Morro da Babilonia

Morro da Babilonia (MDB) is a green logistics provider, focused on electric material handling services such as electric forklifts. The company is transforming the Brazilian logistics industry by moving material handling operations from diesel-powered to modern electric units. Subsequently, creating qualified and socially secured jobs with a focus on female employment.

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This loan to MDB is financing operations at the Brazilian Bottling Company Ltda. (BBC) in Brazil. In line with a commitment to achieve its target of Net Zero emissions by 2040, BBC, the leading consumer packaged goods company and strategic bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company in Brazil, has unveiled its roadmap to renewable energy transition in its manufacturing operations. Part of this is the collaboration with Morro da Babilonia to replace diesel forklifts with electric ones. 

What are we financing?

Through MDB, we are financing the distribution of electric forklifts at the BBC site in Brazil to minimise diesel usage. In addition to the forklifts, we are financing the shipment cost, duties, chargers, as well as spare parts. 

MDB is offering a full outsourcing service inclusive of both electric forklifts as well as operators. The service covers the entire site operation, starting with loading in all raw materials and packaging material to unloading the finished products, storing them, and finally loading them onto trucks and taking them to clients. 

MDB's support functions focus on both recruitment and HR issues to keep the forklifts properly staffed. The service is regulated in the outsourcing service contract and MDB charges the client for the number of hours a forklift is available. In addition to this, MDB supports the maintenance, charging, and monitoring of the fleet of forklifts. 

This loan is part of a larger loan facility that will provide 95 electric forklifts at BBC's site in Brazil. This tranche is estimated to finance eight electric forklifts. 

What's the impact?*

Replacing diesel-powered forklifts with electric units reduces the use of diesel by up to 55.000 liters annually, equivalent to a reduction of 143 tons of CO2 per vehicle. 

This loan is set to reduce 4.000 tons of CO2. 

An additional social impact of this loan is the creation of a better work environment for employees since electric forklifts reduce emissions and noise levels at production and warehouse sites. The objective is to realise a significant employment impact as every vehicle creates up to four jobs and open the so far male-dominated material handling industry to female professionals.

Their vision is to lead the clean energy revolution in emerging markets with solar energy solutions. These fully financed solar-as-a-service solutions allow the clients to profit from significant cost savings and enables them to grow sustainably.

What are we financing?

Through Santa Helena Amazonas, we are financing a 2.1 MWP solar installation on the roof of Damg Z through multiple loan tranches. Damg Z is a plastics product manufacturing company for construction materials, interior and exterior decoration and advertising, such as ceiling panels, window frames etc. It is mainly a B2B company, supplying businesses in Brazil via its nation-wide network of 500 distributors and agents located in 26 different states and cities. The company also exports to other countries, especially in Latam, among others to Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile. Damg Z's mission is to contribute to sustainable development by producing high-quality, reliable and environmentally friendly products. 

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What’s the impact?

Brazil is one of the largest manufacturing countries in the world and many manufacturers are looking to Brazil as their country of choice due to the increased cost of production in China. The country's investments in renewable energy have jumped in the recent years, however, despite the country's willingness to go greener, grid electricity in Brazil is still very fossil-fuel-based - making one kWh coming from the grid rather dirty.

Businesses in emerging, strong growth-markets like Brazil benefit in particular from solar energy because of the high grid-electricity costs they face. With their solution they can have access to cheaper and cleaner energy supply for their productions without spending any upfront capital. Santa Helena Amazonas's team is present locally to be the clients’ consultant in all matters concerning the solar system – appropriate system sizing, suitable contract type etc. As SHA also operates and maintains the financed clean energy systems, the company offers a full service solution to businesses that want to become more sustainable. With a solar-as-a-service solution clients have more free capacity (financially and temporal) to focus on their own growth and success. 

This loan is set to avoid 1390 tons of CO2.

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