The partnership between Klabin, Brado Logística, and TCP saw exports rise from 347,000 metric tons in 2022 to 523,300 metric tons last year
The KBT intermodal logistics project—a partnership between Klabin, Brado Logística, and TCP—celebrates five years of operation. Located next to Klabin’s Ortigueira Unit in Paraná, the terminal has become a key link in Klabin’s logistics strategy, contributing to greater efficiency in the distribution of production destined for export.
Established in 2021, KBT is operated by TCP—the company also responsible for the Paranaguá Container Terminal—and is directly connected to Paranaguá via the railroad operated by Brado Logística. The KBT has established an integrated logistics solution for Klabin. Under this model, containers loaded in Ortigueira and Monte Alegre are transported to the terminal and from there are shipped by rail to Paranaguá, enhancing operational efficiency.
The growth in handled volumes demonstrates the operation’s expansion. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the KBT handled 89,700 TEUs (a standard unit equivalent to a 20-foot container) and received 280 train arrivals. Comparing KBT’s first full calendar year with 2025, pulp and paper exports grew by 51%, rising from 347,000 metric tons in 2022 to 523,300 metric tons last year.
From its inception, KBT was structured as a tailor-made operation, integrating different stages of Klabin’s logistics between the central region and the coast of Paraná. The model is made possible by the rail connection between Ortigueira and Paranaguá and by a unique feature of TCP in the Southern Region: the rail spur provides direct access to the port terminal’s customs zone, linking rail transport to port operations.
“Five years later, the growth in cargo volumes demonstrates the efficiency of this model. The railroad allows for the consolidation of large cargo volumes into a single train, offering greater predictability in transit times, safety, and cost competitiveness, while also reducing logistics steps and generating significant environmental benefits for a strategic export chain for Paraná,” says Fabio Mattos, commercial manager at TCP.
“The KBT has established an integrated logistics model that connects Klabin’s production to port operations more efficiently, strengthening our competitiveness in the international market. This milestone underscores how innovation and collaboration can generate value for the entire supply chain,” says Cláudio Himmelreich, Operations Manager at Klabin.
Railway Combines Logistical Efficiency and Emissions Reduction
A presença da operação ferroviária dentro da unidade industrial da Klabin coloca a Brado em um nível de integração diferente com o cliente. A proximidade com a produção permite que a logística seja planejada em sintonia com o fluxo da fábrica, desde a saída do produto até seu encaminhamento ao
terminal portuário. Essa característica também diferencia o Paraná dentro da atuação da Brado, pois é o único estado em que a companhia mantém esse tipo de configuração operacional.
“Esse tipo de operação nos desafia a olhar para a logística com uma perspectiva mais ampla. Não basta garantir a disponibilidade do trem, é preciso trabalhar com planejamento, sincronização e capacidade de resposta para que a ferrovia acompanhe uma cadeia produtiva que não pode parar. Essa proximidade também nos permite conhecer melhor o negócio do cliente e evoluir a solução junto com ele”, afirma Graciele Santos, executiva comercial da carteira de proteína animal da Brado Logística.
Rail transport is also one of KBT’s key environmental pillars. By consolidating large volumes into a single train, this mode of transport reduces the number of vehicles needed to transport goods and, consequently, the pressure on highways and the emissions associated with freight transport. “Furthermore, rail transport inherently possesses this sustainable characteristic, as it emits 85% less carbon dioxide compared to diesel-powered road transport. In 2025 alone, the operation with Klabin prevented the emission of 24.1 metric tons of CO₂, an amount equivalent to the annual emissions of 5,220 cars,” notes Graciele.
The environmental benefits continue when the containers arrive in Paranaguá. To support rail operations, the TCP facility now features three RTG (Rubber-Tired Gantry) cranes, powered by an electrical busbar system. This change reduced carbon emissions associated with the operation of the three pieces of equipment by approximately 771 metric tons per year.
Tailored Operation Gains Capacity for a New Phase
In its fifth year of operation, the rail infrastructure in Paranaguá has also gained greater capacity. As a result of investments made by TCP and Brado Logística, the expansion increases the operational capacity of the rail corridor and creates the conditions to keep pace with future growth in cargo handling.
The recent expansion of the rail infrastructure in Paranaguá has increased the logistics corridor’s operational capacity by about 20%, preparing the operation to handle future growth in cargo volume more efficiently and smoothly.
“For an integrated operation like KBT’s, gaining rail capacity means handling larger volumes with fewer steps within the terminal. The new infrastructure boosts our efficiency and prepares the corridor to continue meeting the growth of rail operations in the coming years,” explains Washington Renan Bohnn, logistics operations manager at TCP.
Now in its fifth year, KBT is entering a new phase supported by an expanded infrastructure designed to meet the growth of Klabin’s exports. This development reinforces the role of logistics integration in the competitiveness of Paraná’s pulp and paper supply chain.
About Klabin
As Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper and sustainable paper packaging solutions, Klabin stands out as an innovative company—the only one in the country to offer the market solutions in short-fiber, long-fiber, and fluff pulp—and is a leader in the corrugated cardboard, industrial bags, and cardboard markets. Founded in 1899, the company operates 21 industrial facilities in Brazil and one in Argentina, with an annual production capacity of 4.4 million metric tons of market pulp, paper, and packaging.
The company’s entire management is focused on sustainable development, seeking integrated and responsible growth that combines profitability, social development, and environmental commitment. Since 2014, Klabin has been included in B3’s Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE), and in 2020 it was added to the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices, with inclusion in the Global portfolio. It is also a signatory to the UN Global Compact and the National Pact for the Eradication of Slave Labor, seeking suppliers and business partners who share the same values of ethics, transparency, and respect for sustainability principles.
About Brado
Brado is a national leader in multimodal logistics services. It has its own infrastructure, consisting of 33 locomotives, approximately 4,700 containers, and more than 2,000 railcars, as well as equipment, warehouses, and terminals, complemented by strategic partnerships in the country’s major consumer centers. With operations increasingly tailored to the needs of the import, export, and domestic markets, the company strives for excellence in container handling in Brazil, with a focus on multimodal integration.
About TCP
TCP, the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, is the largest employer on the coast of Paraná, with more than 1,600 employees, and has a solid track record in the market since 1998, standing out for its wide range of logistics services and comprehensive solutions for exporters and importers.
TCP has one of the largest fleets of machinery among Brazilian terminals, the largest yard for refrigerated container storage in South America—with 5,280 power outlets—its own bonded warehouse, a modern area for dangerous goods, a team specialized in handling special cargo, and is the only terminal in Brazil’s Southern Region with direct rail access to the bonded area.
Since March 2018, TCP has been part of the portfolio of China Merchants Port Holding Company (CMPort), China’s largest and most competitive developer, investor, and operator of public ports.
