1. August
2010
Logistics Services:
Uruguay, Gateway to MERCOSUR
Additional information
Space open to logistics operators in Uruguay

2. Export logistics operators
At the Port of Montevideo, several companies are concessionaires or permit holders for
warehouses and other areas owned by the ANP National Port Administration for a determined
time period. Permits are granted for up to three years and concessions are given for up to 15
years with the ability to increase the number of years depending on the canon to be paid and
the investment in infrastructure for projects. Services that add value to merchandise are
usually performed at warehouses. The following are some examples:
Comfrig1
Comfrig belongs to the Insug Corporation of South Korea and has cold
storage chambers primarily for fish storage, but also for other frozen
products such as meats, fruits and vegetables (up to 26,000 m3 and
9,000 tons with temperatures between -30ºC and +15ºC). Adjacent to
the chambers is a 1,000 m2 container storage area as well as power
sources for refrigerated containers.
Comfrig serves fishing fleets from China, South Korea, Europe and Russia that operate in the
South Atlantic. Services offered include: consolidation, deconsolidation, palletization and de-
palletization, labeling, wrapping and cargo classification. Products are then shipped back to
the aforementioned countries/region.
Jaume & Seré2
Jaume & Seré has warehouses that operate under the
Rilcomar firm where logistics, storage and Free Port tasks are
performed (the nature of the merchandise is not changed).
This operation is complemented by the company’s own warehouses at the Colonia, Libertad
and Rivera Free Zones to cover a wide range of needs including product manufacturing,
storage, distribution, repackaging, classification and relabeling.
The company believes that operations at the Montevideo Free Port are complemented with
those at the Free Zones, including product transformation, but there are certain tax and duty
limitations when the product is for the domestic market or for MERCOSUR member countries.
Both options add value to the logistics chain and are focused on providing unique integral
logistics services in the region based on an innovative and reliable legal framework.
Grupo RAS3
Grupo RAS is a Uruguayan company specializing in the
administration of logistics services with branches in
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Paraguay. The
1
Sources: www.comfrig.com and interview with company staff on 15 March 2010.
2
Source: www.jaumeysere.com
3
Sources: www.gruporas.com and interview with company management on 7 April 2010.
2

3. company has more than 600 employees in 30 offices in these seven countries. Grupo RAS
helps integrate supply chains from foreign manufacturers and suppliers to final destinations in
MERCOSUR, Chile, Bolivia and Mexico.
Grupo RAS has created a Port Logistics Pole (PLP) specializing in the regional distribution of
merchandise that uses the advantages offered by the Montevideo Free Port. There, the
company has a 40,000 m2 covered storage area, a 10,000 m2 container terminal, cold storage,
a show room for regional clients to promote products for the region, a conference room and
more.
In addition, Grupo RAS has just opened a new covered 22,000 m2 National Distribution Center.
Currently, the company is setting up offices in each market in the region to benefit from the
synergies available thanks to its in depth knowledge of local markets. Through the RAS
International affiliate, the company offers services for international companies that seek to
position themselves in the region, providing consulting, marketing, sales, distribution,
opportunity identification, product promotion and buyer, partner and joint venture searches,
with inventory and samples at the PLP in Montevideo.
Lobraus4
Lobraus is a Brazilian company founded in 1989. It moved its
headquarters to Uruguay due to its “excellent geographic
location, simple laws, low operational costs and above all for the
advantages offered by the Free Port system.” The company has
implemented the supply chain concept in all areas, including logistics and information
systems. It is located at the Port of Montevideo and serves as a distribution hub for
MERCOSUR with warehouses in the port area.
Costa Oriental5
Since 1984, Costa Oriental has operated at the Colonia
Free Zone, located 180 km from Montevideo and 55 km
from Buenos Aires. There, the company has 7,000 m2 of
warehouse space for the storage of chemical and agrochemical products. Since 1992, Costa
Oriental has been operating in Zonamerica, located 17.5 km from the Port of Montevideo and
9 km from Carrasco International Airport. There, the company has 20,000 m2 of warehouse
space.
In 1997, the Katoen Natie company of Belgium purchased shares in the company. In 1999,
Costa Oriental opened Costa Park I, a 10,000 m2 regional distribution center. In 2000, Costa
Logística was created to offer domestic storage and distribution services for clients in
Uruguay. There, the company has 12,000 m2 of warehouse space located 1 km from
Zonamerica. Costa Oriental has two refrigerated chambers, three value added rooms, seven
loading docks and a 3,000 m2 pharmaceuticals area with controlled temperatures and 9,000
4
Source: www.lobraus.net
5
Sources: www.costaoriental.com and interview with company management on 9 April 2010.
