Uruguay is becoming a growing option for Chilean business people and investors given the political climate and favorable economic scenario of the Mercosur member, while conditions in the Pacific nation are rapidly deteriorating under political stress and adverse conditions for business, according to Santiago economic media.
“Good progress has been made in the discussions between the Government of Uruguay and UPM concerning the infrastructure development and other local prerequisites for long-term industrial growth in Uruguay. We are now in agreement regarding the majority of the key items on the negotiation agenda,” says Jaakko Sarantola, Senior Vice President, UPM, Uruguay Platform.
Uruguay officially inaugurated on Monday a second pulp mill, Montes del Plata, on the River Plate, belonging to Chile's Arauco and Swedish-Finnish Stora Enso, which is considered the largest single investment in the country and will have an annual production of 1.3 million tons.
Uruguay's second pulp mill Montes del Plata started production this week following an investment of 2 billion dollars, the largest ever in the recent history of the country. The announcement was made by the Chilean-Swedish complex that is running the plant.
Uruguay's economy expanded 2.4% in the first quarter compared with the same 2013 period, but contracted 0.4% compared with the fourth quarter of last year, the central bank said this week. However deceleration is a fact since growth of the first quarter in 2013 has gone up 4.6% over 2012.
Uruguay and Brazil will be signing this month an agreement to promote the development of Uruguay's naval construction industry, which has been described as one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy, said Industry and Energy minister Roberto Kreimerman in Montevideo during the launching of a barge for the pulp industry.
Uruguay has confirmed a third pulp mill to be built to the north east of the country in Cerro Largo, while the second one, Montes del Plata on the River Plate and recently finished is to be formally inaugurated sometime between May 15 and 25, although production will be delayed for a few months since the second wharf is unfinished and the effluents plant non commissioned.
The Uruguayan economy contracted 0.7% in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, although it jumped 3.3% over the same period a year ago, according to the latest release from the Central bank in Montevideo. During the second quarter, the expansion had reached 2.4%, and 1.5% previous to that.
Finland's UPM/Botnia plant, which is an ongoing motive of dispute with Argentina is planning a second pulp mill but to the east of Uruguay, announced Vice-president Danilo Astori, confirming a previous statement from the First Lady and Senator Lucia Topolansky.
The second pulp mill in Uruguay, Montes del Plata is not expected to begin operations until the first half of next year, according to the latest reports from the same corporation which is an association of Chile’s Copec and Finland’s Stora Enso.