With the support from Investe SP, AGC invests R$ 750 million in the construction of its second plant in Brazil
Capacity expansion is expected to generate 1,000 jobs during the construction works and, after completion, approximately 500 direct and indirect jobs
Investe São Paulo
Investe São Paulo has already assisted the entire implementation project of AGC in Guaratinguetá
On April 6, AGC, the world’s leading producer of glass, announced an investment of R$ 750 million to expand its plant in Guaratinguetá. Investe SP, the investment promotion agency associated with the Department of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation of the State of São Paulo has assisted the company throughout its implementation process in Guaratinguetá, and now it has been fully supporting its expansion.
“Our whole team has been working on this project, whether in issues related to environmental licensing, infrastructure, or by providing strategic information. The company’s decision to rely on our support for a second time shows the excellence of the work, which helped AGC to find a suitable location where it able to build its Brazilian headquarters and now grow even more,” said the president of the Agency, Juan Quirós, who represented the State Government in this event. He also highlighted the support provided by the local government to attract the investment.
The new plant will produce 850 tons per day of flat glass, increasing AGC’s capacity in Brazil from the current 600 tons per day to 1,450 tons per day. The construction works, scheduled to be completed in 2018, should generate approximately 1,000 jobs, and at the end, 500 direct and indirect jobs will be created.
“AGC entered the Brazilian market in 2011 to serve our customers in the segments of construction, decoration and the automotive sector with an initial investment of almost R$ 1 billion. Today, five years later, we confirmed our commitment to our customers, announcing an additional investment of R$ 750 million. In such delicate moment of our economy, AGC wants to give a concrete sign of confidence in the future of the country and in the entrepreneurial ability of our customers and the entire national glassmaking chain,” said Davide Cappellino, President of AGC Brazil.
“I called to speak with Juan to interfere in our favor and he was next to the governor Geraldo Alckmin, who picked up the phone and was incisive for the plant to remain in Guaratinguetá. This support from Investe SP was decisive,” said the mayor of Guaratinguetá, Francisco Carlos Moreira dos Santos.
“Brazil and South America are strategic markets for AGC, in which we intend to strengthen our presence,” said Jean-François Heris, AGC’s Global President of the Building Division (construction products), who was present during the announcement of the new investment in Brazil.
In its plant in Guaratinguetá, AGC Brazil currently produces 600 tons of flat glass plates per day in colorless and colored versions and with thicknesses ranging from 1.8 to 12 mm. Part of the production is processed, in the same plant, into mirrors, painted glass and other products for decoration.
The company also produces glass for the automotive industry (windshields, portholes, side windows), meeting the demands of major automakers in the country and the spare parts market. AGC Brazil is also a partner of Ayrton Senna Institute, with which it promotes educational programs and supports cultural initiatives of MASP (São Paulo Museum of Art Assis Chateaubriand). In one of the latest actions, AGC supplied glass for the “Concrete and Glass” easels of the new art gallery of the museum, reproducing the original design of Lina Bo Bardi.
About AGC Group
AGC Group (Asahi Glass Company), headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s leading producer of flat and automotive glass, in addition to chemicals and special glasses for electronic displays (TVs, mobile phones and mobile devices) and other high tech applications. With over a century of technological innovation, the AGC Group developed a cutting-edge expertise in the production of glass to meet the needs of the customers of today and tomorrow. The group employs approximately 50,000 people worldwide and generates sales of approximately US$ 13 billion in its business present in more than 30 countries. For more information, visit www.agc-group.com.