Luksic Group
“During my whole life I have thought: ‘God, it is not possible that this desert exists for no reason, that there is nothing here’, I always thought it should contain something valuable”.
Andrónico Luksic Abaroa’s words at the end of his career reflect the entrepreneurial spirit by which he intensively lived his 78 years. A story he created travelling through the desert, in a pick-up, always carrying with him a pickaxe and a mining helmet, exploring in search of opportunities that were a “source of development for future generations”.
Apart from finding copper veins, he also started innovating and developing various companies that, thanks to the effort of thousands of collaborators, have contributed since the fifties to the progress of Chile and of the other countries where his companies have presence.
Since then, and until 2002, when he chose to leave his executive positions in the hands of his sons, he built one of the most diversified and successful business groups in the country.
During the sixties the Group developed the first investments in other industries apart from mining, taking advantage of growth opportunities in key sectors of the Chilean economy, such as copper processing, electricity distribution, manufacturing, transport, agriculture, food processing and the forestry industry.
In the seventies, the Group expanded its activities to Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, participating primarily in metal manufacturing, agriculture, and vehicle trading. Throughout the following decade, the Group’s expansion came hand in hand with diversification in the sectors of telecommunications, banking, hotels, railways, and food and beverage.
In 1996, the Group’s ownership structure underwent reorganisation. All financial and industrial investments were placed under Quiñenco’s control, while mining and railways remained with Antofagasta plc. This new structure simplified control and opened the doors to the capital markets for Quiñenco.
During the last years, Quiñenco has increased the internationalisation of its activities. Today, it has presence in over 120 countries in five continents through its main operating subsidiaries and affiliates.
In mining, through Antofagasta Minerals the Group is the main private player in Chile in large scale copper mining with Los Pelambres, Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldivar mines. It also has presence in the United States with the Twin Metals project in Minnesota.
Quiñenco, on the other hand, participates in the financial sector (Banco de Chile), beverage and beer (Compañía Cervecerías Unidas), manufacturing (Nexans), energy (Enex, Shell’s licensee in Chile), transport (Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores, Hapag Lloyd), and port and shipping services (SM SAAM).
The Luksic Group also participates in the tourism industry of Croatia.
Luksic Group Brochure