JBS S A : With dual listing, JBS plans to invest USD 3 billion in Brazil

JBS plans to invest USD 3 billion by 2026 to expand its operations in Brazil, said Global CEO Gilberto Tomazoni on Friday (27th), during the inauguration of two new value-added product plants in Rolândia, in the state of Paraná. "The J&F Group has announced a USD 7.6 billion investment by 2026. At JBS we are working on a dual listing project. If this project is successful, this investment will not be USD 7.6 billion, but USD 10 billion in Brazil by 2026. In addition, there will be 50 thousand additional jobs by 2026," said Tomazoni. Of these new jobs, 20,000 will be at JBS alone.

J&F Investimentos, JBS' parent company and of firms such as J&F Mineração, Eldorado Brasil, PicPay, Flora, among others, had announced earlier this month total investments of USD 7.6 billion, including USD 0.6 billion from JBS. With this additional contribution by the Company, amounting to USD 2.4 billion, its total contribution reaches USD 3 billion, and J&F's totals USD 10 billion, creating 50 thousand jobs.

The announcement about the USD 3 billion investment was made at an inauguration event in Rolândia with the country's Vice President and Minister of Development and Industry, Mr. Geraldo Alckmin. Also present were the governor of the state of Paraná, Ratinho Júnior, congress and municipal authorities, such as the mayor of Rolândia, Ailton Maistro. On JBS' side were shareholders Wesley and Joesley Batista and, in addition to Tomazoni, the CEO of JBS Brasil, Gilberto Xandó, and the CEO of Seara, João Campos, among other executives.

In Rolândia, Alckmin spoke of the new JBS plants in Rolândia as examples of neo-industrialization, with innovation and sustainability. "It's one of the largest industrial complexes in the world, with cutting-edge technology." The vice-president mentioned the satisfaction of being at the "inauguration of a major industry, a company with 4,500 employees, able to reach as much as 6,000".

Shareholder Wesley Batista highlighted the favorable moment to invest in Brazil: "Looking at our entire group, we are currently 180 thousand people in Brazil - the largest employer in the country - and 280 thousand employees around the world, with 500 plants. We came to the conclusion that Brazil is an extraordinary country with gigantic potential," said Wesley.

The businessman continued: "We operate in many places around the world, and see that few places enjoy the same conditions present in Brazil: democracy, strong established institutions, credibility, from a fiscal point of view." For Wesley, "when we look at other places, we don't easily find situations around the world like we have in Brazil. That's why we're super optimistic. I believe Brazil is back and it's the star of the moment. We're definitely going to see Brazil take off again. We are very optimistic.

In his speech, the president of the J&F Institute, Joesley Batista, highlighted the importance of investing in education. "Today I visited this wonderful factory, but the best thing we have is our people. And the J&F Institute, which I lead today, has the challenge of leading a movement, to transform the J&F Group companies into educating companies, to bring education to the center of the companies' strategy." Joesley spoke of the need to motivate other companies to also focus on education and teaching people to work better each day.

Alckmin also commented on the J&F Institute, the initials for José (José Batista Sobrinho, founder of JBS) and Flora, his wife. "There is no love more sublime than that of a mother and a father for a child". And, he continued, "what parents want most for their children is for them to be able to study and have a profession that allows them to support themselves". The vice-president used President Lula's example of how education makes a difference. With his Senai certificate, he was the first in his family to have a job with a formal contract, the first to own a TV, a car and a house. "I would like to congratulate J&F's shareholders for their care for youth," said Alckmin.

Location of the plants

On a 257 thousand square meter site, with 54 thousand square meters of built-up area, the plant in Rolândia (PR) employs 4,500 people and will allow Seara to advance its strategy of expanding into value-added products, particularly in the chicken breading segment, where it already holds over 30% market share, and also in sausages, for which it has ambitious plans.

The governor of Paraná, Ratinho Jr., thanked for the investments and made a connection between the new facilities in Rolândia and the state's focus on being "the world's supermarket", with constant dedication to transforming Paraná into the state with "the greatest capacity to industrialize what is produced on its lands". The Rolândia expansion reinforces JBS' position in the state of Paraná, which is already an important hub for the company's activities, with 14 thousand employees.

Globally, over the last two years, JBS has been strengthening its position in high value-added products. For example, in the European and American markets, with the acquisitions of the Sunnyvalley, Pilgrim's Food Masters and King's Group brands, as well as with the construction of Principe's Italian specialties factory in Missouri, in the United States. The expansion of Rolândia's industrial complex is part of this initiative.