RELIABLE SCROLLING IN BRAZIL
TikTok, the social media platform that has taken the world by storm, has just announced plans to deliver a $38 billion data center in Brazil. This will be the first data center development in Latin America pursued by the China-based technology company, locating in the country’s northeastern state of Ceará. The data center campus will be constructed near the Pecém port complex with proximity to the city of Fortaleza, which connects directly to most of Brazil’s submarine internet cables. Wind farms will also be constructed in the region to supply the data center with 100% renewable energy, supported by a closed-loop water cooling system. The company expects the project to become operational by 2027, creating 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Rendering courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company
POWERING UP IN SOUTH KOREA
Hyundai’s global investment sweep continues as the automotive giant looks to place its first comprehensive battery R&D center in South Korea at a site in Gyeonggi Province 50 miles south of Seoul. The company has invested $814 million in the new 48-acre Anseong site, which aims to advance Hyundai’s EV performance and market competitiveness. The over 1-million-sq.-ft. facility will uniquely perform continuous process validation for battery cells, in addition to battery development and digital and AI integration. This approach ensures consistency and reliability in real-world conditions and is not currently practiced at the company’s research centers in Namyang and Uiwang. Hyundai has stated that the data-driven insights gathered at the Future Mobility Battery Campus will enable faster technology commercialization and efficient validation processes. Aside from EVs, the company will also extend focus to robotics and advanced air mobility. The new facility is expected to become operational by the end of 2026.
Photo courtesy of First Choice Beverage
ONTARIO STAYS QUENCHED
Last week, three Lee Li Holdings subsidiaries — First Choice Beverage, Global Beverage and Logistics Center, and Imperial Chilled Juice — announced a combined $533 million investment to expand operations in Ontario, Canada. Plans include the expansion of one non-carbonated beverage facility to integrate AI-enabled production and automated warehousing, while constructing a new plant in the Mississauga region, bringing an additional 100,000 sq. ft. of beverage manufacturing capacity. The new facility will focus on plastic bottle manufacturing, including a white-label production line for store-brand customers using locally sourced ingredients. All of the Lee Li locations in Ontario source pressed juices, such as apple and grape, from local farmers and this expansion is expected to create significant downstream benefits. “This new, cutting-edge, high-tech, environmentally sensitive production facility, with a multimillion-dollar investment in advanced manufacturing technology, will catapult Ontario into a leader in the rising global consumer market for low-sugar soft drinks,” said First Choice Beverage Executive Vice President and CAO John Spiteri.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
