2012 Annual Sustainability Report

1914	José Alves Garcia, a Portuguese immigrant, arrives in Brazil.
1929	The Garcia Family founds its first company in Uberlândia (State of Minas Gerais): a rice processing plant. In the same year, Mr. Alexandrino Garcia, Mr. José Alves Garcia's son, marries Mrs. Maria Silva Garcia, with whom he has three children: Walter (1930), Eleusa (1931) and Luiz Alberto (1935).
1940	Mr. Alexandrino Garcia joins other local entrepreneurs to acquire the newspaper Correio de Uberlândia, founded two years earlier.
1941	Mr. Alexandrino Garcia opens up the car dealership Irmãos Garcia e Companhia Ltda.
1949	Mr. Walter Garcia, Mr. Alexandrino Garcia's son, founds Intermáquinas Ltda, a farm equipment and machinery dealership.
1950	Mr. Alexandrino Garcia opens up the company Garcia S.A. Indústria e Comércio (Garinco), a car dealership.
1953	Mr. Alexandrino Garcia, as the president of the Commercial and Industrial Association of Uberlândia, leads a movement of entrepreneurs aimed to improve telecommunication services in the city.
1954	CTBC (Companhia de Telefones do Brasil Central, Central Brazil Telephone Company) is founded on February 15 and acquires Empresa Telefônica Teixeirinha (Teixeirinha Telephone Company) the following month.
1958	Mr. Alexandrino Garcia takes over CTBC (currently Algar Telecom) and starts expanding it.
1960	CTBC launches the microwave telecom system, connecting the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília. The first phone call from Uberlândia to Brasília is made.
1969	Gráfica Sabe (printing business), currently Algar Mídia, is founded.
1976	The air taxi company Brasil Central Táxi Aéreo is founded. CTBC implements the codes for long-distance and international calls (DDD and DDI), installs the first public pay phones, launches the microwave telecom route in the Triângulo Mineiro region, and launches the telephony service for rural areas.
1977	Agropecuária Brasil Central S.A. (currently Algar Agro) is founded and acquires Fujiwara Hisato's oil mill. This company led to the creation of the acronym ABC, which composed the Group's initials for over two decades.
1979	CTBC begins to serve 19 other cities and towns within its service area. In the same year, the Group acquires the tourist complex Pousada do Rio Quente (currently Rio Quente Resorts), jointly with Francisco Hiczy.
1982	Grupo ABC (ABC Group) is officially established, with the creation of the holding company.
1983	ABC Táxi Aéreo (currently Algar Aviation) is approved by Embraer (Brazilian Aeronautics Company) to perform the maintenance services of its airplanes.
1984	The first optical communication system in Brazil is introduced in Uberlândia.
1985	The first computerized telecom center in inland Brazil goes into operation.
1986	ABC Sabe (currently Algar Mídia) becomes the controlling shareholder of the Correio de Uberlândia newspaper.
1987	ABC A&P (currently Algar Agro) starts to invest in pig farming.
1988	The Group reaches the mark of 64 companies and 13,500 associates. In the same year, CTBC installs the first optical cable in Franca (State of São Paulo). An internationally-recognized independent audit company is hired for the first time, and internal audit is introduced.
1989	The Group's first professional CEO is hired. The Group introduces the Network Company management model in the same year.
1990	During this decade, the Group discontinues the operations in some segments and restructures its businesses into four major segments: Telecom, Agribusiness, Services and Entertainment.
1991	In tribute to its founder, the Group is renamed Algar. Telecommunications engineering company Engeset is created.
1992	CTBC launches mobile phone services, even before the service was provided in many Brazilian state capitals.
1993	The fixed cellular service for rural areas goes into operation, with the creation of Brazil's largest plant and the launch of card-operated public pay phones. The Algar Group's founder, Mr. Alexandrino Garcia, passes away.
1994	CTBC Celular is established to meet the fast-growing demand for mobile phones. Engeset extends its services to other areas, and both CTBC and ABC Sabe (currently Algar Telecom and Algar Mídia respectively) start developing social projects in the field of education.
1995	Comtec, in charge of operating Uberlândia's integrated public transportation system, is created jointly with the construction company Andrade Gutierrez. The Advisory Council, which consists of independent members and discusses the Group's business, is created, an important step for creating the Board of Directors in the future.
1996	Cable TV operator Image TV is acquired. ABC Sabe (currently Algar Mídia) launches the TV show Correio na TV and NetSabe. In addition, it makes the Correio de Uberlândia's content and the phone directory available on the Internet. The digital mobile phone system is introduced.
1997	An optical fiber network was installed along the Brazilian federal highways that cross CTBC's concession area.
1998	CTBC launches the pre-paid mobile phone service, a pioneering project in Brazil, which will eventually prevail in Brazil's mobile telephony. In the same year, the Company launches the CTBC Pre- Paid Mobile Phone Kit. The Algar Consortium wins the bid to operate the B Bandwidth (Banda B) of mobile telephony in Area 3, which comprises the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. Universidade Algar (Algar University) is opened. ACS (currently Algar Tecnologia), which provides contact center services, is created.
1999	The Board of Directors, which comprises independent members, is created. Service access codes for long-distance phone calls are introduced. CTBC's code number is 12. CTBC launches public pay phones for hearing and speech impaired people and installs the first elevated cell site in Brazil.
2000	Space (currently Algar Segurança), which provides security services, is opened up.
2001	The Garcia Family Bylaw is introduced.
2002	Instituto Algar (Algar Institute) is created to develop and coordinate the Group's social initiatives and (later) its environmental initiatives.
2003	CTBC achieves ANATEL's Universal Access Targets and is authorized to expand its fixed-line telephony and data transmission services throughout Brazil.
2004	Algar Tecnologia opens its contact center in Campinas (São Paulo State). Algar Telecom acquires an Internet provider in Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo State) and starts offering Internet access services.
2005	The construction of the soybean processing plant in Porto Franco (Maranhão State) starts. Algar Telecom acquires the company Iqara, which has an optical fiber network in the city of São Paulo. Algar Telecom renews its concession contracts for Switched Fixed-Line Telephone Services up until 2025.
2007	ABC Inco (currently Algar Agro) starts crushing soybeans in the State of Maranhão and exports soybeans in bulk directly to Europe for the first time. CTBC (currently Algar Telecom) obtains a license to provide 3G mobile phone services within its concession area and holds its first issue of debentures. Engeset extends its operations to Rio de Janeiro and opens branches in the states of Sergipe and Alagoas.
2008	Centro de Memória Algar (Algar Memory Center) is opened. Rio Quente Resorts opens the Praia do Cerrado Water Park. ABC Inco launches a new line of products named ABC de Minas, consisting of extra virgin olive oil, blended oil, tomato paste and tomato sauce.
2009	All the Group's companies start bearing the name Algar.
2010	Algar Tecnologia acquires the software company Synos Technologies. Algar Telecom acquires Band H, the last 3G mobile phone frequency band available in Minas Gerais State, extending its operations to complementary regions.
2011	Algar Aviation begins to represent Piaggio Aero in Brazil. Algar Telecom begins to expand Band H to 19 cities and town in Minas Gerais State, with packages including fixed-line and cellular phone services, fixed-line and wireless broadband services and satellite pay TV services.
2012	Grupo Algar opens its own headquarters in São Paulo City. Algar Telecom holds its second issue of debentures. Algar Agro opens its second soybean oil refining and bottling plant, in Maranhão State. Rio Quentes Resorts opens a new 196-room hotel for guests in its loyalty program only.