Semco Partners is the successor to Semco Group, a centrifuge manufacturer founded in the 1950s by Antonio Curt Semler. In the 1980s Antonio’s son, Ricardo Semler, took over the firm, modernized management practices, and expanded the company’s range by moving heavily into the service sector, including environmental consultancy, facilities management, real estate brokerage, and inventory support. During this expansion, the company worked with a variety of technology partners and developed a sophisticated joint venture model that combined Semco management practices with the partners’ expertise and product lines. This fusion of skill sets created the business model that has been so successful in the Brazilian market.