BRAZIL – On June 10 was held the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Placas do Brasil MDF plant, the first in the state of Espirito Santo (ES). 

The investment will be approximately R $ 300 million, generating nearly 600 direct and indirect jobs. The expectation is that the new plant will start production in January 2018.

Pacas do Brasil SA was created in October 2011 by a group of 40 businessmen from the north of the state. The company will produce raw and laminated MDF for the furniture industry of Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and the northeast of the country. The production capacity will be of 25.000 m3 per month, of which 12.000 will be laminated.

The event laying the first stone was held in the city of Pinheiros, and attended by 500 people, including municipal and state authorities. “This is a very special time that was planned by us in 2010. With this factory in our state we will increase the competitiveness of the furniture sector and all will be achieved in partnership with rural producers of Espirito Santo. We believe in the project, the potential of Espirito Santo and the country even against the crisis affecting Brazil”, said the chairman of Placas do Brasil, Luis Soares Cordero.

The Development Secretary of the State, José Eduardo Azevedo, emphasized the importance of the project for the state’s economy. “The plant will not only support the production of furniture, generating employment and income, but also agriculture, with the production of eucalyptus used in the manufacture of MDF”.

Espirito Santo has about 800 industries in the furniture sector that generate approximately 11,000 jobs. One focus is the furniture cluster of Linhares, covering several municipalities in northern Espirito Santo and in which 140 companies are installed that produced serial and custom furniture that meet the demands of large urban centers. Another cluster that shows its strength is in the metropolitan region of Greater Victoria, with 134 furniture companies, the Cariacica cluster, which focuses on the manufacture of custom furniture.

“We are at an important historical moment. This MDF plant will be important to feed our furniture industry. The state produces good furniture, but we have difficulties with the high cost of raw material procurement. With this plant we will win more competitiveness”, analyzed the Governor of Espirito Santo, Paulo Hartung.