FibraTECH International

Ensuring equitable access to affordable drinking water: in Colombia, around 1.3 Million people don’t have access to clean water close to home - WaterAid. Among other projects, Fibratech develops water treatment and storage programs in areas historically affected by water scarcity or remote areas with poor water quality. Of Fibratech’s sales, approximately 45% come from high social impact projects. Examples of this, include 27 communities in La Guajira that now have drinking water and municipalities like Campeche and Luruaco, which went from receiving water sporadically (every 10 days) to having constant access. For 2025, Fibratech plans to build a big water tank in the district of Colombia, in Sabanalarga, and another in the district of Molinera, both aimed at providing 24-hour access to safe drinking water. Additionally, in August/September, new projects in La Guajira will be launched with the purpose of ensuring continuous access to potable water. 

Increasing resilience and adaptation to climate change related risks: by providing access to safely managed water in remote areas, Fibratech is minimizing the effects that climate changes (such as droughts) have on these communities. 

Promotion of integrated water management and conservation strategies: access to a safely managed water supply is still a big concern for a lot of Colombian households. Efficient water management is therefore a major concern. Through highly efficient tanks and infrastructure, Fibratech ensures that no water is wasted along the distribution lines. 

Increase sustainable and efficient use of raw materials: Fibratech has a big concern in introducing sustainable practices in their production chain to the reduce the carbon footprint of fiberglass production: 

• The resin, the main material in terms of consumption, comes from recycled plastic bottles, thus preventing more than 300 tons of PET plastics per month from ending up as waste.  

• Forty percent of the wasted fiberglass is recycled internally. 

• The patent, developed by Fibratech, for stackable tanks significantly reduces the amount of transportation required. The material used is very lightweight (compared to alternatives), which facilitates transport and application in hard-to-access projects. 

Modernization of infrastructures to make them more sustainable: the new technology optimizes material usage, significantly reducing waste and the necessary thicknesses. By using more efficient methods such as vacuum spraying, mechanical and structural resistance is increased, thus reducing the total amount of raw material required.  Currently, the fiberglass waste is around 5%. With the introduction of the new technology in the process, the goal is to reduce this number down to 1%. 

A Fibratech é uma empresa de fabrico dedicada ao desenvolvimento de soluções de fibra de vidro e de compósitos de alto desempenho, com o objetivo de melhorar a gestão da água e a resiliência ambiental em todo o território colombiano.

A empresa nasceu em 2013, em Barranquilla, na Colômbia, por iniciativa de Rafael Ortegon e Gabriel O’Byrne.

A empresa foi fundada com uma visão clara: “criar soluções de engenharia mais eficientes com impacto social”.

A missão da Fibratech é garantir um acesso eficiente e equitativo à água, fornecendo infraestruturas duráveis e amigas do ambiente que apoiem comunidades urbanas e rurais. É através do design próprio e de uma engenharia inovadora que a Fibratech reduz o desperdício de materiais, prolonga a vida útil dos sistemas de água e minimiza o seu impacto ambiental.

Alinhada com os objetivos globais para a sustentabilidade, a Fibratech dedica-se a contribuir para um dos desafios mais prementes do nosso tempo: assegurar o acesso à água potável através da inovação, da responsabilidade ambiental e do empoderamento das comunidades.