ECUADOR (Notifix.).-Aglomerados Cotopaxi reported to have arrived, after a negotiation process that lasted a couple of weeks, at an agreement to acquire all property of Urupanel, Uruguayan wood panel manufacturer. With a manufacturing facility in Tacuarembó, Urupanel offers a production capacity of 80.000m3 per year of pine and eucalyptus plywood and 60.000m3 year of thin MDF. For Cotopaxi, Uruguay represents a great opportunity in terms forest plantations while also offering investment stability. Markets to be served by Urupanel are USA, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela among others. Cotopaxi Group industrial capacity includes Algomerados Cotopaxi in Ecuador, with a production capacity of 80.000m3 MDF/year and 40.000m3 of particleboard per year. Guatemala's Ex Maderas El Alto, with a particleboard production capacity of 36.000m3/year and Urupanel in Uruguay, with 60.000m3 per year of thin MDF 80.000m3 of plywood. The Ecuadorian investors will take control of the plant in June and expect to reach full capacity by the end of the year, the plant currently runs at 30% of capacity. The operation required an investment of close to USD 12 million.