New South American Manufacturing Plant Reinforces L&M's International Presence
Jim Vlcek, Editor, Concrete News


Greg Schwietz (l) and Angelo Oliveira (r) in Sao Paulo, Brazil
L&M recently opened its first international manufacturing center located south of the equator in Sao Paulo, Brazil. L&M President Greg Schwietz commented, "L&M hopes to take advantage of a unique business opportunity by offering our high-quality L&M product line to the growing South American concrete construction market."

Schwietz added, "Eight years ago, we chose Brazil to be our entry point into the South American continent because of its strong growing economy and its central proximity as a 'hub' to effectively service the MERCOSUR [a South American equivalent of the NAFTA trade agreement] trade pact countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Besides the dollars-and-cents reasoning, L&M senses that there is an increased desire in South American markets to raise the level of concrete quality, product availability and price-competition and a real desire for new and better products.


L&M products being applied to Brazilian project
"We feel that focusing on the MERCOSUR makes sense for our type of business, as we can offer this surrounding region a fairly close production and distribution base for our quality line of products."

The MERCOSUR market represents over 70% of the population of the South American continent (approximately 250 million people), and includes the three largest metropolitan cities in the southern hemisphere: Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. It is the single largest trading group on the South American continent.


Industrial manufacturing floor protected with L&M products
L&M is currently in the process of expanding its distribution base and relationships with distributors, contractors, architects and engineers both in and outside of Sao Paulo. L&M plans to offer its complete line of concrete construction chemicals to this market area, including industrial floor hardeners and densifiers, self-leveling toppings, non-shrink structural grouts, water repellents, sealers and other concrete construction materials.

Angelo Oliveira, L&M's director of sales and business development for South America, remarked, "We recently finished the building of our on-site manufacturing facility. We now have the capability in Sao Paulo to produce much of L&M's comprehensive line of concrete treatment products. I feel strongly that the market is ready for our type of products and product quality. My goal is to build a notable presence for L&M in this market over the next three to five years." Fluent in three languages (Portuguese, Spanish and English), Oliveira understands that it is vitally necessary to communicate effectively within this international hub to develop strong business ties.

For more current and ongoing information about the international growth of L&M in South America and other continents, log on to L&M's website at www.lmcc.com. Angelo Oliveira can be contacted at lmccsamerica@aol.com.

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