Sao Paulo, July 30, 2019 – JBS is to build another plant in Santa Catarina. The Company is investing R$ 180 million through Seara Alimentos to build and operate a biodiesel factory in Mafra. The plant will be operated by JBS Biodiesel, a JBS Novos Negócios division. The large-scale plant will use raw material from the Seara production chain, including pork and poultry fat, to make biodiesel. It will also work closely with the soybean complex, supplementing it raw material base.
JBS Biodiesel’s mission is to add value to JBS’s production chain waste. The Company has a successful track record of reusing beef tallow and other inputs, such as recycled cooking oil, to make biodiesel. Its focus on sustainability will receive an additional boost with the new plant in Mafra, which will expand its operations in the pork and poultry supply chain.
“The Company’s investment in this new operation reflects the positive outlook for Brazilian industry. Based on the RenovaBio program, when B15 takes effect in 2023, diesel will have to contain 15% biodiesel. With this new plant, JBS Biodiesel will more than double its capacity and is set to produce over 600 million liters of biodiesel a year”, said Alexandre Pereira, director at JBS Biodiesel.
The JBS Biodiesel factory in Mafra will cover an area of 76 thousand square meters and will produce 900 tons of fuel a day. Building the plant will create around 400 jobs. Once construction has been concluded by the first half of 2021, it will create 100 direct and around 300 indirect jobs, supporting the regional economy.
The city of Mafra is strategically located for the national biofuel industry. In addition to efficient road and rail embarkation and disembarkation logistics, it is 120 km from Araucária (PR), where the President Getulio Vargas Refinery (Repar) is located, one of Brazil’s biggest diesel mixing and distribution units.
Santa Catarina
JBS has over 30 Seara plants in 18 cities in Santa Catarina alone, producing pork, poultry, industrialized products and animal feed and operating incubation centers, logistics terminals and distribution centers. In the state the Company also employs around 16.5 thousand people and has a network of 2.5 thousand integrated farmers.
“Santa Catarina is a major food production center for the global market. The decision to invest in building a biodiesel plant in Mafra underlines the synergy across JBS’s businesses, which also helps to increase sustainability at Seara’s operations”, said Joanita Karoleski Maestri, CEO of Seara.
JBS Biodiesel
JBS Biodiesel currently operates two other plants, one in Lins, in the State of São Paulo, and another in Campo Verde, in the state of Mato Grosso. With this third unit, the Company will become one of the country’s 10 top biodiesel producers. In 2018 alone, the Company sold 260 million liters of biofuel, approximately 25% up on its 2017 volume of 210 million liters.
About JBS
JBS is one of the world’s leading food industry companies with approximately 230 thousand employees in 15 countries. The Company owns a portfolio of brands that are acknowledged for their excellence and innovation, including Friboi, Moy Park, Pilgrim’s Pride, Primo, Seara, Swift, Gold’n Plump and others, serving over 275,000 customers of more than 190 nationalities worldwide. The Company’s focus on innovation also reflects its management approach to related businesses in areas such as leather, biodiesel, collagen, personal hygiene and cleaning products, natural wrappings, solid waste management solutions, metal packaging and transportation. JBS has adopted best sustainability practices throughout its value chain and constantly monitors its suppliers using satellite imagery, georeferenced maps of supplier farms and monitors official data from government agencies. The Company also focuses on the highest possible food safety and quality standards. The success of JBS’s operations is closely tied to our Animal welfare practices, which are rigorously applied and have received an increasing share of investments to further improve the Company’s efforts in this area, in line with best practices.
About Seara
Seara Alimentos has a strong global presence in the poultry, pork and prepared foods industries. The Company portfolio includes Seara, Seara Gourmet, Doriana, Massa Leve, Rezende, Lebon, Frangosul, Confiança, Big Frango, Excelsior, Delicata and other brands. It has 30 poultry processing plants, 8 pork processing units, 14 distribution centers and 21 prepared foods factories in Brazil. Seara is one of the country’s biggest exporters and its products reach 100 million consumers in over 130 countries. In order to strengthen and expand its global presence in the protein market, Seara Alimentos has offices in several regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and North Africa. The Company has adopted best corporate governance and sustainability practices throughout its value chain and operational management focuses on guaranteeing high food quality and safety and animal welfare standards.
JBS
Corporate Communications Department
+55 11 3144-7997 | 5364 | 4996
imprensa@jbs.com.br