AmBev expands SP and AM plants
Valor Econômico
AmBev is investing R$ 446 million (US$ 247.8 million) in the increase of the productive capacity of five plants, one in Amazonas and four in São Paulo. The unit of Guarulhos, in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo, will undergo technological modernization. The plants of Jacareí, Jaguariúna and Agudos will receive new beer production lines. The expansion, according to the company, will generate 8 thousand new jobs, among direct and indirect jobs and contracting for works. The company has not revealed how much the productive capacity will be increase in those units.
In the plant of Manaus, the productive capacity will be increased by 36% until the end of October, when it gains a new bottling line. At the end of the works, the unit will have its productive capacity increased from 1.380 million hectoliters a year to 2.185 million hectoliters a year, with an investment of R$ 71 million (US$ 39.4 million). The plant is one of the oldest of the company (it was inaugurated in 1938) and supplies the States of Amazonas, Roraima, Pará and Acre.
In total, for 2010, the company foresees an investment of up to R$ 2 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) for the increase of its productive capacity throughout the country. The goal is to increase the productive capacity in 13 of the 18 States where there are 23 plants in operation: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Maranhão and Amazonas. In three plants, the expectation is to have the production doubled. In total, the company will have its capacity increased by 15%. The construction of a new plant (whose location is yet to be announced) is also planned, with its opening foreseen for 2011.