São Paulo – Torfresma, a manufacturer of meat packing and automation equipment based in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, has sold to the Arab countries on two occasions and plans on branching out in the region. The main deal was a sale of machinery for the Brazilian food company BRF’s plant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The company’s director, Claudimar Bortolin, explains that initially, Torfresma was entrusted with designing the hamburger packing line BRF plant. Once the job was completed, BRF requested quotations from several companies and Torfresma placed the winning bid to supply part of the machinery for the Middle East plant.
“We delivered 50% of all the equipment, including automatic packers for hamburgers, chicken patties and breaded items,” the executive says.
The sale to BRF was closed in late 2013, but the machines are only going online now. “I have a team onsite working on getting the equipment up and running. Production is beginning at the plant at this time,” he says.
Bortolin explains that all of Torfresma’s machines are custom-made. “Each customer has their own particularities. Torfresma is a dynamic company when it comes to tailoring equipment to each client’’s processes and lines,” he says.
The company’s first direct sale to an Arab country was to Sudan, in 2011. “They purchased equipment for refrigerating, preparing, manipulating and transporting offal, and aerial conveyors for poultry,” says Bortolin.
In addition to doing business with Sudan and the Emirates, Torfresma has sold to Venezuela and Argentina. Despite the fact that his company is being particularly export-oriented, Bortolin says he is “interested in other opportunities to manufacture and sell equipment to the Arab world.” All of Torfresma’s foreign deals combined come out to US$ 5 million.
According to him, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, where chicken consumption is widespread, are the main countries when it comes to new sale opportunities. The executive also mentions Egypt, South Africa and countries in North, Central and South America as potential areas of interest for Torfresma.
Torfresma’s line comprises over 300 pieces of equipment, including poultry, beef and pork processors and machinery for juice, dairy and general foodstuffs. Each month, the company makes up to 80 different pieces of equipment.
Torfresma is based in the city of São Miguel do Oeste, was founded 21 years ago, and has 191 direct and 30 indirect employees.
Contact
Torfresma
Tel.: + 55 49 3631-4200
Email: claudimar@torfresma.com.br
Website: www.torfresma.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
