en.Wedoany.com Reported - Unifrango S/A has invested over R$20 million of its own capital to advance the new phase of expansion at its distribution center located in Apucarana, Paraná. The project is 50% complete and is expected to be finished and inaugurated in September this year. Upon completion, the distribution center will add 4,000 new pallet positions, bringing the total storage capacity for frozen, chilled, and dry goods to 24,000 positions, making it the second-largest distribution center in Paraná and one of the top ten in Brazil. This expansion triples the initial 8,000 storage positions from when the center opened in 2013. The completion will also coincide with Unifrango's 25th anniversary.
This marks the third increase in storage capacity at the distribution center since 2020. Hugo Bongiorno, President of Unifrango, stated that by reinvesting only operating profits and avoiding reliance on bank loans, operational capacity will expand by 20%, with distribution center revenue expected to grow by the same percentage. Bongiorno noted that global demand for warehousing services is rising, and the Apucarana distribution center, located in the "heart of Paraná," holds a strategic geographical advantage for serving shareholders and business partners. He further explained that this expansion aligns with industry growth, as the sector has been investing to gain more storage space and increase flexibility to meet the needs of frozen, chilled, and dry goods customers, whether wholesale or retail, given the facility's mobile base structure.
According to Roberto Pelle, the company's Expansion Manager, 30% to 40% of the products currently stored at the center are non-animal protein items, including orange juice, açaí pulp, margarine, and vegetable oils. He mentioned that the unit's strategic location—adjacent to multiple highways and close to a railway line—was a key factor driving the expansion decision. While awaiting permits for the construction of an intermodal terminal, the distribution center operates via road transport and connects to the intermodal terminal in Cambé. Pelle revealed that Unifrango S/A has expanded into the retail sector, using small trucks for deliveries, and is studying the establishment of storage facilities for dry goods targeting the animal nutrition or pet food industries to meet high demand in this area.
The total investment of over R$20 million in this expansion covers foundations, fire protection systems, licensing, paving, and machine room construction. Pelle noted that the construction cost per pallet position has risen from R$2,500 in the initial phase to the current R$5,000. The distribution center features a highly automated, modern technological structure, such as using a refrigerant gas with less environmental impact than ammonia. Additionally, the company ensures all internally generated energy is consumed through self-generation and the use of "grid zero" technology, optimizing operational costs. The company has also signed a competitive power purchase agreement with an electricity supplier through 2029 and implemented a cogeneration system to further enhance energy efficiency.
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