencore, Bunge-Fertimport, J.Macedo, Continental del Peru, Gear S.A. and Cargill.

By mid 2000, another strategic alliance was achieved, but this time with NEPA SHIPPING, with whom the service coverage for Tenaris Group to the Persian Gulf was expanded, among other market cargoes. Also during 2000, the logistics development for commercialization of Bolivian soybeans was carried out. In this business PLATETRADE, jointly with Gravetal, developed a river and maritime logistic that comprised from the loading at Puerto Aguirre (Bolivia) via San Lorenzo (Argentina) to the port of Buenaventura (Colombia). This development resulted in a 2 years contract with monthly cargoes of 20-25,000 tons. For the provision of ocean transport PLATETRADE developed a very close relationship with Lauritzen Bulkers A / S, Clipper Bulk A / S Tschudi & Eitzen and A / S and Armada Shipping. Considering PLATETRADE´s reputation in the market, in such a short time of development, during 2001 other owners from different sectors of the industry approached PLATETRADE seeking a commercial partner to develop business in South America. This is how the relationship between SCANSCOT SHIPPING SERVICES GmbH and PLATETRADE was born, and the result was a turning point in the history of the company. Until that moment, PLATETRADE was dedicated to the provision of dry cargo, general cargo and eventually liquid cargo.

Through the relationship with Scanscot, the company diversified towards the project cargo market. For the development of this market, PLATETRADE began to acquire specialized knowhow being the first broker in Argentina that was able to offer this service to the market. In addition to expanding the services to Tenaris Group, Ternium Group and Acindar to the Mediterranean and US Gulf, Scanscot´s representation allowed PLATETRADE to enter to the market of over-size and ultra-heavy cargoes, transporting valves, industrial transformers, gas separators and building equipment for clients such as IMPSA and Techint Construcciones, thus participating in Projects like OCT in Ecuador and Camisea in Peru.

During 2001 and 2002, as Scanscot did, Scantrans approached PLATETRADE looking for a bit of regional support due to their recent office’s opening in Houston. Contrary to Scanscot, Scantrans was merely an operator at the time, so it brought to PLATETRADE the possibility to offer to their clients market opportunities according to its fluctuations. By doing so, PLATETRADE developed with Scantrans a trade of brazilian Steel to the North of Africa jointly with Misetal Paris, with an approximately outcome of 130.000 tons/year.

In 2002, due to the usual clients needs, PLATETRADE developed a market of container’s forwarding based in two main markets: bone meal and honey market. During that year, monthly shipments were made for both markets that exceeded the 570 TEUs/year, that was maintained until 2004. In 2003, a mini COA of 3 vessels was closed between Scanscot and Industrias Norteamericanas per a minimum of 7.000 CBM of lumber from Campana and Montevideo to Baltimore and Savannah. PLATETRADE organized the pool of argentine and uruguayan forestry producers, in order to coordinate the goods cargo and documents presentation. In order to maximise the use of the service, and exhaustive marketing work in the Argentine- Uruguay market was issued, that resulted as a completion of the free space of charterers such as Siderca, Siderar, Acindar, Fiplasto and Balerio among others.

According with the global development of purchase-sale of turnkey plants in 2003 there were 3 major demonstrations in South America in which PLATETRADE acted as a service provider together with Scanscot. In first place, a fish processing plant was transported from Southern Chile to Uruguay with a total of 1500 cubic meters. Then, there was the transport of a petrochemical plant from Erie (USA) to the private port Rhasa in Campana (ARG) with a total of 5600 cubic meters. For this operation, the vessels used were the ones of low draught according to Erie port restrictions (5m) and a temporary dock was built in Campana, due that the port was not prepared to receive this type of cargoes, nor berth these type of vessels .

During the same period, the transport service of a cellulose plant was performed for the company ENCE, from Vigo (Spain) to Montevideo (Uruguay) for the development in the industrial polo of Fray Bentos, with approximately 1715 cubic meters.

Going further with this development, in 2004, the transport of 3 oil elaboration plants was performed for the Company Bunge S.A. being 2 plants transported from Argentina to Ukrain and the 3rd from India to Ukrain, with a total of approximately 12.000 cubic meters. Also, a Rolling mill plant was transported for Belgo Mineira from La Plata (Arg) to Brazil, with a volume of 1300 cubic meters and 110 x 40’OT; as well as a bottling plant for Aluplata from Argentina to Tunez. Additionally, an oil rig of 4200 cubic meters was transported from Chica to Ecuador and a building materials cargo was transported for Andrade Guitierrez from Ecuador to Brazil that was approximately of 3700 cubic meters.

Eventually the contract of lumber evolved and there were periods that bigger vessels were needed. That was how PLATETRADE developed a new logistic for this contract jointly with CLIPPER ELITE CARRIERS (CEC). This new logistic involved the design of pallets to optimize the hold capacity and the design of protection via tarpaulin and Steel wires for on deck cargo. As a result of this new design, a COA between CEC y URUFOR Montevideo was signed.

