10/03/2008 13h41
Kato Estamparia produces more to face the Chinese
Gazeta Mercantil - 10/03/2008
Kato Estamparia, Brazilian manufacturer of tools, parts and print sets for the motorcycle parts, automotive and white line sectors, is going to expand the production capacity of its factory to meet the growth of the automotive sector and face the Chinese competition. In the second semester of 2009 the company opens its new factory in São Paulo's district of Itaquera, with investments of R$ 4 million (US$ 2.1 million). "We are going to transfer the whole production of the Mooca and Vila Prudente's production to a bigger unit, of nearly 11 thousand square meters", said its president Paulo Kato. "Our intention is to strengthen the company in São Paulo so as, in the future, advance our business towards Manaus ". The Itaquera plant will make it possible for the company to double its production of print parts, which is currently 54 million parts per year. The change to the new address will increase Kato's built area by 4 thousand square meters. Its current industrial park's area is 2 thousand square meters. In its factory in São Paulo, besides printing small and medium sized parts, Kato also makes progressive tools in laminated steel for use in presses with up to 250 tons of strength. The company's main client is Honda Amazônia, manufacturer of motorcycles, and Honda Automóveis, which uses print parts in the whole Civic line. Kato also supplies Denso Amazônia, manufacturer of ignition systems for motorcycles, Dafra, Traxx, Garini, which produce motorcycles in Manaus, and Tecumseh, an American company headquartered in São Carlos (SP) that makes compressors for refrigerators. Kato currently employs 165 workers that work in two shifts. Last year, the company had sales of R$ 24.9 million (US$ 12.9 million), a result that was 20% superior than 2006's. "For 2008, the estimation is that sales should grow 32.5%, to R$ 33 million (US$ 17.2 million)", foresees the president.
