Sto to Launch Expansion in South America

Sto Corp. announced plans to begin operations in Santiago, Chile, to support an expanding market in the region for cladding and coatings products.

The company said it has been working in partnership with a group in Santiago since 2006, and has completed the acquisition of manufacturing and marketing operations in the region’s expanding market.

Target markets for the operation will include commercial and residential customers, with export to other Latin American countries. The operations will manufacture wet materials on-site, with stocking of mesh products and other materials needed to supply multiple markets.

“Even in a tough economic atmosphere, Sto continues to expand worldwide,” said Jose Berlingeri, Sto’s director of Latin America/Caribbean business Development.

Sto Corp., based in Atlanta, is a subsidiary of Sto AG, headquartered in Stühlingen, Germany.

“Sto’s preferred approach to building a worldwide business is to develop from within a country or region,” said Alec Minné, Sto’s director of marketing and planning. “We build with local contacts and people and will not opportunistically drop product into a region or market and not support it after the sale.” Minné said Sto’s strategic plan calls for continued global expansion.