12/22/2016 11h15

Termomecanica expands operations and joins the aluminum market

Company adapted part of its infrastructure and invests approximately R$ 27 million in the new production line; project relies on the support from Investe SP

Investe São Paulo

Termomecanica is diversifying its operations and joining the aluminum market. The company, which is the leader in the copper processing industry, will start producing a line of aluminum products to meet segments such as refrigeration, automotive, packaging and construction, among others.

The project relies on the support from Investe São Paulo, the export and investment promotion agency of São Paulo State Government, with an investment amounting to R$27 million. The funds are being used in the adaptation of two warehouses, which cover 4,200 square meters in total, located in one of its industrial plants, in São Bernardo do Campo (SP), and in the acquisition of equipment and technologies to enable the new business.

“This is the third expansion promoted by Termomecanica that relies on our support over the past two years. The company has a historical significance for ABC Paulista, and it is great to know that our services has been helping the region to continue to develop,” said the president of Investe SP, Juan Quirós.

The project includes two phases. the first, which has just been activated and is intended for the domestic consumption and the area of influence of Mercosur, should produce between 200 and 250 tons per month; and the second phase, whose beginning has not been planned yet, should reach other parts of the world, with a production capacity of approximately 1,500 tons. By combining all the industries that can be met in the first phase, the potential to be explored by TM should reach 2,000 tons per month. In the second phase, the business opportunities are broader, because the domestic market alone is estimated to reach 130,000 tons per year.

“There is a huge potential for aluminum due to its versatility and range of applications. It is an alternative metal to copper in the cooling sector; to steel in the automotive industry; and to paper, plastic and glass in the packaging industry, just to name a few examples,” said Regina Celi Venâncio, president of Termomecanica.

Similar to copper, TM will also meet the special requirements of customers by producing more complex aluminum alloys, with higher value added and which are normally not the focus of global manufacturers, which will create good opportunities in both the international and local market.

Based on a consolidated infrastructure, on the technical qualification of its staff and the synergy in the production processes of copper and aluminum, TM made minor adjustments in the industrial area in order to facilitate the project and will make others, according to the growth of demand. The company acquired extruders, wire-drawing machines, in addition to accessory equipment to assist in the manufacture of pipes for refrigeration, condensers, radiators, etc., and a production line of electric buses for residential and industrial premises, buildings and larger projects. The malleability of the resources acquired will also enable the production of light and medium aluminum profiles with application in the food, electrical, clothing and automotive industries. The second phase should include the acquisition of a set of ovens, bar casting station, among others. With this structure, other products will be manufactured.

To start the operation, TM reallocated its skilled labor from other areas and permanently hired some interns. The project begins with a team of 15 employees, which will be expanded to the extent that the production volume increases and new equipment are incorporated, reaching 120 jobs, considering uninterrupted shifts.


About Termomecanica

Termomecanica, one of the largest Brazilian private companies, is a leader in the processing of non-ferrous metals, copper and its alloys, into semi-finished and finished products. The company was founded in 1942 by Mr. Salvador Arena, an engineer who started his business with only US$ 200, and is highly capitalized, with a net worth estimated at over US$ 800 million. It has been growing continuously, as a result of the ongoing modernization and expansion programs, which define its traditional strategy of reinvestment of profits. The company has approximately two thousand employees, three plants in Brazil (São Bernardo do Campo - SP), one plant in Chile (Santiago) and one in Argentina (Tortuguitas, Greater Buenos Aires), in addition to one Distribution Center in São Bernardo do Campo (SP) and one in Joinville (SC).

Termomecanica, ranked in the 574th position in the 2016 Edition of the “Biggest and Best” ranking of Exame magazine, is part of the select group of companies that make up the list since its first publication in 1974.