Ultracargo invests US$ 36.5 million in Santos
Valor Econômico
Ultracargo, a logistics company of the Ultra group, approved investments of R$ 62 million (US$ 36.5 million) to increase the tanking capacity in its terminal in the port of Santos (SP). The works should be completed in early 2012, adding 18% to the current structure (or another 46 thousand cubic meters), to 301 thousand cubic meters, affirmed Ricardo Catran, Managing Director of the company, to Valor. Leader in storage of bulk liquids in the country, Ultracargo already has ongoing investments for the enlargement in the terminals of Suape (PE) and Aratu (BA). With strategic participation in the main ports of the country - the company is also present in Rio de Janeiro (17 thousand cubic meters of capacity) and Paranaguá (PR), 56 thousand cubic meters, and it has terminals in the interior of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, in the cities of Paulínia (SP) and Montes Claros (MG), which together amount to 13 thousand cubic meters - Ultracargo is specialized in products that require special handling in the segments of chemicals, ethanol, fuel, vegetable oils and lubricants.
"In the past five years, we grew at a rate of 18% a year, even during the global financial crisis, when the sector increased 10% a year in the country. The sector of port infrastructure has registered great jumps, as a result of the global demand", said Catran. According to the Executive Brazil has registered growth in the import of chemicals and diesel oil. The expectation is that, within a year, the company has reached operational tanking capacity for nearly 800 thousand cubic meters.
Ethanol, which has been considered the big bet of Government and plant owners for the exports, had strong reduction in the shipments this year, but the expectation is that they grow considerably in the coming years. The company has followed the movement of the alcohol sector, which should make strong investment in partnership with Petrobras for the construction of alcohol pipelines. The company says it studies the market with interest, but there nothing has been defined so far. Currently, Ultracargo operates small pipelines for chemicals. This year, Ultracargo chose the strategy of focusing its businesses on bulk liquids.