Valmont Acquires Majority Stake in Brazil-Based Solar Energy Company

Valley_® Irrigation to Offer Valmont Solar^™ Solutions in Latin America and Around the Globe

VALLEY, Neb. & UBERABA, Minas Gerais, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Valmont^® Industries, Inc., a leading global provider of engineered products and services for infrastructure development and irrigation equipment and services for agriculture, today announced the purchase of a majority stake in Energia Solar do Brasil (Solbras), a leader in the photovoltaic (PV) energy sector. Effective immediately, the company will go to market under the Valley_® brand.

“As the irrigation industry’s worldwide leader, Valmont supplies products that support critical infrastructure, and the Valley brand is the market innovator in irrigation technology,” said Len Adams, President of Valley Irrigation. “This acquisition allows us to expand our product offerings to include not only the most durable and advanced pivots available, but also a sustainable, low-cost energy source to provide power to them, with Valmont Solar^™ Solutions.”

Solbras was founded in 2013, with locations in São João da Boa Vista (SP) and Goiânia (GO). Geraldo Afonso Dezena da Silva, president of Solbras, believes the acquisition marks an important new phase in their history. “Combining the global strength of Valmont with the market leadership of Solbras, we will be able to expand the presence of solar energy in agri-business and all sectors of the economy.”

Solbras operates throughout Brazil; with the acquisition, their services will expand globally through the strength of the industry-leading Valley dealer network. They offer the most advanced solution in photovoltaic solar energy, efficiently converting the sun’s rays to clean electric power. Their services include distributed or centralized generation of photovoltaic energy; approval, design, and engineering of detailed technical projects; and consulting on new PV plants focusing on agri-business. In addition, every Valmont Solar installation includes remote monitoring and control capabilities.

“Solar energy is already a fundamental strategy for projects that seek to maximize efficiency and sustainability,” said João Rebequi, Vice President of Valmont Irrigation – Latin America. “Combined with the strong presence of Valley equipment in fields around the world and our industry-best dealer network, we will leverage the expertise of Solbras beyond Brazil. This will further our leadership position in all facets of irrigation and agricultural technology.”

According to the Brazilian Solar Photovoltaic Energy Association (ABSOLAR), the installed power of solar photovoltaic generation in Brazil grew by around 1 GW between January and May this year. The country's total volume reached 5.5 GW.

Renato Silva, General Manager of Valmont Irrigation – Brazil, adds that photovoltaic energy has several benefits for the automation of irrigation systems, in addition to an important role in reducing environmental impacts. “Growers can optimize the efficiency of their operation, saving on energy expenses and reducing water usage.”

Both the positive environmental impacts and the potential to contribute toward developing local economies are exciting, says Adams. “Our market-leading technology is furthering our mission of delivering a complete package of solutions to help growers make smarter decisions and produce greater yields while using fewer resources. Valley, the brand trusted by generations of farmers, is helping reduce their environmental footprint for generations to come.”

About Valley Irrigation

Valley_® Irrigation founded the center pivot irrigation industry in 1954, and our brand is the worldwide leader in sales, service, quality and innovation. With historical sales of more than 250,000 center pivots and linears, Valmont-built equipment annually irrigates approximately 25 million acres (10 million hectares) around the world. We remain dedicated to providing innovative, precision irrigation solutions now and into the future. For more information, please visit valleyirrigation.com.