Buenos Aires industry seeks to become supplier to mining and energy sectors

Buenos Aires province's industrial sector is repositioning itself to participate as a supplier to mining and energy, two activities that concentrate investor interest under the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI).

The Buenos Aires Industrial Union (UIPBA) is coordinating this process through meetings with major companies, assessments of production capabilities and assistance in adapting processes and certifications. The program already brings together over 60 companies, primarily from the electrical, metal-mechanical and plastics sectors.

The initiative aims to identify the needs of energy and mining companies and connect them with the existing industrial supply in the province. This effort involves the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI), the Argentine Institute for Standardization and Certification (IRAM), chambers from Neuquén and San Juan, provincial banks and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Notable cases include CONFLEX, which adapted its production of cable trays to manufacture solutions for mining operations. Also mentioned are developments in electrical conductors for oil & gas and specialized textiles for mining apparel.

The challenge gains significance given Buenos Aires' industrial weight. The province accounts for 45% of the country's industrial capacity and represented 34% of productive units closed since December 2023, plus 44.8% of industrial job losses recorded in that period.

RIGI establishes a local content component equivalent to 20% of total investment, while various provinces have added their own mechanisms. In Buenos Aires, suppliers estimate that approved projects could generate local goods and services demand near $5 billion over the medium term, with higher spending anticipated through 2028.

Based on information from El Cronista — Mining.