Glass manufacturer employs and plans expansion this year
Valor Econômico - 01/23/2009
While most of the industries of the South of the state of Rio de Janeiro suffer with the effects of the economic crisis, American multinational Guardian, a glass manufacturer, keeps its investments, has been hiring people, and plans expansion in Brazil this year. With a factory in Porto Real in operation since 1998, the company will have invested US$ 200 million between 2008 and 2009 in the expansion of the unit and setting up of another factory in Tatuí (SP). In Porto Real, currently with 340 employees, another 40 people were hired this month to work in the new line of production of special glasses, which were previously imported by the company. "We see the Brazilian market on the rise in 2009, at a lower pace than in 2008, but expanding", said the general manager of the factory, Ubiratã Lima. Guardian, which sells to the residential and commercial markets, rules out the possibility of suffering any problems in 2009 because of the expected deceleration of the investments in civil construction. "The projects of the great building companies last nearly two years and those which have been recently decided are not ready yet. We hope the economy recovers fast", affirmed the financial officer of the company, Maurício Fernandes de Jesus.