The Catalan company Concentrol (Riudellots de la Selva, La Selva) has opened a new subsidiary in São Paulo, Brazil. The family-owned company, which specializes in manufacturing chemical solutions for different uses and sectors of the manufacturing industry, has established its third commercial subsidiary in the American continent, with an initial investment of €115,000.
For this international expansion project, Concentrol has received support from ACCIÓ —the agency for business growth under the Department of Business and Labour— through a grant of around €40,000 from the multilocalization line.
With an initial team of three people at its São Paulo offices, the company expects that, with the boost from this subsidiary, by 2028 the South American market will account for between 10% and 15% of the company’s international sales, compared to the current 3%.
According to Astrid Guàrdia, Director of Finance & Controlling and People, and Deputy to the General Management of Concentrol, “we have opened our subsidiary in São Paulo to strengthen customer service and proximity with our clients in the region, who were asking us to be present there.” “In this way, we aim to provide all the service and solutions required by the South American market, with Brazil as a key player, as it is a country with more than 200 million inhabitants and one of the most dynamic economies in the region,” Guàrdia notes.
For his part, Rafael Fernández, Business Development Manager of Concentrol’s Food Processing Aids line, emphasizes that “starting from this base, we want to expand to the rest of the Mercosur countries, such as Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, and later also reach Chile and Colombia.” “In addition, on a global scale, we expect sales growth in those international markets where we have a direct presence, and we expect the combined weight of our subsidiaries in Brazil, the United States and China to rise from the current 16% to 21% of total business within a one-year horizon,” Fernández adds.
The company markets more than 500 products used in production processes across multiple industrial sectors. In this regard, the company structures its activity into four main lines: mold release agents for polyurethane foams, used in industries such as automotive and footwear; food processing solutions, including coatings for cheeses and cured meats and food antifoaming agents; polyurethane additives; and additives for various industries, such as defoamers for paints or for wastewater treatment.
Regarding Concentrol’s main markets, the European market currently represents 75% of the company’s global turnover. It is followed by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 8.5%; the Middle East and Africa, with 5%; China, with 4.5%; and the South American market, with 3%.
Concentrol, founded in 1941 in Les Planes d’Hostoles (La Garrotxa), currently has its headquarters and production center in Riudellots de la Selva (La Selva). The company has four international subsidiaries located in China, the United States, Mexico and Brazil, and sells its products in more than 80 countries. It employs 165 people worldwide and recorded a turnover of €36 million in 2025.
Government support for the internationalization of Catalan companies
The Government has launched a new internationalization strategy for the Catalan economy for the 2026–2030 period, aiming to support the adaptation of Catalonia’s business sector to the new global trade paradigm. Within this framework, several objectives have been set, including maintaining the current leadership in export volume in Spain, enabling 2,000 new Catalan companies to start exporting, and reaching 3,500 Catalan companies with subsidiaries abroad. This new internationalization strategy is designed by ACCIÓ and includes the public-private Catalunya Exporta program, aimed at helping 2,000 Catalan companies begin exporting.
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