Multinational company Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) announced on Wednesday the launch of a new crane for unloading barges at its General Lagos Agroindustrial Complex, located on the banks of the Paraná River. The investment aims to optimize grain reception logistics and diversify supply channels to sustain processing at one of Argentina’s main agro-export hubs.
The new structure will enable the reception of up to 4,800 tons per day of soybeans, corn, and wheat from various parts of Argentina and abroad, primarily Paraguay and Uruguay, solidifying LDC’s plant as one of the most versatile in Argentina’s river system.
Infrastructure to Compete Better
“The addition of this new crane in General Lagos reflects our commitment to continued investment in logistics and port infrastructure,” said Diego Pereyra, Head of Industry at LDC. According to the executive, this project strengthens the company’s regional positioning and consolidates its role as a key player in grain transport via river routes.
The development is significant: in a context of high competition and limited local soybean availability at certain times of the year, having a direct supply route from upstream Paraná River ports—both Argentine and foreign—ensures production continuity and avoids bottlenecks in land-based logistics.
From Santa Elena to Mercosur
The new crane will also streamline the logistical connection between the storage facility in Santa Elena (Entre Ríos) and the General Lagos plant in Santa Fe, both located along the Paraná and designed to operate with barges. This strengthens LDC’s regional river transport network, a model gaining traction amid the saturation and high costs of truck transport.
“This infrastructure allows us to be more competitive, even during periods of low local grain availability,” the company explained, anticipating increased soybean and corn inflows from Paraguay and Uruguay to keep industrial activity running.
More Processing, More Protein
The crane not only speeds up unloading but also addresses an industrial need: supplying the production of high-protein soybean meal, one of the most in-demand products in the global market, which requires operational continuity to meet export commitments.
By enabling the reception of goods at various times of the year and from multiple origins, the new addition provides flexibility in the face of adverse logistical scenarios, market shifts, and challenges like droughts or transport strikes.
A Change Felt in the Region
The investment reinforces the strategic importance of the southern Santa Fe Industrial Corridor, home to Argentina’s main agro-export ports. It comes at a critical moment, as several terminals are rethinking their supply chains to reduce logistics costs and avoid delays.
With the new crane in General Lagos, LDC is betting on the river as the primary supply route. The Paraná remains Argentina’s agricultural highway, and infrastructure continues to make the difference.