Capitalized and with the incorporation of Brasil Ferrovias completed, ALL – America Latina Logistica – outlines ambitious plans for the future. The company, with a network of more than 21.000 km in Brazil and Argentina, aims to double its size in five years. That means doubling the net revenue projected for this year to about US$ 1.54 billion, analysts said. For ALL, this was not exactly a novelty: five years ago, its revenue was US$ 685 million.
The president of ALL since 2005, Bernardo Hees, says that this is the target set, but he avoids making any revenue projections. “We are in one of the best moments in the company in terms of projects and platform for growth for years to come” said Hees, who works at ALL for 11 years.
Hees points out that there is a diverse portfolio of projects. Some have already been announced and are currently in progress and, also, other projects are in maturation. The company seeks to grow in the manufactured goods sector, which gained strength in the railroad with the crisis, and wants to increase its share in grain.
Before the acquisition of Brasil Ferrovias in 2006, the mix of freight was divided between grains and foods. With this deal, the segment of grain raised its stake to about 80%. With the search for more industrial freight, the ratio today is around 70%. In the future, says Hees, should stabilize around 60%. “The grain sector is growing heavily”.
One of the projects is the partnership with Cosan, announced this year, to mount a platform to transport sugar from the countryside of Sao Paulo to Santos. It will add about 10 million tons of freight for ALL by 2013. The investment of US$ 685 million – for the railway, locomotives, cars, terminals and the port – will be done by Rumo Logistica, a subsidiary of Cosan.
“The company’s investment is estimated at US$ 570 million for next year, considering US$ 171 million which is being invested in the extension of the track to Rondonopolis. The 260 km stretch will be done in three years, with total disbursement of US$ 400 million. ”It will be done in 2012, but in 2011 we will be operating a part of it”, said Hees. The work has 90% of BNDES financing and 10% of FI-FGTS (government investment fund).
Hees‘s expectation is that ALL continue to invest around US$ 400 million annually in the next years. The value is justified by the purchase of 50 locomotives and 1.2 thousand cars each year. Only in 2010, ALL will have to buy 30 tons of rails, entirely imported. “In 2009, we grew, invested and hired”. The investment was US$ 371 million.
Until the third quarter, the Brazilian railroads increased the volume of transported freight in 9.9%. They are expected to end the year with this index. In 2010, with the economy more heated, Hees believes that the growth will be higher.
Another business which ALL plans to grow is in containers, competing with MRS Logística. According to the executive, the goal in the next five to seven years is to hold 40% of the container movement in the port of Santos. Today, it is a mere 1%. “We are talking with port operators and other investors who may be partners in this project”, he said. The estimated investment is US$ 342 million. ALL want to inaugurate the double stack system – which accommodates two containers on a single car – , as the only way to compete with the truck.
In their portfolio, ALL analyzes installing a grain terminal in the port of Santos – similar to what happens in Paranagua, in association with Mitsui.
With Vale, the company began talks about a plan to transport iron ore from the mine in Corumbá (MS). The mining company has already announced projects to expand these operations in the future.
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