3

4. m2 for end consumer products. In 2008, Costa Park II was built, providing 10,500 m 2 of
warehouse space.
Costa Oriental performs the following VAL (value added logistics) services:
labeling, ink jet
case placement, packaging, blending, mixing
slitting, quality control
kit assembly, electrical/electronic supply placement/swap, refurbishments
catalogue inserts, assembly line supply
The company has specific areas inside the warehouse for “mini factories” (small plants for
assembly, set up, cutting, laminating, testing and other semi-industrial activities that add
value to the final product).
Business units include the following: consumer products, vehicles and machinery, raw
materials, pharmaceuticals and agrochemical products.
Transcargo6
Transcargo is a domestic company founded in 1976
that offers logistics services through various
possibilities:
Transcargo ZFM at Zonamerica, with 5,000 m2 of warehouse space to operate as an
RDC, as an indirect user of Transcargo ZFM or simply as a warehouse user.
At Libertad Free Zone with 2,000 m2 of warehouse space to enable clients to make full
use of Free Zone advantages with accessible rates.
A warehouse at the Port of Montevideo under the Free Port system.
A National Distribution Center located near the Montevideo highway access that offers
merchandise storage with 2,300 m2 of warehouse space, national distribution, value
adding services and a staging center for export merchandise.
The company offers regional logistics services and performs operations including: national and
regional transport, cargo control, insurance and customs brokerage. At Transcargo ZFN at
Zonamerica, the company offers diverse value adding, commercial and industrial activities and
services (fractioning, grouping, repackaging, manufacturing, software development, inventory
management, remote administration, warehouse and warrant certificate issuance, etc.)
Ralesur/DB Schenker7
Ralesur, founded in 1996, performs logistics operations in
Uruguay associated to DB Schenker, a German firm with 88,000
employees in 2,000 locations in 130 countries. As such, it has
agreements with top global shipping lines and airlines to be able
6
Sources: www.transcargo.com and interview with company management on 25 March 2010.
7
Sources: www.ralesur.com.uy and telephone interview with company staff on 18 May 2010.
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5. to provide door to door deliveries. At its Zonamerica warehouse, the company performs
logistics services for the region (RDC) and has its own fleet of trucks available for Uruguay.
Domestic logistics operators
Other logistics operations perform activities principally for the local market: Frigorífico
Modelo, Tiempost, Calico, Logipark, Interflet Cargo, Exo Logística, Bomport, DSL-Milanco,
Costa Logística.
Current and planned private investments in the sector
Merck Serono and Zonamerica8
Merck Serono, a pharmaceutical multinational in Uruguay since 1997 (see point 4.3), is
planning an additional US$ 2.5 million investment in laboratory equipment located in a
building to be constructed by Zonamerica at a cost of US$ 5 million. Merck will have a 10-year
concession. The total US$ 7.5 million investment is estimated to be completed by mid-2011.
Production will be exported throughout South America.
Grupo RAS 9
Grupo Ras has announced US$ 14 million worth of investments in two logistics projects. The
first is a US$ 6 million investment to expand the company’s national distribution center
located in Veracierto, Montevideo. The company is planning to build a new 14,500 m2
warehouse to its existing 7,500 m2 of space. A second US$ 8 million investment seeks to
update the current 40,000 m2 of warehouse space at the Montevideo Free Port (RDC-PLP) and
to construct a new building for the company’s main offices and for international companies
that operate regionally through the RDC that require show and trade rooms.
Lobraus
Lobraus is planning to build Torre Lobraus, a 20-story tower at the Port of Montevideo that
will be equipped with modern technology to offer office and storage space for domestic and
international logistics companies.
8
Source: El País Digital, 22 April 2010.
9
Sources: www.gruporas.com and presentation by company president in February 2009.
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6. Cargo Terminal Uruguay (TCU), Carrasco International Airport
In addition to the new passenger and cargo terminals completed in 2009, Carrasco
International Airport’s master plan calls for a second stage for cargo facilities with a logistics
park under the same legal framework as the Free Airport system on an eight-hectare site
located at the airport. Work is slated to begin in 2011. The new park will offer opportunities to
new regional operators.
Polo Oeste (West Pole) - Frigorífico Modelo S.A.10
Polo Oeste (West Pole) is an industrial, logistics and service park
undertaking located on a 74-hectare site of the Frigorífico
Modelo S.A. company.11 The site is located 11.5 km from
downtown Montevideo on national highway 1 and will operated
under the Bonded Warehouse system. With the undertaking, the company seeks to expand by
rendering services to foreign trade operators and bringing together companies that work in
exports, imports, services and manufacturing.
