Largest flat glass company of the world to invest US$ 468.8 millions in plant installation in Guaratinguetá
AGC estimates creation of 500 direct jobs with the implementation of its first plant of glass for construction and car industry in Latin America
Investe São Paulo, São Paulo State Government agency responsible for attracting investments to the State, subject to the Secretariat of Economic Development, Science and Technology, announces together with the municipal government of Guaratinguetá, this Friday, April 29, the implementation of a plant of AGC (Asahi Glass Company) in the municipality located 180 km from the capital.
The construction of the first plant of the Japanese group AGC in Latin America will receive an investment of R$ 750 million (US$ 468.8 million), R$ 500 million (US$ 312.5 million) intended for the acquisition of machinery and equipment and R$ 250 million (US$ 156.3 million) for the works of construction of the plant. The productive capacity will be of 1,000 tons of flat glass a year. "We are glad to invest in the region where we feel welcome thanks to the support of several authorities. And thanks to the skilled people in the region we will be able to produce nearly 220 thousand tons of glass a year and equip 500 thousand new cars with our quality glass", explains the President of AGC Vidros, Akio Endo.
In the unit of Vale do Paraíba will be made glass sheets for windows and facades; solar panels; glass for interior design; architecture solutions for green buildings; LED; car glass and; digital displays integrated to glass panels.
Expecting to generate 500 direct jobs, the future plant will produce flat glass for the sector of construction (80% of the sales) and for the car industry (20% of the sales). "We have been serving the company since September 2010 and we compete against other States. São Paulo attracted such investment for its consumer market, its excellent infrastructure and wide chain of suppliers", says the President of Investe São Paulo, Luciano Almeida.
The productive plant will be located at the 60 Km of the Presidente Dutra road, on a 500-thousand-square-meter lot. The production of the multinational should start by the end of 2013. "It was a right shot on the target of the development of our city. There were months of conversation with the directors of the multinational and the State Government. We have shown the international investors Guaratinguetá has all the logistics required to receive an investment of that size, which will change, forever, the history of our industrial development", says the Mayor of Guaratinguetá, Junior Filippo.
The installation of the Japanese AGC results from the merger of efforts between Investe São Paulo and the Municipal Government of Guaratinguetá. "We have found a great partner in the City Hall. We are helping the company to obtain licenses and permits and we are also providing support to the public utility concessionaires of electricity, gas and telecommunications, besides infrastructure", says the President of the São Paulo Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Competitiveness.
The recent natural disasters occurred in Japan have neither affected the plants of AGC in that country, nor have them slowed down the investment plans in other countries. AGC will also study the possibility of expansion of the unit of Guaratinguetá with an investment of more than R$ 450 million (US$ 281.3 million) and hiring of another 200 workers.
AGC - Asahi Glass Company
The AGC Group, having the core of Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. located in Tokyo, is the largest world supplier of flat and car glass and one of the leading producers of glass for exhibition, chemicals and other high-tech materials and components. Based on more than a century of technical innovations, the AGC Group has developed international quality expertise in areas such as chemistry of glass, fluorine and ceramics technologies. The group has nearly 50 thousand people worldwide and it generates annual sales of more than R$ 26 billion (US$ 16.3 billion) with businesses in nearly 30 countries.
Investe São Paulo
Founded in 2009, Investe São Paulo - São Paulo Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Competitiveness is the front door of the companies willing to get installed in the State and it also encourages the expansion of undertakings already located in São Paulo. The Agency provides free strategic information; it helps investors find the best places for their undertakings; and facilitates contact with public and private bodies. The work is made with the purpose of promoting the competitiveness of the economy, the generation of jobs and income, and the technological innovation in the State of São Paulo.
The agency currently has 80 projects in the portfolio, accounting for an investment potential of R$ 22 billion (US$ 13,8 billion) with capacity to generate nearly 52 thousand direct jobs and 180 thousand indirect jobs. From 2009 to 2011, Investe São Paulo has captured 10 large companies for the State that will invest R$ 4.6 billion (US$ 2.6 billion) in the building of their plants, hiring more than 13.4 thousand workers.
For further information, access:
www.agc-group.com
www.investe.sp.gov.br
www.guaratingueta.sp.gov.br