Raízen invests 200 million R$ in Maranhão

Attracted by the growth of the economy in the Midwest and part of the northern region, especially on account of the performance of agribusiness, the Raízen will invest 200 million R$ of own resources on a distribution of fuels (gasoline, diesel, aviation kerosene) in the industrial pole of São Luís, in Maranhão, in the port of Itaqui. The project is outside the port concession area.
Still in the process of environmental licensing, the project must be completed within two years and will be the largest in the company''s distribution terminal in isolation, without the participation of other partners. The distribution base will occupy an area of ten hectares of Government of Maranhão for which the company paid r $1 million.
The figure is equivalent to 20% of the market value of the land, the company shelled out for its use by the commitment to job creation and other social counterparts. With the basis of distribution, the company wants to double in two years the volume of fuel that moves in the region, today of 1.2 billion litres per year.
"We are investing to eliminate bottlenecks, despite the crisis," said Nilton Gabardo, Director of new business development and Raízen infrastructure. He says that since the Raízen was formed, in 2011, from an association between Shell and Cosan, the company had intended to expand the distribution capacity in the region, but failed to invest in the port for legislation.
Now the project begins to come true and should, according to Gabardo, reduce the cost of fuel locally and ensure the supply of the network of stations in the region. The company, he said, I could not answer account more Shell stations in the region, which includes Eastern and southern Maranhão, Pará, Tocantins and Piaui. More than half of the volume of fuel in the area is bustling by logistic operators. This represents additional costs, which rise the price of the products. The company has 600 customers in the area of influence of the port terminal of St. Louis between Shell stations, stations with a white flag and corporate clients (B2B).
"It''s an investment for the company''s growth in this geographical area that picks up the stocking of Brazil: Tocantins, Maranhão and Eastern Pará, where the agricultural frontier is still developing," says the Director.
He also reminds that Petrobras signaling that it does not intend to invest in logistics and that can sell the controlling interest in BR Distribuidora has accelerated the process.
Storage. The intention of the company to invest in the State fell like a glove for the Government of Maranhão. Simplicius Aguilar, Secretary of industry and trade of the State of Maranhão, reports that, unlike other States, Maranhão''s financials are up to date, but the project, in its accounts, can enlarge between 10% to 15% tax collections from the sale of fuel for Raízen, which is one of the main generators of income for the State.
In addition, the Secretary points out that the investment has social counterparts, such as the construction of five schools and the generation of 700 direct and indirect jobs in the construction phase and 600 more in operation.
"It''s an investment for the company''s growth in this area (...) where the agricultural frontier is still developing. "