AGC lays the foundation stone of the largest glass plant in Latin America
Supported by Investe SP, the company expects to hire 500 people by 2013
The president of Investe São Paulo, Luciano Almeida, participated, on Wednesday, April 18, in Guaratinguetá, in the laying of the foundation stone of Asahi Glass Company (AGC), the largest flat glass company in the world, which will invest R$ 750 million in the plant construction and will employ 500 people.
Supported by Investe São Paulo since September 2010, AGC announced the State of São Paulo as the destination of the investment in April 2011. In November, the company started the preparation of the land, which is located at Km 60 of Presidente Dutra highway.
The CEO of AGC group, Kazuhiko Ishimura, highlighted the social and environmental responsibility of the company. “We will have the most sustainable glass plant in South America. The company will collaborate with the training of young people from Guaratinguetá through the qualification of workforce,” he said.
Investe SP contributed in the identification of viable lands for the establishment of the company in the State of São Paulo. As soon as AGC chose the city of Guaratinguetá, Investe SP started to work in conjunction with the municipality to help the company obtain the infrastructure required for the implementation of the project. “We would like to thank the municipality and Investe SP for the support. These two teams are always helping us in the implementation of this project,” said the President of AGC Brazil, Davide Cappellino.
The new plant is expected to start its operations in 2013. “After identifying the best locations for a project, the company conducts a meeting with representatives of the municipality. When a municipality supports the company with professionalism, the success of the negotiation is almost always certain,” said the president of Investe São Paulo.
The city known for Frei Galvão, the first Brazilian saint, will become the capital of the Brazilian glass. “Guaratinguetá will be regarded as a destination for major investments in Brazil,” celebrated the mayor Fillippo Junior.
The event was also attended by the Metropolitan Development Secretary, Edson Aparecido, who represented the Governor Geraldo Alckmin, the Ambassador of Japan in São Paulo, Akira Miwa, and representatives of Investe SP, who worked in the project of AGC: the Project Manager, Gustavo Faria, the Environmental expert, José Pedro Fittipaldi and the Infrastructure expert, Eduardo Gutierrez.
The plant of Guaratinguetá
The construction of the first plant of the Japanese group AGC in Latin America will have an investment of R$ 750 million, R$ 500 million of which will be allocated for the acquisition of machinery and equipment and R$ 250 million for the construction works of the plant.
Expected to generate 500 direct jobs, the future plant will produce flat glass for the construction sector (80% of sales) and for the automotive industry (20% of sales). The unit of Vale do Paraíba will produce glass plates for windows and facades; solar panels; glass for interior design; architecture solutions for green building; integrated glasses with lighting (LED); glasses for cars and; digital displays integrated in the glass panel.