Lafarge to build new Rio de Janiero works, Brazil

Lafarge announced on Thursday that it is to construct a second cement plant in Rio de Janeiro to better serve expected increases in demand fuelled by the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Brazil.

The new unit, located in the city of Santa Cruz, the metropolitan area of the state, will have production capacity of around 750,000tpa.

With an investment of US66m and the generation of 350 direct jobs, the unit will receive funding from the  the government of Rio de Janeiro under its Rioindústria programme for industrial projects. The funding was approved by the Standing Committee on Policies for Economic Development.

"The State of Rio de Janeiro is experiencing a time of great economic growth, which has direct positive impact on the construction industry. Investments like this demonstrate the tendency of companies to seize this opportunity to invest," Julio Bueno, Secretary for Economic, Energy , Industry and Services, said.

Besides its other factory in Rio de Janeiro, Lafarge has units in Minas Gerais, Bahia, Paraiba and Goias.