Santos Brasil opens cold storage units and broadens its expertise in chemical product storage

Santos Brasil, a provider of complete port and logistics services and a reference in container operations in Brazil, opened two cold storage units for storing controlled-temperature chemicals. The air-conditioned unit that operates at 20 degrees Celsius, and the refrigerated unit, with an operating temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius, were built at the company´s Distribution Center in São Bernardo do Campo (Greater São Paulo) to meet the requirements of Covestro, a world leader in high-technology polymers.

"In seeking optimization and excellence in our supply chain after changing our business model, we found the way to strengthening it by developing our key partners for integrated results", said Tomas Becker, Head of Logistics Purchasing at Covestro.

"Our Distribution Center is not only the first Santos Brasil unit to offer this kind of service, but it is also the only one in the entire ABC Paulista region in Greater São Paulo", says the Santos Brasil Logistics Operations Commercial Director Wagner Toffoli.

The work we have done with Covestro for two years, which from this month will be reformulated and expanded, strengthens Santos Brasil´s expertise in storing non-flammable, flammable and refrigerated chemicals at its logistics units. "Several Covestro products require specific handling and must be stored at a refrigerated temperature for best preservation. We therefore developed a customized design for this differentiated type of cargo", Wagner Toffoli adds.

With the new scope of the contract, Santos Brasil becomes Covestro´s main provider of port logistics services and, among other activities, it will be responsible for managing import container receival at Tecon Santos and Clia Santos. The storage of chemical cargo is being done at the 105-thousand square meter São Bernardo do Campo Distribution Center.

"The improvement of our logistics chain with a partner with business vision and who also focuses on continuous improvement was the key element for Santos Brasil to meet our demand. Flexibility for investments in refrigerated solutions was further proof of the partnership we have built with them", Becker adds.

In addition to refrigeration, the flammable products also require adequate facilities for this type of material. "We have smoke detectors, sprinklers, explosion-proof electrical installations, a trough system interconnected to a containment tank, alarm system, fire brigade and foam system for flammable liquids, as well as other items required for better serving our client", says the Santos Brasil executive.