São Paulo – The main recycler of plastic bottles in Latin America, Arteplas, which makes the material into polyester rope and thread, wants to increase sales form the current 10% of production to 40% by the end of 2009. The maker has been exporting for ten years to countries like Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Uruguay and Colombia and has just closed its first sale to the United States. Apart from that, the organisation is seeking new markets.
"We are always aware of new business opportunities and partnerships. Our products have good acceptance on the foreign market, mainly due to the ecological question, as our raw material is 100% recycled," says Mayckon Rossi, who is responsible for the export department at the company. The future plans also include investment in infrastructure. "If we reach the export growth target, our production capacity of 600 tonnes per month will be at the limit. We are therefore studying the purchase of new machinery to expand our production," he said.
The material used by Arteplas for the production of the fibres is over 8,000 tonnes of PET bottles per year, coming from several points of the country, mainly the Northern, Northeastern and Southeastern regions. "Arteplas stands out for presenting modern business management focussed on results, always adding to clients the values related to the care with environmental management and to the generation of awareness of the importance of recycling," said Rossi.
With annual revenues of 28 million reals (US$ 13 million), Arteplas generates 400 direct jobs, as well as revenues to outsourced people. "This way, we can provide greater quality of life to low-income families and to communities that work with the collection of PET bottles," said Rossi.
Established in 1973 in the city of Itajaí, in Santa Catarina, Arteplas Plastic Artefacts grew and became prominent in the rope sector for several sectors: transportation, fishing, livestock farming, civil construction, sports and nautical services, among others.
With regard to the polyester fibre, produced since the 1990s, the product is used for the production of transport belts, transmission belts, hoses, tarpaulins and other plastified fabrics, as well as for the manufacture of sewing thread, safety belts, shoe laces, fishing nets, string and naval ropes.
Arteplas also produces synthetic fibre from PET multifilament that is recommended for mixture into concrete or mortar in the building industry, to guarantee resistance to traction in several directions, a property that traditional cement or mortar does not have.
Ecological label
Recently, Arteplas received the Falcão Bauer label, from Falcão Bauer Quality Institute, guaranteeing to consumers the sustainable performance of products and equipment.
Now all the "ecoproducts" made by Arteplas are identified with the symbol, following the certification standards used in the European Union and Australia. To receive the ecological stamp, Arteplas underwent an evaluation process, from production to laboratory testing approved by the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality.
The end product is obtained with 70% less energy than that necessary for production from raw materials. In the analysis of the cycle of life, Arteplas products were considered to have good environmental performance with regard to the product and productive process, as shown in an audit report developed by Falcão Bauer Institute as well as other studies.
Contact
Site: www.arteplas.com.br
E- mail: arteplas@arteplas.com.br
Telephone: (+55 47) 3341-4000
*Translated by Mark Ament
