Financing was approved for Bianchini, a company whose facilities were impacted by heavy rains in April and May in Rio Grande do Sul.
The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) has approved R$149 million in working capital financing for Bianchini, a leading biodiesel producer in Brazil that suffered extensive damage due to floods in April and May.
One of the company’s warehouses, located in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, with a storage capacity of 100,000 tons of soybeans, was flooded by the overflowing Sinos River. Approximately 35,000 tons of stored goods—including soybeans, meal, and hulls—were lost. As a result, operations at the facility were halted for four months, resuming only in September.
The financing was arranged through a direct contract with BNDES, with no intermediary financial institution involved. This amount is part of the bank’s emergency credit program funded by the Social Fund, which also supports producers, cooperatives, grain handlers, and supply retailers.
The flood caused significant damage to Bianchini’s buildings, furniture, vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure, including electrical and automation systems. The company incurred expenses to remove and dispose of the damaged soy products stored in the unit.
This financing will help Bianchini cover extraordinary expenses and sustain 400 jobs by keeping payrolls up to date, a condition for receiving the credit. The company is also expected to renovate facilities and cover additional expenses for the recovery of the unit and its warehouses.
In addition to biodiesel, Bianchini produces vegetable oils and meal from soy processing, provides grain processing services, and offers logistics and storage solutions, including port services for the shipment of solid and liquid bulk goods.
“Working capital credit boosts the recovery of Rio Grande do Sul’s economy, preserves jobs, revitalizes infrastructure, and accelerates economic recovery—one of President Lula’s administration’s key priorities,” said BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante.
