BSBIOS and Petrobras Biofuel enlarge partnership

New company will act in the production of biofuels in the South of Brazil.

 

Today (07/04), Petrobras Biofuel and BSBIOS Indústria e Comércio de Biodiesel Sul Brasil S/A announce, through a press conference in Porto Alegre (RS) and in Passo Fundo (RS), the partnership constitution, with equal participation, to act in the production of biofuels in the South of Brasil. Both companies already run in partnership, the plant of biodiesel in Marialva (PR) and, from now on, begin to act in the unit of Passo Fundo as well.

With the new partnership, the companies begin to share the work of an industrial complex with total productive capacity of 300 million liters/year of biodiesel. The Chief Executive Officer of BSBIOS, Erasmo Carlos Battistella, highlighted that the new initiative, which is already ongoing, will be the construction of an industry of bio-lubricants. "This will be the first unit in the country to produce canola and linseed-based bio-lubricant, with production capacity of 60 thousand tons/year."

The partnership will also enlarge the possibilities of investments in the production of biodiesel and ethanol in the South region. Battistella asserts that the company will analyze projects in ethanol area. "We will develop and evaluate a structured project for ethanol. When we have agronomy and financing comfort for the production we will invest. This is a very important sector for Rio Grande do Sul which is dependent on other states. Nowadays, we import 98% of the ethanol consumed," he stated. It is an ideal shared by the chairman of Petrobras Biofuel, Miguel Rossetto, "We want to invest in all line of bio-products and biodiesel and ethanol are included in the new mission of this new company."

The gaúcha unit has production capacity of ‘60 million liters of biodiesel/year and unit of extraction of vegetable oil crops with capacity to crush 2500 tons of grains /day. The entrepreneurship, which has operated since 2007, generates approximately 300 direct work positions and more than 800 indirect. The plant also generates work and income in the field. Around ten thousand family farmers, producers of soybean and canola in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, provide raw material for the production of biodiesel in the unit of Passo Fundo.

To Rossetto, the action in the South region is strategic because of the great production of vegetable oil crops, with significant presence of family agriculture, and because it allows a more efficient logistics concerning the markets in the South and Southeast of the country. "Our presence in Rio Grande do Sul makes part of a strategy to nationalize the production. We have run five plants, two in the Northeast, one in the North of Minas Gerais, one in Paraná in partnership with BSBIOS and now with the unit of Passo Fundo", the chairman speaks about the park of biodiesel production of the company which begins to count on total production capacity of around 710 million liters of biodiesel/year.

According to Battistella, this second partnership is the recognition for the work accomplished by the company. "It is an honor to say that we ally our competencies of management, production, credibility and quality which are already recognized by the market. We work towards the development of biofuels in the Country, by focusing biodiesel, and this is certainly the most important step towards this direction", emphasizes Battistella.

The governor of Rio Grande do Sul state, Tarso Genro, emphasized the importance of Petrobras Biofuel in the production of biofuel in the North of the state, together with BSBIOS during the event in Porto Alegre. "We have consolidated a partnership with structuring role in the gaúcho economic development which mission is to enlarge the investments in biodiesel and collaborate with the production of renewable energy to Brazil".

The mayor of Passo Fundo, Airton Lângaro Dipp, emphasized the importance to the town; "Passo Fundo is experiencing a historic day since Petrobras Biofuel believes in our BSBIOS, that was born from the dream of its entrepreneurs by means of an innovative project, even having initial doubts we bet it would consolidate, and today we see the increase of this company. We are greatly thankful to these entrepreneurs for this conquest. Together with Petrobras more investments will come for the town, in medium and long term," he asserted.

Check all photos of the conference in Porto Alegre by clicking here.

Check all photos of the conference in Passo Fundo by clicking here.