Polo Oeste will enable resource optimization for perishable goods,
national and international cargo transport, merchandise transfer to
smaller trucks more suitable for city use and activities related to the
manufacturing sector, among others.
Investment to date has exceeded US$ 10 million and includes 14,000 m2 of constructed space,
12,000 m2 of which are covered. Possible activities include land leasing for individual projects
and the construction of turnkey solutions. The company announced that it would be open to
strategic partners, especially those linked to port and transport activities.
A space for the Customs Bureau will be available so that cargo headed for the Port of
Montevideo can be inspected and sealed upon departure from Pole without follow up
controls to facilitate operations.
10
Sources: www.frimosa.com.uy and interview with company management on 16 April 2010.
11
Frigorífico Modelo S.A is a domestic company founded in 1929 that has been expanding production from cold supply and ice
making to other activities including: fruit packing, production and sales of juice concentrates and essential oils and other
agriculture-livestock activities.
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7. Uruguay at a Glance (2009)12
Official name República Oriental del Uruguay (Oriental Republic of Uruguay)
Location South America, bordering Argentina and Brazil
Capital Montevideo
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176,215 km - 95% of the territory has soil suitable for agriculture
Surface area
and livestock activities
Population 3.3 million
Population growth 0.3% (annual)
Per capita GDP US$ 9,458
Per capita GDP (PPP) US$ 13,019
Currency Uruguayan peso ($)
Literacy 98%
Life expectancy at birth 76 years
Form of government Democratic republic with presidential system
Political divisions 19 departments
Time zone GMT - 03:00
Official language Spanish
Main Economic Indicators 2004-20084
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Annual GDP growth rate 7.5% 4.3% 7.5% 8.5% 2.9%
GDP (PPP) US$ millions 32,048 34,602 38,235 42,543 43,551
GDP, US$ millions (current) 17,367 20,035 24,262 32,207 31,606
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Exports (US$ millions), goods and services 5,085 5,787 6,936 9,291 8,551
Imports (US$ millions), goods and services 4,693 5,877 6,775 10,217 7,775
Trade surplus / Deficit (US$ millions) 393 -90 166 -926 796
Trade surplus / Deficit (% of GDP) 2.3% -0.5% 0.7% -2.8% 2.5%
Current account surplus / deficit (US$ millions) 42 -392 -212 -1.502 258
Current account surplus / deficit (% of GDP) 0.2% -2.0% -0.9% -4.7% -0.8%
Overall fiscal balance (% of GDP) -0.4% -0.5% 0.0% -1.4% -2.2%
Gross capital formation (% of GDP at current prices) 16.5% 18.6% 18.6% 20.2% 19.1%
Gross national savings (% of GDP) 17.6% 16.9% 19.0% 17.9% 17.1%
Foreign direct investment (US$ millions) 847 1.493 1.329 1.84 1.139
Foreign direct investment (% of GDP) 4.8% 7.5% 5.4% 5.7% 3.6%
Exchange rate peso / US$ 24.5 24.1 23.5 20.9 22.5
Reserve assets (US$ millions) 3,071 3,097 4,121 6,329 8,373
Unemployment rate (% of EAP) 12.2% 11.4% 9.7% 7.9% 7.7%
Annual inflation rate 4.9% 6.4% 8.5% 9.2% 7.5%
Net foreign debt (US$ millions) 8,938 9,157 9,662 8,254 11,123
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Source: GDP data was taken from the IMF; data on foreign trade, FDI, exchange rate, international reserves and foreign debt
was provided by the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU); population growth, literacy, unemployment and inflation data comes from
the National Statistics Institute (INE).
13
2008 and 2009 data includes a partial estimate of production activity in Free Zones and the information regarding the survey
coordinated with CUTI for software related activities.
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8. Investor Services
About Us
Uruguay XXI is the country’s investment and export promotion agency. Among other
functions, Uruguay XXI provides no cost support to foreign investors, both those who are
evaluating where to make investments as well as those currently operating in Uruguay.
Our Investor Services
Uruguay XXI is the first point of contact for foreign investors. Services we provide include:
Promotion. We promote investment opportunities at strategic events, business
missions and round tables.
Facilitation of foreign investor visits, including meeting organization with public
authorities, suppliers, potential partners and business chambers.
Contact with key players. We provide contacts with government agencies, industry
players, financial institutions, R&D centers and potential partners, among others.
Macroeconomic and industry information. Uruguay XXI regularly prepares reports on
Uruguay and the various sectors of the economy.
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questions, such as macroeconomic data, labor market information, tax and legal
aspects, incentive programs for investments, location and costs. Publication of
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investment projects by public entities and private companies.
www.uruguayxxi.gub.uy/investinuruguay
invest@uruguayxxi.gub.uy
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