This contract lasted 3 years and reached a total volume of approximately 290.000 CBM, with an average of shipments of 16.000 cbm every 45-60 days. Eventhough, CEC’s policy of non-working with an “open market marketing”, PLATETRADE achieved to ensure complementary cargoes to the lumber, therefore optimising the remaining space and generating the needed incentive to rotate the vessels back (USA-PLATE) with John Deere’s machineries among other cargoes. In addition along the last semester of that year, the granite spots market development was achieved, with shipments from Puerto Madryn to Salerno and Livorno.

In 2005 and due to the performance given, the Client (Porfidi International) decided to give us a contract that lasted 2 years with a total volume 300.000 tons, divided in average shipments of 12.500 tons every 30-45 days.

Such contract was the kick off to make ScanTrans decided to develop jointly with us a line called PATAGONIAN LINES APS that covered paths between ECSA and MED with highly competitive prices for all the clients that might have possible cargoes for the destinations mentioned. The development of Patagonian Lines allowed us to close 12 of 12 bids that Siderca had to the Mediterranean with an average of 8.000 tons per shipment, as well as yachts and small projects, which optimised even more the results of each voyage.

At the end of 2005, one of the partners decided to leave the business and be into other markets, which resulted in a change, not only a management change, but, the corporate policies oriented to maximise the results, minimising the fixed costs. Due to big changes, 2006 was a restructuring year for PLATETRADE, where we were basically oriented to mantain the existing contracts and add other project cargoes to achieve the best results of each voyage. Therefore, the work on import was increased through the service of Patagonian Lines, generating incentive to rotate from Mediterraneo to ECSA with a basis cargo of plates and small project cargoes as completion.

On the other hand, during the whole 2007, we became the only supplier of logistics service for IMPSA with projects such the ones perfomed in Bakun, Lyanyugang (China), Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur - Malasia) for a total of 33 shipments that included cargoes like rotors, shutters, turbines, steel plates and valves, some of which were containerised in order to optimise its transportation. At mid of that year, we signed a one year contract with SDMO France for the storage and consequent distribution of power generators and generators inside Argentina, as well as in Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia for a monthly total 250 SQM. Such contract was kept until 2009, when the company (SDMO) decided to close their local office.

At the begining of 2008 and betting once more on the company´s growth and its presence within the market, PLATETRADE signed a contract of exclusivity with BELUGA GROUP to represent them, BELUGA was a Company that offered us highly dynamic alternatives, such as the market demands. At the end of 2008 and with the huge drop of the US stock market, the value of freights highly increased, and the outcome was a market even harder to be fought than in former years. Many charterers decided to keep their projects stand-by waiting to see what will happen worldwide.

It was not the case of IMPSA that continued with the commitments previously arranged, not only with their clients, but with us too, reaching along that year a total of 20 shipments for their projects in Bintulu and Puerto Cabello.

Along 2009 we were able to secure, even more the relationship with Tenaris Group closing a 50% of the group´s business with a total of 35,400 mtons that year. In view of continue developing the market and our presence, but this time on the owner’s side, that’s why one of our partners moved to Germany for 9 months (from Julio 2009 to April 2010) with the aim to concrete new strategic alliance with new owners, such as RICKMERS, WAGENBORG and THORCO among others and doing so getting a new strategic partner in different places in order to offer our clients with the greater variety of alternatives possible. With THORCO we were able to establish a closest relationship and at mid 2010 a contract for representation was signed between THORCO and PLATETRADE for the cargoes of Argentina and Uruguay, because they have a subsidiary in Brazil for cargoes of this plate.

Therefore, being so close to owners already represented, is that the representation of SCANSCOT throughout South America was obtained, which had opened doors for us to new clients in Brazil.

Unfortunately by end of 2010, Scanscot Shipping as well as Scanscot Logistics, two of our main representatives, filed for bankruptcy, which forced us to get new service suppliers and doing so, maintain the level of service that always characterised us and was well praised. The search for new alternatives that optimised the results of the services offered was the Mission that PLATETRADE has stated from day one, and that is why, since then, has received the certification of ISO9001 ensuring implementation and maintenance of the quality system of our company and the use of methods and management tools that allow us to deliver efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Likewise PLATETRADE is an active member of BIMCO (The Baltic and International Maritime Council) the largest private global maritime organization, which commits us to the quality of service we provide to our customers.

PLATETRADE´s services are not only limited to chartering and freight, as members of WWPC (Worldwide Project Consortium) have the ability to manage a comprehensive logistics thanks to the extensive network of agents in over 90 countries allowing us to offer tailored solutions for each one of our clients.

PLATETRADE ARGENTINA
Complejo Office Park -Edificio Plaza - Hall 1 - Piso 1 - Of. 104
Ruta Panamericana, Ramal Pilar - Km. 42,500
Del Viso - Buenos Aires - Argentina - CPA: B1669CKH
Downtown Offices - Av. Leandro N. Alem 1074 9° piso, C1001 CABA
Email: platetrade@platetrade.com

Quality Management System Certified under the ISO 9001 Standard for the scope: MARITIME FREIGHT BROKERAGE SERVICES.