LATIN-AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL BRIEFS

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources.

Oil & Gas

Foreigners May Not Export Oil Products in Bolivia

Bolivia's President Evo Morales has issued a statement saying that Brazil's state-owned Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) and other foreign companies are forbidden to sell certain oil products overseas. Bolivia's state-owned Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) will be the only party allowed to export oil products.

As a result of the Morales announcement, Petrobras offered to sell Bolivia 100% of its two refineries that Bolivia nationalized last year along with hydrocarbons resources. Brazil's Foreign Ministry warned that the decree could eventually have a "negative impact" on support between the two nations.

Chemical Processing

Brazil’s Riopol to Produce Low Density Polyethylene

Rio Polimeros SA (Duque de Caxias, Brasil), has produced METAPOL®, a low-density polyethylene characterized by its high clarity, brightness and transparency. Metapol is simple to process because it has better soldiering, which increases production during the automatic packing.

Riopol is said to be Latin America’s largest integrated gas-based chemical site. Inaugurated during the second half of 2005, the complex is able to produce 520,000 tpa of ethylene, which is used as feedstock for a polyethylene unit with a capacity of 540,000 tpa. At the site, they also make 75,000 tpa of propylene. Riopol is a joint venture between Cia Suzano de Palele Celulose (33.3%), Uniao de Industrias Petroquimicas (33.3%), Petrobras Quimica (16.7%) and BNDESpar (16.7%).

Transportation

Brazil’s TAM and Chile’s LAN Become Allies

Brazil’s TAM Linhas Aéreas and Lan Chile, both airlines with a dominant position in their domestic markets, have formalized a business alliance. The agreement, to be implemented in the next three months, focuses on the development of partnerships in routes operated in South America and expanding passengers` options to fly to a number of destinations.

Industrial Manufacturing

Siemens Inaugurates a $50 Million Plant in Querétaro, Mexico

Siemens Mesoamerica, the Central America unit, inaugurated a new plant in the Mexican state of Querétaro. This plant demanded a $ 50 million investment and it will produce medium tension boards and it will create a Switches Competence Center. Siemens AG (NYSE:S) (Munich, Germany) has subsidiaries in Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá and Dominican Republic. It focuses on automation processes, control, solutions, industrial and logistic services among others.

Alternative Fuels

Canada’s Dynamotive Energy Invests in Six Biofuel Plants in Argentina

On May 8, 2007 at the First Biofuel Congress of the Americas held in the Argentinean capital of Buenos Aires, the Canadian company Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation (OTC BB:DYMTF ), its subsidiary Dynamotive Latinoamericana SA and the engineering and construction firm TECNA signed an agreement with the Provincial Government of Corrientes in Argentina to develop six biofuel plants in that province.

Dynamotive’s carbon gas neutral fast technology turns dry waste biomass and energy crops into BioOil, a product patented in 1991 by the Canadian company. Argentina possesses important forest resources and through the use of this proven method of turning agricultural and forest residues into power and renewable industrial fuel, companies can expect to receive considerable environmental and economic benefits.

View complete article - Canada’s Dynamotive Energy Investments in Six Biofuel Plants in Argentina.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) provides marketing communication services ranging from industrial database solutions to market forecasting, custom analytics, and specialty promotions that support high-level image campaigns.