Press Releases

2011

May 31, 2011

Launch of a New Water Treatment Chemicals Factory in Brazil

Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroshi Saito) announces that Kurita do Brasil LTDA. (KDBL), a subsidiary engaged in the manufacturing and sales of water treatment chemicals in Blazil, will open a new water treatment chemicals factory in Artur Nogueira in the state of Sao Paulo.

KDBL was established in 1975 as the Kurita Group’s South American base and has since been engaged in the manufacture and sale of water treatment chemicals. Brazil is blessed with abundant mineral resources, including iron ores and bauxites for which the country is one of the world’s largest producers. In recent years progress has been made also in the development of new energy resources such as ethanol, leading to further economic growth in the country. Brazil attained a GDP growth rate of 7.5% in 2010 and further economic development is expected as the host of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games. Anticipating increases in demand for water treatment across South America, KDBL will open the new factory to increase its production capacity for water treatment chemicals. The company will also move its head office to Artur Nogueira,the same premise of the new factory to promote cooperation between sales and production departments and increase operational efficiency in terms of cost and labor management, thereby strengthening its organization in a bid to achieve further expansion.

The new factory will roll out operations in June and will eventually have the twice the capacity of the existing factory. The city of Artur Nogueira, where the new factory is located, is about 150 km northwest of the city of Sao Paulo. Leading oil, automobile, and food companies also have factories nearby. The location is easily accessible from the city of Sao Paulo thanks to the recent construction and improvement of the expressway and other transportation.

The Kurita Group is committed to expanding its global business under its medium-term management plan "MP-11" launched in April 2009. The new factory will contribute to the Group to further expand its global business by providing a wide range of customers with products and services that can meet their needs as the continuing economic development of Brazil and its South American neighbors is expected.

Outline of the new factory

Location Artur Nogueira City, State of San Paulo, Federative Republic of Brazil
Products Water treatment chemicals (boiler water treatment chemicals, cooling water treatment chemicals, paper/pulp process treatment chemicals, etc.)
Total site area About 28,000 m2
Building area About 6,000 m2
Start of operation June 2011

Note: KDBL's existing factory will close after the transition of manufacturing operations to the new factory is completed.

new factory

Outline of KDBL

Company name Kurita do Brasil LTDA.
Capital R$6.986 million
Establishment 1975
Ownership 100% owned by Kurita Water Industries Ltd.