Bayer to invest US$ 73.9 mi in the country
Valor Econômico - 03/27/2008
Bayer, a German manufacturer of pesticides, resins and medicines, will invest nearly R$ 130 million (US$ 73.9 million) in Brazil in 2008. That represents twice the value invested in 2007 when it retreated 30%. The investments will be aimed at the modernization of plants and updating of information technology programs. The production of hormones and contraceptives of the São Paulo plant will be increased in 15%. The unit that currently supplies several Latin American countries will export medicines to Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, among other countries from Southeast Asia. The foreign sales of the group grew substantially last year - almost 300% - due to the integration with Schering, a pharmaceutical company acquired by Bayer in the world. That represented exportations of R$ 600 million (US$ 341 million), from which R$ 470 million (US$ 267 million) came from this incorporation. In 2008, the exports may grow between 10% and 15%. The president of the Bayer group in Brazil, Horstfried Laepple, foresees a growth in sales of 5% above the market average in 2008 and the reversion of the losses. "We expect to have a positive year", he said. In Brazil, the sales of the group reached R$ 3.3 billion (US$ 1.9 billion) in 2007, an increase of 25%, mainly due to the effects of the incorporation of Schering.