Wilson, Sons invests US$ 120 million in terminals and fleet
Gazeta Mercantil - 04/22/2008
Wilson, Sons Group is going to invest US$ 120 million in the increase of the capacity in terminals and in fleet expansion this year. The group's director of relations with investors Philip Gutterres affirmed that the company is in a cycle of investments in order to support the growth of its activity in Brazil. The amount will be invested in the renovation of the fleet of towboats, new PSVs (Platform Supply Vessel) and in the acquisition of equipment for the group's area of container terminals. There will be eight new towboats and four other PSVs that will serve the oil platforms. According to the executive, the group drew a plan of capacity increase that will finish in 2010. Last year, the company invested US$ 99 million and, in 2006, US$ 42 million. « The biggest volume of funds will be invested this year. In 2009 and 2010, the investments will be around US$ 30 million, amounts considered as maintainance », emphasized Guterres. Besides the renovation of the fleet of towboats and offshore boats, the group foresees capacity expansion of the two port terminals that operate in the Country. "In the Container Terminal of Rio Grande, in Rio Grande do Sul, civil works and equipment purchase will be made. As for Salvador, the funds will be invested only in the renovation of the fleet of porteineres and forklifts", said the executive. Besides new boats for the group, the company signed a contract of around US$ 100 million for the construction of four others PSVs for the Magallanes de Navegação company. There will be three PSV-3000 and one PSV-4500. Both the towboats and the PSVs are being constructed by the group's shipyard, located in Guarujá (SP). Wilson, Sons Group is one of the largest integrated operators of port and maritime logistics and supply chain solutions in the Brazilian market, with 170 years of experience. The company has a network of national activities and works for companies that work in international trade, especially in the port and maritime sector. The group's activities divided in six operation segments : port terminals, tugboating, logistics, maritime intermediation services, offshore and activities that are not segmented, such as the shipyard in Guarujá. In Brazil, when it opened its capital last year, the group had profits of US$ 404 million compared to 2006's US$ 334.1 million. Wilson, Sons' controlling company has shares in the London stock market.