Ethanol enters in Rhodias route for good
Valor Econômico
The Rhodia group is analyzing assets in the sugar and alcohol sector for investments in the production of ethanol, with the purpose of using alcohol as raw-material in the production of chemical solvents. The company is also strongly interested in the energy generated from the sugar-cane bagasse. The President of Rhodia for Latin America, Marcos De Marchi, confirmed to Valor the interest of the company in the production of ethanol. "We have not defined what will be the format of this business. We are analyzing it. We are one of the bigger purchasers of alcohol in Brazil for industrial purposes", said the Executive. The company buys nearly 140 million liters of ethanol from several plants in the country every year, aiming at its use in the chemical industry.
Valor has informed in advance that the company has already analyzed and is interested in the assets of Equipav, with two plants in São Paulo. The multinational has a range of nearly 10 plants that would already be on its radar for analysis, according to a source familiar with the matter. The group has even looked at the projects of Brenco, which chose to join its operations with ETH Bioenergia, a company of the Odebrecht group. The multinational has also contacted the São Paulo Bertolo group, with a unit in São Paulo.
The sugar production does not interest the French company. The company wants to focus on businesses aimed at sustainability, according to another source. Currently, Rhodia has long-term contracts with plants for the purchase of alcohol intended to ensure its supply, said De Marchi. The company uses the raw material for the production of acetic acid and ethyl acetate. Some sources claim that the company is also interested in making research with bagasse for the development of new products for the chemical industry.