Most modern in Brazil

The state of São Paulo is often referred to as the “the locomotive of Brazil”. It is the most populous with over 43 million inhabitants, and this is the location where Yara runs its most modern operations in Brazil. Sumaré, which is heavily influenced by Yara’s Brazilian operations, is quite small compared to other Brazilian cities, consisting of around 225,000 citizens. A portion of these work for Yara, wearing a white helmet with a well-known Viking ship on the front.

State of the art

The new unit, the result of a BRL (USD 45) 115 million investment, has a warehousing capacity of 115 thousand tons and state of the art process automation for product quality and safety. It strengthens Yara's commitment to Brazil and the development of agriculture in this key market.

"This opening ceremony marks the consolidation of Yara's strategy of shaping the standard of the fertilizer market in the country," said Yara Brazil President Lair Hanzen. "The blending unit in Sumaré is next to important highways that connect the region to the main farming areas and the Port of Santos and railway systems - which will speed final product deliveries and raw material arrivals."

The location of the unit will allow Yara to take advantage of the Rumo transport and warehouse terminal, using trucks arriving with crops to return carrying fertilizer to agricultural regions. "Another advantage is Sumaré's dry weather, which helps storage, and delivers a high quality product," Lair says.

Agriculture is a major driver for the Brazilian economy

The ceremony was attended by Norwegian dignitaries from the local embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazilian government officials, as well as President and CEO Torgeir Kvidal and Head of Downstream Egil Hogna, a sign of the importance of the Sumaré launch - and of Brazil for Yara's growth strategy.

CEO Kvidal spoke about exactly this strategic importance at the launch, and also highlighted the primary importance of safety to Yara. "Safety is always our top priority and we work every day to improve it."

"Adding to what the CEO said about the importance of Brazil to Yara as a global fertilizer company - we are also mindful that agriculture is a major driver for the Brazilian economy," Egil said.

"Brazil has increasingly grown its share of world agriculture, with the adoption of new technologies, specialization of producers and increasingly judicious choice of products that help increase farming productivity and profitability," he added.

The new facility's cutting edge features include a chemical analysis lab, pallet-stacked product storage near the bagging area, independent loading lines for big bags and pallet stacked products, and container unloading docks, making raw materials blends safer and faster.

The new blending unit stands for innovation and applied technology in equipment and processes - such as unloading, storage, blending, bagging and loading - ensuring speed in customer service, safety, and higher quality of end product.

"The opening of the blending unit in Sumaré is part of Yara's strategy to improve the performance of our customers," says Lair. "And to consolidate our leadership position in the Brazilian fertilizer market."