Ultras Oxiteno increases capacity in Bahia and in SP
Gazeta Mercantil - 03/07/2008
The investment plans of Oxiteno, Ultra's petrochemical unit, will amount to R$ 650 million (US$ 370 million) in the two year period of 2008 and 2009. Of this total, R$ 480 million (US$ 273 million) will be spent this year, informed the company's managing officer, João Benjamin Parolin. One of the investments planned is the increase of the capacity of production of sulfated products in 50%, in the production unit of Suzano, in São Paulo, which will receive R$ 20 million (US$ 11.4 million), due to the high demand for hygiene and cleaning items, such as detergents, for example. "These markets are growing two times more than the GDP (Gross Domestic Products)", he said. Besides the expansion of the capacity of sulfatation, other investments are foreseen in order to increase the capacity of production of chemical specialties in Camaçari (BA). The unit of São Paulo may also receive investments throughout this year. The area of specialties is responsible for 75% of the sales of the company. In 2007, the growth of the volume of production of specialties was 18%, compared to the total growth of 14%, to 621 thousand tons. For 2008, the forecast is for "strong growth", he said. Besides investing in the domestic market, the officer has also told that the company may continue its international activity. The foreign market was responsible for one-third of the income of R$ 1.7 billion (US$ 966 million), a growth of 9% compared to 2006. Until the end of this semester, the company may inaugurate the Brussels office, in Belgium. The next step of the company, according to the officer, will be the opening of an office in Singapore, in the Asian Southeast, where Oxiteno plans to start operating until the beginning of 2009. In addition to these projects, the investments in the three production units in Mexico may continue, as well as the strategy to encourage the businesses in the United States and Argentina, countries in which the company already has agents. All these markets will be catered to by the plants in Brazil and Mexico.