Aparecida de Goiania, the second-largest city in the state of Goiás and a thriving industrial municipality, has designs on capitalizing on its central location and to become a national reference point for logistics. The city council has numerous large transportation and infrastructure projects in the pipeline, including a new executive airport, an aeronautical center, a dry port, and a technological center, all of which guarantee companies an ideal location for local and national growth.
Aparecida de Goiânia currently has four industrial hubs, comprised of logistics and industrial companies, and a fifth is under development. The city’s proximity to the state capital Goiânia – just 12 miles away – in particular has attracted several important industries, such as Mabel, Pepsi Co, UPS, Merck Sharp, Unilever, Hipermarcas, among many others, to its various industrial zones. “Geographic location is the main advantage we have, as well as the potential to set up more industrial clusters in a wide range of areas,” says Luiz Alberto Maguito Vilela, Mayor of Aparecida de Goiania. “The biggest wholesalers in Brazil are here, and the largest companies in the country are investing in Aparecida to set up their distribution operations. Brazil has already taken note of Aparecida, now it is up to the world to do so.”
The city is currently undergoing major urbanization and industrialization, both of which require considerable amounts of investment and private sector participation. “Improvements to paved areas, culverts and security were – and still are – being made through partnerships between the city council and the private sector. This is in addition to collaborations with public authorities at state and federal levels,” says Mr. Vilela. “The private sector invests on average US$1 billion a year in the municipality. We ended 2010 with a GDP of US$3 billion. In the last three years, the municipality has experienced exceptional growth due to the fact that we managed to address problems with our infrastructure and thus attract many companies here.”
Aparecida de Goiania’s GDP went from about R$4.5 billion in 2009 to R$6 billion by the end of 2010. Approximately 15,000 jobs were generated and investments in industrial districts added more than 120 companies.
According to the Mayor, public investment in the city has been around $500 million over the past four years, consisting of funds from the Federal Government (70%), the municipality’s own resources (20%), as well as a smaller but significant portion from the Government of Goiás.
The city has secured many resources thanks to its politically strong influence. It is represented by two federal and two state congressmen and, furthermore, the Mayor has a great deal of credibility due to his achievements in his current role, which is further enhanced by his previous positions as state governor and senator.
“Ours is the best looked-after city under PAC2 (Growth Acceleration Program),” he says. “We will end our mandate on a high, being the municipality that has paved the most over the last two and a half years, with 4.4 million square meters of paved streets.”
Already the state’s second biggest importer and 11th biggest exporter, the city’s plans for a new airport with an attached dry port are a major part of a drive to attract large international companies and further boost exports.
However, increasing interest from global companies such as Boeing and Cesna looking at setting up in Aparecida de Goiânia is not only because of improvements in its infrastructure, but also its rising quality of life.
Unstructured growth management in the past has hampered development in key areas of education and health, which are now being taken in hand.
“We are setting up schools offering vocational courses, and career development paths for teachers,” says the Mayor, who adds that various new healthcare facilities are also taking shape.
For further information on investment opportunities, please contact:
Marcos Bernardo Campos, Secretary of Industry and Commerce, Prefeitura de Aparecida de Goiânia
www.aparecida.go.gov.br
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