RFS Revs Could Hit US$100mn This Year

US telecom infrastructure supplier and antenna manufacturer Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) expects a 25% growth in revenues to US$100mn in Latin America this year compared to US$80mn in 2005, RFS's Latin America sales VP Roberto Pinto told BNamericas.

RFS has doubled its revenues in the last three years, with Brazil accounting for 50% of Latin American revenues that constitute sales of broadcast satellites, cables and equipment.

The Latin American unit aims for growth of around 15-20% in 2007 by providing telecoms infrastructure in "specialist" locations such as tunnels, metro stations, airports and shopping centers.

A case in point is RFS' contract with Brazil's largest mobile phone company Vivo as one of the suppliers for the 1.08bn real (US$500mn) GSM overlay project.

RFS is currently supplying the infrastructure such as cables for the first phase of the project that should be finished by year-end, according to Pinto.

RFS is working to cover priority areas such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as specialist locations.

Pinto would not reveal the value of the contract, the final amount of which will de determined by performance.

Swedish telecoms supplier Ericsson and Chinese equipment manufacturer Huawei were also selected to install GSM technology for the project.

LATIN AMERICA

RFS also intends to boost growth outside of Brazil and recently opened a factory in the Mexican city of Juárez which is due to produce some 2,700 antennas a month, once production starts in December.

Pinto is also seeing an upturn in business in markets such as Chile and Colombia. Business opportunities are circular so when one country is slow, another sees growth, Pinto said.

RFS has some 500 employees in Latin America, covering logistics, development and production. RFS clients include fixed and mobile operators, OEMs, systems integrators, radio and TV broadcasters as well as energy and mining companies.

BNAmericas.com"

Posted to the site on 25th September 2006