With the support from Investe SP, SKF opens Kaydon’s plant in Brazil
The plant, which had an investment of US$22 million, will generate up to 150 direct jobs
Investe São Paulo
The wind industry is taking another important step to grow and increase its competitiveness in Brazil. On September 10, the new plant of Kaydon Corporation was opened in Cajamar (SP). The opening takes place nearly two years after SKF completed the acquisition of Kaydon, based in the United States and one year after the announcement of the construction of the plant in Brazil. The investment is part of SKF’s strategy to expand its portfolio of solutions to different industrial segments.
The project relies on the support from Investe São Paulo, the investment promotion agency associated with the State Department of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation. “The renewable energy market is important to accelerate the economy with jobs of quality and sustainable development. This sector is assisted with priority at the agency,” said Juan Quirós, president of Investe SP. SKF relies on the assistance provided free of charge primarily for tax issues.
On October 13, 2014, SKF announced that it would invest around SEK 220 million, which is equivalent to approximately US$ 22 million, in the new plant of Kaydon next to SKF headquarters in Brazil. The unit, which covers an area of 6600 square meters, will employ up to 150 people and produce Kaydon’s slewing ring bearings for wind turbine manufacturers.
According to SKF’s global CEO, Alrik Danielson, Kaydon’s leading position in the renewable energy market in North America, along with SKF’s global presence and the investment in Brazil, create one of the most comprehensive portfolios and services available today.
The opening event was attended by Claudinei Reche, president of SKF Brazil; Sérgio Costa, director of Investe SP; Elbia Gannoum, executive president of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica); Pat O’Brien, vice president of Kaydon Corporation do Brasil; Mike Stofferahn, global vice president of Sales and Marketing for Kaydon; Stephane Le-Mounier, global president of the Automotive Division at SKF; and Jean Cloud, general manager of Renewable Energies for Latin America at GE.
“The construction of this plant, which relied on the direct involvement of Investe SP, shows how the wind industry supply chain is moving towards its consolidation in São Paulo,” said Costa at the ceremony.
“We see that the demand for wind energy is autonomous in Brazil, that is, regardless of the macroeconomic conditions. It is a clean and renewable resource that faces low competition in terms of production in Brazil. The sector is growing every year and on a very concrete basis. Therefore, we have the conditions to believe in the future of this industry in the short, medium and long term,” said the president of ABEEólica during the event.
Wind Energy
The global challenges in key industrial segments such as the oil and automotive segment have created a propitious scenario for the opening of the new plant. According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the share of wind energy in the Brazilian matrix should continue growing strongly. The installed wind capacity in Brazil may reach 7904 MW by the end of 2015, an increase of 62% compared to the previous year.
“This is a great example of how we are expanding our portfolio on a global scale, now offering to the clients of renewable energy a wider range of products that help deliver an enhanced environmental performance,” said the president of SKF Brazil, Claudinei Reche.
About Kaydon
Kaydon Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with three distinct business areas: friction control products (bearings), velocity control products and specialty products, including environmental services. Kaydon has a global footprint with 62% of its sales generated in North America, 24% in Europe, 12% in Asia Pacific and 2% in the rest of the world, focused on various industrial segments, such as aerospace, semiconductors and wind energy. Valued at more than US$ 1.2 billion, it currently has more than 2000 employees around the globe.
About SKF
The Swedish group SKF is a world leader in rolling bearings, sealing, lubrication systems, mechatronics and services in the area of reliability in industrial maintenance. Owner of a US$ 10 billion turnover in 2013, the group is present in more than 100 countries, with more than 120 industrial facilities.
The company arrived in Brazil in 1915, eight years after its foundation in Sweden. In the country, the company is a market leader in the sectors in which it operates. The Brazilian unit production is concentrated in the industrial facilities of Cajamar, located next to Anhanguera highway, 30 km from the state capital, where bearings for light vehicles are produced.