International minerals processing specialist Multotec will be opening its new 4 000 m2 manufacturing facility in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in July.

This facility is geared to manufacture the company’s mineral processing equipment for the region.

This expansion highlights Multotec’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for its products in Brazil’s thriving mining sector.

The location of the facility has been strategically chosen, positioned in the state of Minas Gerais, which is a hub for Brazilian mining activity.

“The facility was completed, and our machinery was installed and commissioned in April of this year,” says Multotec South America GM Graeme Campbell.

The facility will manufacture polyurethane and rubber screen panels, wet and dry samplers, as well as certain of the group’s cyclone models for the Brazilian market.

“The Brazilian facility and its staff have the local fabrication capabilities to manufacture our full consumable product range, with room to expand as and when needed. It also has a large area for stockholding,” he adds.

In addition to its production team, technical expertise and commercial processing, Multotec has a full scope of engineering and commercial support personnel in Brazil.

Campbell stresses that the South American mining sector contributes significantly to Multotec Group’s earnings and has the potential to become the company's largest region in terms of its order book.

“The investments we are making in the region are testimony to the opportunities we see there,” he adds.

Multotec has an established production facility in Santiago, Chile, that has been in operation since 1997. It services the company’s clients across Spanish-speaking Central and South America.

Campbell says the capacity of the facility has been increased recently with the addition of more workshop space, machinery and staff.

Campbell explains that as part of the group’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) drive, the new machinery that has been installed at the new facilities is more environment friendly than the machines it previously used.

“The new machines are greener, owing to a lower power consumption rate for the same product targets, which, in turn, lowers our carbon footprint, as well as that of our clients,” he enthuses.

This, Campbell says, is because the new installations are part of Multotec’s short-term ESG drivers.

In the long term, the company aims to remove all production equipment it deems outdated and replace it with modern equipment.

Further ESG initiatives Multotec is pursuing include recycling a portion of waste material from its factories for reuse in the company’s three-dimensional printers, thereby lowering its use of plastic.

Additionally, the group has started an initiative with certain local technical schools in selected regions from which it will source graduates, providing community upliftment through improving their skills sets, and allowing for personal growth and development.

“Embracing the different cultures and norms within each country, as well as having a full understanding of the local laws, is of utmost importance to Multotec.”

Some countries are more complex in this area than others, and a key driver to overcome these difficulties is to employ local staff who have the appropriate experience and to partner with the most suitable companies to reduce the likelihood of mistakes, Campbell adds.

“Our goal is always to provide world-class, quality products with the most cost-effective logistics solutions, in the shortest time possible,” he concludes.