Zagope

Zagope is an engineering and construction company founded in 1967. At the time the company assumed the designation of "Empresa Geral de Obras Públicas Terrestres e Marítimas – Zagope S.A.R.L.". This name results from an acronym, formed from the word “Empreza”, to which were added the first letters of “Geral de Obras Públicas”. However, in 1988, when it was acquired in its entirety by the Brazilian group Andrade Gutierrez, the company's commercial name was changed to “Zagope - Construções e Engenharia, S.A.”. However, long before the acquisition of the Brazilian group, Zagope started as a descendant of the partnership between the French company “Grands Travaux Hydrauliques” and the Portuguese company “Luso-Dana” in the Távora Dam. After the work was completed, the two companies decided to continue the relationship created in the Portuguese infrastructure. Under the direction of engineer Manuel Gomes da Costa, the company became close with other groups, such as the French group Bouygues, until, finally, it was bought by the Andrade Gutierrez group.