3rd Investe SP Award honors 21 companies that have invested R$ 4 billion and generated more than 6,000 jobs in São Paulo
The event, which gathers government and entrepreneurs, honors projects assisted by Investe Sao Paulo that have already started their operations in the State
Investe São Paulo
The settlement of a company in any region includes job opportunities, income to the population, taxes, and above all, economic development. On Wednesday, December 3, at Sala São Paulo, São Paulo’s Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Competitiveness promoted the third edition of Investe São Paulo Award to honor 21 entrepreneurs who have invested in the State and already started their operations.
In total, the companies invested approximately R$ 4 billion and generated more than 6,000 jobs. During the event, which brought together leading businessmen from Brazil and authorities from the legislative, executive and judicial branches, the honorees received from the Governor Geraldo Alckmin, the Secretary of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation, Nelson Baeta Neves Filho, and the President of Investe SP, Luciano Almeida, the trophy that recognized the entrepreneurship of those who believe in the State generating jobs and income.
“Who creates jobs and income for the population is not the government but entrepreneurs. For this reason, São Paulo is a partner of those who invest in the State. This award is to recognize your effort and entrepreneurship, making the State of São Paulo the locomotive of this country,” said the governor Geraldo Alckmin.
To receive the recognition from the State government, the companies, in addition to have invested in the State, should have used the services of Investe São Paulo, which is the government agency responsible for the attraction and maintenance of companies providing support free of charge. The companies awarded at this year edition were Norac – Ateliê do Sabor, Castfutura, Toyota do Brasil, Termomecanica, Braskem, Lenovo, SAG, MOSB - Metal One Shibaura Brasil, Horiba, Datalogic, Solazyme Bunge, Estre Ambiental, Saipem, Saertex, Chery, Hyundai Motor do Brasil, Castrolanda – Cooperativa Industrial, GDBR – Toyoda Gosei, VCI Molde, Vidroporto and GV do Brasil.
The mayors of the cities where these investments were made also received a special recognition for helping Investe SP attract companies to the State.
To further promote interaction between local governments and Investe São Paulo, the agency launched at the event the hotsite for the municipalities, which is hosted within the website of Investe São Paulo. Through this tool, the municipalities will be able to register the land areas to be presented to investors and report issues relating to municipal tax laws, master plan and map the investments announced in the 645 cities.
The event, which also featured a concert of the MPB singer from São Paulo, Maria Rita, also celebrates the six-year anniversary of the Agency, which until today has attracted 94 projects to the State, generating investments totaling R$ 25.3 billion and the creation of 53,000 direct jobs.
According to the president of Investe SP, Luciano Almeida, the award was created to bring entrepreneurs closer to the State government. “Investe São Paulo was created with the mission to be the gateway to the private initiative in the State government. When a company is assisted by us, it receives free support to locate areas, assistance with tax matters, environmental licensing, infrastructure issues and in the dialogue with public entities, utilities and development agencies. Investe SP Award is the result of the success of this partnership, bringing together entities, municipalities, partners, diplomatic bodies and especially entrepreneurs who believe in São Paulo as their business platform,” said Almeida.
For the secretary Nelson Baeta Neves Filho, the award reinforces how the State is at the forefront of attracting investments and creating jobs, wealth and technology. “São Paulo brings together qualities that are favorable to attracting business. We have the best infrastructure, the largest consumer market, skilled human resources, in addition to the leading research institutes and universities in the country. The awarded companies sought in the State a destination to undertake and they achieved this goal due to the strength of the market and the environment that encourages growth,” he said.
The honored companies
The first company awarded was Solazyme Bunge, which invested almost R$ 350 million in the city of Orindiúva, generating 150 direct jobs in the construction of the first manufacturing plant of sustainable oils from microalgae in the world. Walfredo de Alvarenga Linhares, CEO of the company, joined Maurício Bronca, mayor of the city, to receive the honor.
Next, Norac’s project - Ateliê do Sabor was honored. With an investment totaling R$ 55 million, the company implemented a new plant that will produce sandwiches and salads under the brand Ateliê do Sabor, in the city of Ibiúna, generating 350 direct jobs. Bertrand Chambert-Loir, CEO of the company, along with Fabio Bello, mayor of the city, received the award.
Horiba was the third company to be awarded in the event. The Japanese company built the headquarters of Horiba Instruments Brazil in the city of Jundiaí, where it has been producing, since March, reagents for automated in vitro diagnostic systems. The project included investments totaling R$ 19.5 million, generating 46 direct jobs. Hamilton Ibanes, general director of the company, and Pedro Bigardi, mayor of Jundiaí, received the award.
The ceremony continued with the award of Datalogic, an Italian company that invested R$ 4.8 million in the construction of its headquarters in Brazil, also in Jundiaí. The project generated 30 direct jobs and built a structure for the production line of mobile computers and portable and fixed scanners, as well as sales, services and logistics. Michele Garavello, Operations Director of Datalogic Brazil took the stage with Bigardi to receive the award.
Hyundai Motor Brasil was recognized for the expansion of its printing area in Piracicaba, which consumed R$ 14 million in new investments and generated 12 jobs. Thus, its production, which started in August this year and aimed at doors, hoods and fenders, now has the capacity to produce 180,000 vehicles per year. The award was received by Ricardo Martins, General Manager of Corporate Affairs of the company, and Gabriel Ferrato, mayor of the city.
