São Paulo – Tortuga, an animal nutrition and health company, inaugurated yesterday (7th) its fifth industrial unit with investment of 90 million Brazilian reals (US$ 40.5 million). The factory is in São Gonçalo do Amarante, in the state of Ceará, 65 kilometres away from Fortaleza, the state capital. The industrial unit should make products for Animal Nutrition.
According to the president at Tortuga, Max Fabiani, the intention, with the investment, is to expand the productive capacity, improve supply in the North and Northeast and also guarantee exports to Central America. The new unit should generate around 200 direct jobs in the first phase.
With the inauguration of the new plant, Tortuga is going to increase its production capacity of mineral nutrients for animal feed by 60%. The company currently produces 50,000 tonnes of the product a month. The other Tortuga factories are in São Paulo and Minas Gerais.
The plant was designed with environmental concerns and should, for example, have solar heating of water used in the restaurant and changing rooms, systems for separation and recycling of residues, such as plastic packages, paper, cardboard, wood and metals.
Last year, Tortuga bought the assets of PCS Fosfatos do Brasil Ltda, a phosphate production and mineral supplement plant and started producing micro granulated phosphate, with a production capacity of 120,000 tonnes this year. The company also acquired the production and trade rights of products in the Animal Health Division of Minerthal, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, disinfectant and dermatological products.
Tortuga is the leader in mineral supplements for beef cattle in Brazil and is reference due to the development of technology, like the supply of phosphorus. It was also the first Brazilian company to develop a specific nucleus for mineral supplements for dairy cattle. The company also operates with products for pork and chicken farming.
*Translated by Mark Ament
