In a study done by McKinsey, an international consultancy firm, Brazil needs to make about US$19 billion of investments into its airport infrastructure. The study found that Brazil’s 20 main airports need massive investments in upgrades to enable them cater for the growing passenger traffic demand up to 2030. The study further concludes that airports such as the Viracopos international airport in Sao Paolo may need up to 4-6 billion reals to enhance its capacity to handle passenger traffic in its metropolitan area, the most congested in the country.

The United Business Media (UBM) Tuesday said it had successfully carried out three acquisitions in its bid to expand its business in Brazil and take advantage of the rapidly diversifying South American economies. With the investments, UBM in particular, expects to gain from the exposure it now has to the large investment in infrastructure construction in the region and Brazil’s market, considered one of the fastest growing maritime markets in the world.

Centaurus Metals finished the acquisition of 100% interest in Jambreiro Iron Ore project in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This new investment in south eastern Brazil is expected to be crucial for the company’s iron ore business in Brazil. Centaurus will acquire the investment from a Brazilian cellulose and forestry company, Celulose Nipo-Brasiliero SA (Cenibra).

Rhodia, a French chemical group, plans to turn its division in Brazil to an export base. However, according to the company’s CEO, Marcos De Marchi, logistics and infrastructure challenges are hampering the company’s foreign sales. The Brazilian division, Rhonda Brasil, earns about US$300 million per annum in exports, representing 30% of the division’s revenue generation.

The Bank of America and Barclays Bank Plc predict that their investments in Brazil may slow in the days leading to and after the Brazilian election, coupled with the month long lull that has resulted in the Brazilian Real’s worst performance in Latin America. It is expected that with these investments freezing, the Brazilian Real’s continued poor performance may deepen.

The Brazilian food company, International Meal Company (IMC), said that it had raised $100 million via private placement with institutional investors to fund its growth plans. The company is expected to invest the proceeds in organic growth, merger and acquisitions opportunities in Brazil and other areas from where it has its operations.

With the planned acquisition of the Mandu Mill in Sao Paolo state, Acucar Guarani SA will be Brazil’s third biggest sugar and ethanol group. The group’s CEO announced the plans today marking the continued acquisition of smaller companies by bigger ones, currently widespread in the Brazilian ethanol industry. According to industry analysts, almost half of the 400 mills in the country are ready for acquisition.

El Tejar, an Argentinean based farming company with over 2.75 million acres under cultivation, increased its plantings to more than one million acres this season in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The company, in its quest for agricultural investment expansion in South America, increased its presence in Brazil from a meager 22,000 acres in 2005/2006 to the current one million, according to the company’s CEO.

Petroleo Brasiliero (PBR, PETR4.BR), the Brazilian state company, yesterday expanded its distribution of natural gas taking up Gas Brasiliano Distribuidora SA in a $250 million deal.  The state run company, the world’s second largest oil company also known as Petrobas, bought the Sao Paolo state natural gas supplier from Eni Spa, an Italian Oil and Gas company.

Coomex, Brazil’s biggest electricity trader intends to develop a 90MW biomass-burning power plant estimated at US$185 million in Bahia. The project will encompass forest and elephant grass plantations estimated to cost $34.7 million and three 30MW generator turbines that sum to US$150 million. The company’s president announced that it had already gotten about 20,000 hectares land environmental permits all over the country, most of which will be degraded pastures.