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A partnership started in 2016 between release agent manufacturers (São Paulo, Brazil) and (Middlewich, U.K.) has reached a milestone as Marbocote opened a unit in Valinhos, São Paulo), the first outside the U.K., which will nationalize the resins used as bases for release agents and provide FCI with a local source. Further, FCI, which manufactured Marbocote's products under license, will stop importing the main raw materials, resulting in cost reduction and greater bargaining power with its customers.

“Despite the crisis caused by the pandemic, we are very optimistic. We have already obtained good results, but now, with local access to resins, we will be able to offer to the Brazilian market release agents options that combine globally recognized quality and cost-effectiveness,” says Ana Clara Cordeiro, commercial director of FCI.

According to Ian Snowdon, director of Marbocote, the Valinhos unit will be dedicated to product development, focusing mainly on the automotive market. “We see great opportunities in Brazil. In addition to the plant already operated by FCI, we will have a hub for the production of release agents in the country with global structure and technology.”

With this opportunity, says Clara, seven main market segments appear for FCI, including foundry, polyurethane, rubber, tires, wood, plastics and composites. “At the outset, we offer a portfolio with 150 release agents, including semi-permanent, silicone-free, water- or solvent-based. However, local manufacturing allows us to customize as many formulations as necessary,” she says. Depending on volume, FCI’s release agents are sold through , a Brazilian chemical distributor,