Materials for reconstruction

Sodimac, a DIY retailer suffering from the effects of the earthquake in Chile, expects that building products and materials will very soon become scarce in the country. This is why the company is now in search of new sources of supply for very large quantities of goods. Merchandise manager Francisco Torres is responsible for the purchasing department (ftorres@sodimac.cl). The reconstruction of the country could take three years and cost around US $ 30 bn. It is probable that 80 per cent of the 16 million population of Chile have been affected by the consequences of the natural disaster. Some Sodimac DIY stores were badly affected as well: the company closed six of its stores after the first quake. It has also launched an appeal for donations and is doubling the amount contributed by its customers.