In Cotia, just outside the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, the colleagues of Schunk do Brasil celebrated a special birthday this week: Their company had its 50th anniversary. And there was another reason to celebrate besides the birthday: 2021 was an excellent business year for Schunk do Brasil, despite the pandemic and a difficult economic situation.
Due to the Corona pandemic, the anniversary celebration had to be smaller than it would have been appropriate for the success story. The Schunk Holding conveyed its congratulations via video message. "It is a pity that we cannot celebrate together. I would have liked to visit you in Cotia," said Dr. Arno Roth, CEO of the Schunk Group, who was unable to travel to Brazil due to the Corona restrictions.
"We are very proud of our company history and of course we would have liked to host a big celebration”, says Managing Director Jaime Lobato, who has headed the company since 2010. So the anniversary was held Corona-style, but with no less enthusiasm.
The company was founded in Brazil on February 22, 1972, after Schunk had already acquired shares in a sintered metal company there a few years earlier. Carbon brushes and sintered parts for the Brazilian market were the most important products. In 1980, a production facility was built on its own property. To this day, Schunk do Brasil is the only Schunk company in South America.
In 2003, the sintered metal business was divested and the focus was placed entirely on carbon products. The 2010s were difficult, however, as Brazil was in an economic and political crisis. Therefore, the company was restructured and modernized. With success: today, Schunk do Brasil is active in the Business Units Industry, Transit, Carbon Mobility and Environmental Simulation.
"We are all very proud of Schunk do Brasil, being a strong member of the Schunk Group. You have shown an incredible success story in the last years!", said Dr. Ulrich von Hülsen, Member of the Executive Board of the Schunk Group and responsible of the Division Schunk Carbon Technology, and expressed his best wishes for the birthday celebrations.