Demand Met in Brazil
Bioproducts manufacturer Suzano is reinvesting in its home country Brazil with a $206 million expansion of its Port of Santos operations. The project will support the expansion and modernization of the T32 and DP World terminals to increase annual cargo handling capacity from 4.6 million tons to 6.6 million tons of pulp annually. The T32 terminal will expand to over 301,300 sq. ft. and introduce two gantry cranes, lifting equipment and four new rail branches. The new equipment will allow 44 rail cars to be unloaded simultaneously. The DP World terminal will grow to more than 548,900 sq. ft., allowing annual cargo capacity to grow from 3.6 million tons to 5 million tons. Two additional overhead cranes at the terminal will allow for a combined additional capacity of 80 tons of pulp. “With the investments in port and intermodal terminals, we are reinforcing our commitment to more sustainable and efficient logistics solutions. The use of the railway, which connects our production to the port terminals, represents a significant advance in our strategy to reduce emissions and optimize flow, benefiting the environment and our operational processes,” says Suzano EVP of Sales Leonardo Grimaldi. “Suzano is already a benchmark in the level of service provided to our global customers, and the new operation will bring even greater efficiency and robustness to our integrated supply chain management systems, all the way to our customers’ warehouses.”
PepsiCo will convert organic potato waste from the Isando plant into biogas to use as a renewable source of energy for the facility.
Photo courtesy of PepsiCo
Snackin’ in South Africa
PepsiCo looks to expand its Isando facility, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a fresh $43.1 million investment. The expansion project will focus on integrating a new potato chip production line in order to meet growing demand in the region. This location is supported by strong potato-growing areas, in addition to its central location to reduce cross-country shipment of snack products. “Expanding our potato chip production capacity is an important move to meet the growing demand for South Africa’s much-loved snacks,” said PepsiCo South Africa CEO Riaan Heyl. “Alongside creating new jobs, this new line shows our commitment to innovation and efficiency, as we continue to deliver high-quality products to people.” In collaboration with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition, the company will invest $5.5 million for an anaerobic digester plant to transform waste produced at the site.
Dangjin Mayor Oh Seong-hwan, South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum, Hoban Group Chairman Kim Seon-gyu and Taihan Cable Vice Chairman Song Jong-min sign a new project agreement in November 2024.
Photo courtesy of Taihan Cable
Undersea Connections
Korea-based fiber optic cable manufacturing company Taihan Cable & Solution has announced plans to construct its second submarine cable plant in the Dangjin district of South Korea’s South Chungcheong Province in order to meet growing global demand for submarine cables. This location was selected due to its proximity to the company’s initial submarine cable factory in the region. The $716 million project located in the Godae District of the Asan National Industrial Complex will produce 620-kilovolt High Voltage Direct Current cables and submarine cables for external networks and will also include a Vertical Continuous Extrusion System tower. “Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, is where the domestic production infrastructure of Taihan Cable is concentrated, and as a logistics and transportation hub, it is the optimal location to supply submarine cables to domestic and international markets,” said Taihan Cable Vice Chairman Song Jong-min. “We will quickly build a second submarine cable factory and contribute to Dangjin City emerging as a key region for the domestic submarine cable industry.” The site is anticipated to become operational in 2027.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore