Latin America’s largest plant of hemoderivative production is being built in the Northeast region

The Empresa Brasileira de Hemoderivados e Biotecnologia (Hemobrás) is building Latin America’s largest plant of hemoderivatives in an area of 48,000 sq.mt. located in the city of Goiana, in the state of Pernambuco, 63 km far from its capital, Recife. More than an important project for the Brazilian health system—that may generate 360 direct occupations and more 2720 indirect occupations and with a budget of R$ 670 million (coming from the Ministry of Health)—the plant of hemoderivatives is the anchor for the installation of the Pharmaco-chemical Pole of Pernambuco, whose area of 345 hectares may shelter 36 plants.

The plant will be able to process 500,000 liters of plasma per year. Plasma is the bulk material for hemoderivative manufacturing. The projection is that the complex would become operative in 2014 to produce medicines such as albumin, immunoglobulin, coagulation factors VIII and IX, among others. These medicines are produced in few countries over the world and currently Brazil needs to import them to attend the patients of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).

The Project was divided in two phases. The first phase, concluded in December, 2011 involved the construction of Building 1, that started to operate in September, 2012. In the B-01 are located the central reception, selection, storage and packing of plasma, bulk material for the other derivatives. In this building a cold chamber at -35ºC was installed. Known as HVAC, the cold chamber has an accurate temperature control and matches international standards of quality. To give an idea, its filters are able to retain until 99 percent of the particles that circulate in the air, such as acarids, viruses and bacteria.

The first products of Hemobrás—such as fibrin glue, immunoglobulin, factor VIII (one of the essential proteins of the blood coagulation system, whose lack causes hemophilia) and factor IX (one of the main proteins of the blood coagulation system, whose production is lower in patients with hemophilia B), to attend patients of hemophilia, primary deficiencies of immunization, AIDS, cancer, hepatic cirrhosis and, among others, victims of severe burnings—are already coming out of the plant. In May, 2013, the combinatory medicines started to be distributed in the SUS.

Since the remaining parts of the complex are not concluded, its core is being used to store plasma that is being sold to the French laboratory LFB, which has a contract with Hemobrás for transference of technology.

The second phase of the project is being carried out at this moment, including the construction of Buildings 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the utility buildings. When the complex is concluded, it will include 17 buildings with quite different features. In the building 10, for example, the boilers for production of steam will be installed; the building 16 will store ethanol to be used in the production. 50 percent of the total works are already done.

Since January, 2012, Concremat Engenharia is doing the management of the whole project. Since it involves buildings with very specific functions, Concremat Engenharia had to gather 45 professionals with different skills to work in the project. The team is formed by civil, electronic, chemical, mechanical and electric engineers and technicians.

The General Coordinator of the project, Carlos Ximenes, has his collaborators working in four areas: design, inspection, planning and commissioning. “Works are divided in two phases. At first we were focused in civil construction and installations and soon after in processes. In October, 2013 we delivered one more building, number 5. The others will be concluded in 2014”, explains the coordinator.

Main equipment for project operation is already in the worksite waiting for the moment of assemblage. Eight plants of iced water will integrate to other 17 already assembled and to 50 units of air conditioning that will also be installed. The total investment in equipment will be of R$ 40 million.

According to Marcelo Carrilho, manager of engineering and automation of Hemobrás, this set of equipment is enough to make cold an area of 48,000 sq.mt., corresponding to a building with 60 floors. Equipment will be installed while buildings are being concluded.

Pole starts to take form

The Pharmaco-chemical Pole—that has the plant of Hemobrás as its main activity—has a total area of 345 hectares. Up to this moment eight companies announced projects in the place and already announced the investments that will be made. With an initial investment of R$ 5 million, the Multisaúde group will build the second Brazilian plant in the place, that will be installed in an area of 4.2 hectares. 60 opportunities of work will be generated during the construction and 43 workers will be hired after operation starts. The idea is to train these workers through a partnership between Goiana’s City Government, state Secretary of Work, Qualification and Entrepreneurship and other local institutions.

The operation of the Brazilian plant of the Multisaúde group is scheduled to start in January, 2016. In Goiana, the group will produce 1.2 million polyvitaminic pills—main product of the company—and phytotherapic, homeopathic and allopathic medicines.

To be installed in Goiana, the group received tax incentives given by the Programa de Desenvolvimento de Pernambuco (Prodepe) and by the infrastructure supplied by the State Government, through its Agência de Desenvolvimento Econômico (AD Diper).

Other company that already confirmed its installation in the pole is Brasbio Química, that will invest R$ 180 million to build a plant of raw glycerin that will start to operate in 2015. Works will generate 1200 posts of direct work and operation will hire 170 persons.

The unit will be built in an area of 80,000 sq.mt. In full operation, the plant will have a processing capacity of 120 tons of raw glycerin per day. The consuming market will be medicine and cosmetic industries located in the state of Pernambuco.