Story ID: 2
TAM Expands Reach in Brazil
By: Richard Pedicini
Caption: 
Word Count: 186
TAM Aviação Executiva announced its intention to open a new maintenance and sales center early next year in Aracati, in northeast Brazil. The facility will be capable of handing as many as 50 aircraft simultaneously.

“One quarter of the current sales pipeline is in the north and northeast of Brazil, with jets and helicopters concentrated in the northeast,” said TAM Aviação Executiva president Fernando Pinho.

Pointing to an aerial photo of the Aracati Airport, which was inaugurated last weekend, he said TAM has 270,000 sq ft of land between the runway and the terminal. The building will total 150,500 sq ft. “Within two years we expect to employ 150 people, 50 of them in skilled labor positions,” said Pinho.

Despite the relatively remote location, he noted, “It has rained resumes in my ‘Talk To The President’ inbox since we announced the project.

“TAM has committed with the state government to train labor locally,” Pinhoe said. “The governor is very focused on attracting development; he wants the airports to bring new businesses, and TAM is going to do just that.”