Brazilian panel producer Fibraplac SA plans to launch a second manufacturing complex, far from its existing southern operation, to make both MDF and medium density particleboard (MDP) by 2014.
Fibraplac, which already runs a one million m3/year panel mill in Glorinha, Rio Grande do Sul state, now aims to construct the new complex hundreds of miles to the north in Campinas, São Paulo state.
The company is following a trend, set by São Paulo panel maker Satipel Industrial, which established a board mill further north in Minas Gerais state with the aim of serving new markets in Brazil’s rapidly developing North East region.
Satipel was acquired last year by Brazilian industry leader Duratex SA.
Fibraplac’s US$200m project involves the construction of a 500,000m3/year board mill with a 250,000m3/year MDF production line is to go on stream in the second half of 2012. A second phase will see the addition of a similar sized MDP line running by 2014.
