ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios

Research and development

In terms of the investment made, noteworthy in 2005 was the research and development relating to oil operations, particularly offshore. These projects were led by the ACS Group through Dragados Offshore, and included the following:

• Development and implementation of a new radiographic inspection process at Dragados Offshore.
• Development and implementation of a new process for the optimization and control of cost management and for the management of documentation in offshore construction projects.
• Development of a new fire prevention system adapted specifically to the yard and construction workshops at Dragados Offshore.

Another significant area of research in 2005 related to the efficient generation of electricity, and particularly coal boilers, whose improvement was a significant environmental and technological challenge. Noteworthy are the following projects:

• Development of an optimal new sulphur removal technology selection and integration process at coal boilers.
• Design of an optimal boiler model with supercritical vapor parameters using coal as fuel.
• Design and development of engineering project Electrical Area Management System.
• Design and development of a new large industrial project documentary management process.
• Design and development of a system for the improvement of processes involved in the overall management of distributed industrial projects.
• Design and development of a system for the optimization of maintenance in the stoppages at any type of industrial plant.

Lastly, also significant was the ACS Group companies efforts with respect to urban control systems, taking into consideration that in 2005, a total of 39 development and innovation projects were undertaken, most distinguishable of which were the following:

• Consolidation of the basic areas of business in this activity (traffic, transport and access control) through the development of new products and solutions.
• Development of new business areas which are expected to expand in the immediate future such as massive video coding systems and control systems in new urban means of passenger transport.
• Active participation in EU projects, leading technological development projects in all activity areas.

All these activities have resulted in 27 projects invested in by the ACS Group, four projects subsidized by the Technical Research Promotion Program (PROFIT) of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and eight projects backed as part of the European Union's 6th R&D&I Framework Project.