Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – Between 1997 and 2003, América Latina Logística (ALL), currently the largest logistics operator in Latin America, invested around US$ 180 million in infrastructure in Brazil. Last year alone, investment totalled around US$ 30 million. Included in the 2003 investment, is around US$ 21 million for the purchase of 65 locomotives for expansion of the transport capacity of the 2004/2005 harvest, around US$ 700,000 for the construction of a wagon factory, to generate 460 new jobs up to the end of the year, and around US$ 330,000 in the reactivation of the railway line connecting Morretes to Antonina port, in Paraná.
According to company superintendent director Bernardo Vieira Hees, recovery of the 20 kilometres of railway lines that were not used by Brazilian Federal Railways (RFFSA) since 1986 permitted the company to absorb up to 50% of the cargo transport demand at the Paraná state port, offering a complete logistics option to its clients.
"Integration between both models generates greater efficiency and reduces product transport cost, a solution that helps contribute to export elevation," he explained.
Up to December last year a total of 1 million tonnes had been transported, with special attention to the export of steelworks, forestry, and frozen products, and to the import of solid granulates, mainly fertilizers and salt.
"The presence of the railway is extremely important for cargo transport in Antonina," stated the superintendent for Administration of the Ports in Paranaguá and Antonina (APPA), Eduardo Requião.
According to the administrator, the railway line makes the port expansion plans possible, maybe as much as 100% in years to come. In 2003, transport in Antonina had 65% growth in comparison to the same period in 2002.
ALL first operated this new stretch together with Gerdau, one of the largest steel mills in Brazil. At least half of the 20,000 tonnes of steel products exported by the company every month should arrive at the port by train and be transported by lorry to the company private terminal at Ponta do Félix, where Gerdau ships dock.
In the past, all transport was done by highway. "This mixed transport system brought the client a 2.5% economy in transport cost," revealed Hees. Next, ALL is targeting customers in the fertilizer, slaughterhouse, and wood sectors.
Wagon factory
Not forgetting the company business, ALL decided to invest in wagon production to answer to customer demand. Last year they spent around US$ 700,000 in infrastructure equipment to change its maintenance department in the city of Ponta Grossa, Paraná, into a wagon factory.
The intention was to overcome railway industry deficiencies, which up to December had only one producer, Amsted-Maxion, to answer to customer demand, as high as 1,500 new wagons per year.
The first prototype produced by ALL was a grain wagon with an 80 tonne capacity, which they delivered to company Bunge last December. Another client negotiating with the company is Coimbra. Starting in the second half of 2004 production should reach 75 wagons per month.
Company investment includes infrastructure modification, with the expansion of the warehouse to 600 square metres, and the installation of cranes and equipment such as guillotines and folders. The company also intends to increase the number of employees at the factory from 30 to 490 up to the end of 2004.
Investment in patios
To permit greater train flow, and consequently increase the transported volume, the company also invested around US$ 800,000 in the construction of two patios for crossing and manoeuvre in the cities of São Francisco and Guaramirim, in the southern state of Santa Catarina; in expansion of two others in Ponta Grossa and Reserva, in the state of Paraná; and in the expansion of five and the construction of one more in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the cities of Cruz Alta, Rio Grande, and Santa Maria, respectively.
Grain terminals
In 2003, the company built grain terminals in partnership with clients who invested around US$ 33 million. In Cruz Alta, with Bianchini group, they inaugurated the largest terminal in Rio Grande do Sul, with a capacity for storage of 90 million tonnes of grain, and loading capacity of 3,500 tonnes, and 70 wagons per day.
Together with Tuiuti Comercial de Insumos Agrícolas, they started the construction of an intermodal terminal, at Seco port, in Cacequi, Rio Grande do Sul, for grain transport, with an initial capacity for 9,000 tonnes. The project should be completed by the end of 2005.
In Maringá, Paraná, they started the expansion of Bunge transhipping terminal, increasing its capacity from 110 wagons per day to 340 wagons/day. At Usina Santa Terezinha they also began the expansion of the existing warehouse, and started building a new one, with a capacity for 400,000 tonnes. This project should be finished by June 2004.
Also in Maringá, a partnership with ADM has made it possible to build a warehouse and hoppers for loading and unloading fertilizers and lime. Capacity: 300,000 tonnes. This job should be finished by the second half of 2004.
In the city of Ourinhos, in the interior of the southeastern state of São Paulo, a joint venture with Fertipar made possible the construction of a loading and unloading terminal for fertilizers, grain, and bags – trans shipping and soy, ground soy, maize, wheat, fertilizer, and lime storage.
Terminals
Still investing together with partners, in the city of Tatuí, also in São Paulo state, the company is building a 700 m2 warehouse to expand its storage capacity by 40%, working on the crane for expansion of cargo movement to 150 wagons/day, expanding the hopper railway line, and increasing the capacity from 20 to 40 wagons/day, and building a railway balance to double the flow of lorries from 100 to 200/day.
In Uruguaiana, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, they built an area for container storage to increase their transhipping capacity by 50%, to 30 wagons/day, and in the expansion of the crane to expand container movement by 20%.
In Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, they worked on draining and construction of an external patio and in the construction of a warehouse with a capacity for 3,500 tonnes/month.
In the city of Araucária, in Paraná state, together with Compager, they expanded a mobile warehouse from 4,800 tonnes to 7,500 tonnes.
"ALL investment is apparent in the quality of services provided, both on the railway and highway system and in the expansion of the volume transported, which grew from 11.3 million in 1997, the year it was privatisation, to 23 million tonnes in 2003," stated ALL Corporate Relations director Pedro Roberto Almeida.
According to him, this result permits a larger number of customers to bet on the company. "Proof of this is the more than US$ 33 million investment, the purchase of wagons, and the construction of terminals throughout the railway line," he completed.
ALL Group
The company started operating in 1997 under the name Ferrovia Sul Atlântico (South Atlantic Railway), having won a process for privatisation of the southern railway system (Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul). In December 1998, through an operational contract, the company also started operating in the south of the state of São Paulo.
In August 1999 they purchased Argentine railways MESO and BAP, doubling its railway extension and adopting the name América Latina Logística. In July 2001, they incorporated Delara, one of the main logistics companies in the country, becoming the largest company in the sector in Latin America.
They currently have a consolidated structure that includes 15,000 kilometres of railways in Brazil (south of São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul), and Argentina, a fleet of around 3,000 personal and incorporated vehicles, 615 locomotives, 17,000 wagons, 160 road railers (vehicles that can operate both on railways and highways) and great areas in strategic points for storage and construction of distribution centres.
In 2003, gross operating revenue, including operations in Brazil and Argentina, was around US$ 330 million, 21% greater than in the previous year.
Services
ALL offers services like the development of new special and customized logistics projects, domestic and international cargo transport, urban distribution, milk run collection, and full management of warehouses, distribution centres, and stocks.
Service is provided to the most varied of sectors: agricultural commodities and fertilizers, fuel, construction, wood, paper, cellulose, steelworks, hygiene and cleaning, electronic equipment, car and auto parts, packages, chemical and petrochemical, drinks, among others.
There are more than 80 units spread throughout cities in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, all at strategic points for cargo loading and unloading.
Contact
www.all-logistica.com
