09/11/2008 14h12
Solvents and energy gain room in Rhodias business
Gazeta Mercantil - 09/11/2008
Some days before its 90th anniversary in Brazil, French multinational Rhodia has many reasons to celebrate. Since its arrival, the Country has revealed to be a good investment; so good that today the local subsidiary is already in the select group of companies whose revenues exceed 7 digits: US$ 1.2 billion, which represents 90% of Latin America's revenue or 17% of the company's revenue in the world. That volume is a differential in the chemical sector, as few companies in the region reach such weight in global operations. Today, the business of solvents from ethanol is so relevant for the company that Paulínia already has a world scale plant to meet a segment that grew 13 times in 10 years. Thanks to this, in the last three years the center doubled its capacity, with investments of US$ 60 million, producing 300 tons of oxygenate solvents (derived from ethanol and acetone). This placed the company in second place in the European market and raised Brazil to the command of the solvent business for the entire world. From the total solvent production, 45% is exported to more than 60 countries, being the second biggest supplier to Europe. This region will adopt, from January on, more rigid rules for the commercialization of chemical substances and their by-products. "The rules are very rigid, but we know that without being sustainable, in chemicals or in any other business, there will be no future", affirms Rhodia's president, Marcos De Marchi. But it is not only in the solvent area that Rhodia got things right. Engineering Plastics grow at a rate of 10% per year, according to President De Marchi. Nylon already corresponds to 10% of the revenue. Energy is another great focus of Rhodia in the entire world and appeared due to the special needs of the company's plants. One of the biggest gas and electric energy consumers, the company started managing its global resources better. Today, around one fifth of the carbon credits are generated by Rhodia according to Elder Martini, vice-president of the company for Latin America in the area of purchases and logistics in energy. In Brazil, Rhodia only has co-generation in its own sites. "But we are on alert for investment opportunities, especially with this absence of availability of energy for the future", affirms the executive.
