Brazilian Stone Office Open In Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. – The first U.S.-based granite-distribution center for the Brazilian Consortium of Stones (BCS) got off to a roaring start Feb. 22 with its grand opening in this Missouri River city.
Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, along with representatives from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Cargo Zone LLC and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, joined with almost 100 guests in providing the official welcome for the stone-exporting effort.
The opening of the office is, “a tremendous opportunity to build Nebraska as a competitive force” in the import-export market, Sheehy said.
“BCS exemplifies Nebraska as a growing economic force,” he added. “Often, when Brazilian companies look to establish a presence in the United States, they look at the coasts. We hope BCS will now help others view Nebraska as an inland port.”
Nathan Lopes Jr., BCS-USA executive director, said the location in Omaha is strategic to its North American clientele.
“There is no better place to be than Omaha,” Lopes said. “We are open to new projects and growth and we will grow as the city and state grows.” In addition, Lopes said they hoped to expand into neighboring Canada and Mexico.
BCS is a consortium of seven granite companies operating 21 quarries in Brazil.
BCS representatives visited Omaha in late spring of last year, following a trade visit by Terry McAuliffe of the state economic-development department.
“Economic development is based on relationships,” he said. “First we built a relationship with Brazil, then with BCS.”
The headquarters is located in a foreign trade zone operated by Cargo Zone. Duties on goods displayed, stored or assembled in the zone are not paid until shipped out of the area.