The 80,000 square meter facility in Brilhante, in Itajai, on the north coast of Santa Catarina, will soon become a warehouse for the Manaus Free Trade Zone. The first module of the logistics center is ready and will start operating in October this year.

Estreposto de Itajaí is the first and only one in the south of the country – Photo: BRL Properties/Disclosure/ND

The project is owned by the BRL Properties group, which already started construction negotiations with Itajaí’s Department of Economic Development last year. In total, it is necessary to invest more than 200 million reais. ZF-Log is licensed to operate a warehouse in a free zone outside of Manaus. There are only five in Brazil, and one in Itajai is the only one in the south of the country.

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what is a warehouse

The warehouse basically functions as the “arm” of the Manaus Free Trade Zone. In it, goods can be moved, shared and re-shipped throughout Brazil with the same tax exemption as in Amazonas. The warehouse in Itajai should be able to handle shipments from large companies such as Philco, Samsung, Positivo, Intelbras and TLC from the very beginning.

Full completion of the project is scheduled for 2025. As a result, 600 direct jobs are expected to be created. The Itajai warehouse already exists on a much smaller footprint, limiting the amount of cargo handled.

Cargo received at the Free Zone warehouse can stay free of charge for up to 270 days. The launch of the Brilhante logistics complex should significantly increase the movement of goods in Itajai. This logistics facility in the region, in fact, became decisive for the location of the enterprise in the city.

SC will have the first “arm” of the Manaus free trade zone in southern Brazil; know where – Photo: BRL Properties/Disclosure/ND

Proximity to other cities in the region and ease of transportation along the BR-101 motorway and between ports were factors that attracted the attention of investors. Except, of course, having such a large area next to it all.