At its 70th anniversary celebration, Tupy announces that it will invest, in the next three years, R$ 385 million. R$ 150 million will be destined to replacing machines and equipment, R$ 30 million will be applied in the improvement of operational efficiency, another R$ 30 million will be used for the purchase of environmental protection equipment and R$ 175 million will be used for the purchase of new production lines for engine blocks and heads as well as of other autoparts with a higher added value, such as crankshafts. The investments will benefit both the Joinville (SC) and Mauá (SP) plants. Production capacity of engine blocks and heads should increase by 70 thousand tones while autoparts’ production capacity should increase by 30 thousand tones.

The investments were announced on March 13, in Joinville, during the press conference held in the morning and at an afternoon event celebrating the 70th anniversary of its foundation. Between 2003 and 2007, Tupy underwent a huge turn around, having restructured itself financially, implementing a new management model and establishing strategic directives focusing the positioning of the company as a global player in the segment of engine blocks and heads. Still in 2007, the main shareholders – BNDES and PREVI – converted debentures that they had into company shares and, with that, Tupy’s capital structure improved substantially, allowing, now, for those new investments.

Celebration

The presidents of BNDES, Luciano Coutinho and PREVI, Sergio Ricardo Silva, were in Joinville on the 13th to be present at the 70th anniversary celebration. Tupy’s board of director and its CEO, Luiz Tarquínio Sardinha Ferro, welcomed the governor of the State of Santa Catarina, Luiz Henrique da Silveira, Joinville’s Mayor, Marco Antonio Tebaldi and other representatives of the government, among whom Senator Ideli Salvatti and Federal Representative Carlito Meers, both from Santa Catarina. Other institutions that have a close relationship with Tupy were also represented.

Tupy took the opportunity to acknowledge the special contribution of its founders, whom are credited for the legacy of the “entrepreneuring spirit”, honoring its descendants: Albano, grandson of Albano Schmidt; Inge Metz Voigt, daughter of Hermann Metz; and Herbert Schwarz, son of Arno Schwarz. It also acknowledged the former superintendent of Tupy and former mayor of Joinville, Nilson Wilson Bender, who recently turned 80.

In his speech, the president of BNDES said “it is amazing seeing a company that has been through complicated moments recently, at such a favorable situation.” Luciano Coutinho affirmed also that “Tupy has a special capacity to produce results and that is what it has demonstrated to the investors I represent, and I can not refrain from talking about the good perspectives for the future, which the announced investments now confirm.”