Following, Saipem’s project for building its Technology and Offshore Construction Center was honored. Located in Guarujá, the project included an investment of R$ 600 million and generated 900 direct jobs. At the event, Ricardo Van Hombeeck, manager of Materials and Offshore Construction of Saipem South America, and Adilson de Jesus, secretary of Economic and Port Development of the city, took the stage to receive the award.
Ernesto Yamato Nakamura, general manager of MOSB - Metal One Shibaura Brasil, took the stage to receive the award of his company, along with Rodrigo Proença, mayor of Capivari. With an investment of R$ 50 million and the creation of 80 direct jobs, the plant of the joint venture between the Japanese companies Metal One Corporation (belonging to Mitsubishi Corporation group) and Shibaura Group started in April the production of steel parts through sandblasting, cutting, bending and welding.
SAG was honored for its R$ 17 million investment in the city of Jaguariúna. The project, which generated 35 direct jobs, features a production line for fuel tanks made of aluminum for heavy-duty trucks. Mauro Vicente, the company's Chief Operating Officer, took the stage with Rodrigo Chiavegato, Secretary of Economic Development of the city, to receive the award.
Termomecanica, which invested R$ 150 million in the expansion of its industrial plant in São Bernardo do Campo, was also awarded. The project included the expansion and improvement of its production process of rolled products and tubes from copper cathodes and recycled materials, maintaining its 460 direct jobs and generating other 50 job opportunities. Regina Celi Venâncio, CEO of the company, joined Carlos Alberto Gonçalves, Deputy Secretary of Economic Development, Labor and Tourism of the city to receive the award.
The award ceremony continued with the award to Toyota do Brasil, which invested R$ 10 million in the construction of its engine laboratory also in the city of São Bernardo do Campo and hired eight employees. The project is part of the company’s factory revitalization project. Steve St. Angelo, CEO of Toyota for Latin America and the Caribbean and Chairman of Toyota do Brasil, Koji Kondo, president of Toyota do Brasil and Gonçalves received the award from Investe São Paulo.
Soon after, Vidroporto was awarded. With an investment of R$ 200 million and the creation of 200 direct jobs, the company completed its plant expansion project in the city of Porto Ferreira. The industrial unit is dedicated to the production of glass containers for beverages and food. Edson Rossi, CEO of the company, took the stage with Renata Braga, mayor of the city, to receive the honor.
GDBR - Toyoda Gosei was awarded next, for its investment of R$ 90 million and the creation of 200 direct jobs in Itapetininga. The project included the installation of a factory of rubber and plastic products for cars and security systems. Makoto Hirako, president of the company, received the award along with Luís Antonio di Fiori Fiores Costa, mayor of the city.
With an investment of R$ 145 million and the creation of 200 direct jobs, Castrolanda - Industrial Cooperative was also awarded at the event. The cooperative implemented a milk processing plant, also in Itapetininga. Popke Van Der Vinne, industrial director of the company, received the award along with Costa.
After that, Castfutura was honored for its project in the city of Valinhos, where it generated 20 job opportunities. The company invested R$ 1.26 million in the construction of a production line of thermocouple, a temperature sensor that is part of the security system residential ovens. Alexandro Mastellini, general manager of the company, took the stage along with Clayton Machado, mayor of the city.
Estre Ambiental was recognized for its unprecedented project of power generation from biogas generated in landfills in Guatapará. With an investment of R$ 15 million, the company generated 30 direct jobs. Fernando Bau, CEO of the company, joined the Deputy Mayor Norberto Selli to receive the honor.
Then, Chery was recognized for the investment of R$ 900 million in Jacareí. The project consisted of the construction of a plant for the production of automobiles and the company’s office in Brazil. So far, approximately 500 employees have been hired, but the company expects to have 3,000 employees. Luis Curi, vice president of Chery Brazil, and Hamilton Mota, mayor of the city, received the award.
The vice president of Innovation and Technology of Braskem, Edmundo Aires, received the award for the company for having invested R$ 30 million in Campinas, in the implementation of a laboratory for the development of biotechnological routes and purification systems of renewable chemicals. The Secretary of Economic, Social Development and Tourism, Samuel Rossilho, also attended the event.
After Braskem, Lenovo was recognized for its investment of R$ 27 million in Campinas. The company built an R&D center focused on the research of storage software and generated 103 direct jobs. Daniel Roger Barboni, Superintendent of Research and Development of Lenovo Innovation Center, received the award in hand, along with Rossilho.
With a R$ 10 million investment and the creation of 20 jobs, Saertex was also recognized at the ceremony. The company was assisted by Investe SP in the construction project of a manufacturing unit for the production of glass fiber fabric in Indaiatuba. Arnaud Daniel Juchler, managing director of the company, took the stage along with Antonio Carlos Pinheiro, vice mayor of the city to receive the honor.
The penultimate honored company was VCI Molde, which invested R$ 6 million in Itupeva. The company built a plant for the production of fiberglass nacelles and generated 80 direct jobs. Luiz Tesser Antunes, director of the company, and Jonas Tadeu Parisoto, Secretary for Legal Affairs of the city, received the award.
The award ceremony ended with the award to GV do Brasil, which invested R$ 1.23 billion in Pindamonhangaba. Generating 750 direct jobs, the project assisted by Investe SP produces rebar, wire rod and steel bars intended for mechanical construction. Jaime Moncada Ramos, director of Simec Group in Brazil, received the award along with Vito Ardito Lerário, mayor of the city.