Luft comes to fight for animal health niche
Gazeta Mercantil - 06/18/2008
Luft group, which plans on becoming part of the distinct club of R$ 1 billion (US$ 613.5 million) of income, the goal set for 2010, will take a new step to achieve its purpose starting in August. The conglomerate that already operates with six logistics specialties will start operating the area of storage and distribution of products included in the group of animal health. According to the vice-president of the group, Luciano Luft, the items of animal health are classified into two types: chemical products (antiparasitic and vermifugal) and biological products (vaccines). "They are products that are not related to each other and require totally isolated logistics from one another", points out the businessman. "We work in both areas of products. The vaccines are compatible with our logistics used for medicines. On their turn, antiparasitics and vermifuges are compatible with our logistics for chemical products". Luciano Luft means that the structure of the group - one of the largest of the country - will be used to leverage the logistics operation of animal health products. The logistics market of animal health, according to the businessman, makes, between freight and storage, nearly R$ 300 million (US$ 184 million) in businesses a year. With 4.4 thousand employees and an expected income of R$ 750 million (US$ 460.1 million) for 2008, Luft group has 24 warehouses in eight states with a total area of 1 million square meters. Its fleet, one of the greatest of the Country, with 1,650 trucks, runs 144 million km every year, makes 900 thousand deliveries and carries 2.1 million tons.