Manaus, Brazil, November 19th 2008
A commercial success
Manauara Shopping delivers keys to tenants
- 90% of the Gross Lettable Area (ABL) already let
- Inauguration in April 2009
- An investment of €69 million (R$ 200 million)
- Shoppings Penha and Parque D. Pedro are the first shopping centres in Brazil certified by the OHSAS 18001 Standard
Sonae Sierra, through its subsidiary Sonae Sierra Brasil, is hosting today the key delivery ceremony for the tenants of Manauara Shopping, the new shopping and leisure centre scheduled to open to the public on April 7th 2009, in Manaus, Brazil.
The Manauara Shopping represents an investment of about €69 million. With a GLA (Gross Lettable Area) of 43.000 m2, the centre will feature 262 shops, 11 of which of large dimensions. With about 90% of the total GLA already let, the commercial success "translates the excellent adhesion of the tenants to Sonae Sierra's shopping and leisure centre concept, and their confidence in this development's success", declared Álvaro Portela, Sonae Sierra's CEO.
Calvin Klein, Folic, Kappa, MontBlanc, Victor Hugo and C&A, are just a few of the many brands already confirmed in the new shopping centre. The centre will make available a parking lot for more than 2,750 vehicles, and will create 3,000 jobs.
The architectural project - designed by José Quintela da Fonseca, Responsible for Design and Architectural Development of Sonae Sierra - is inspired by the fauna, flora and folklore of the Amazon, privileging natural lighting through the use of large glass areas and skylights on the roof, considered to be the "fifth façade" of this centre.
The Manauara Shopping is scheduled to welcome more than 12 million annual visits, corresponding to an annual sales volume of about €113 million (R$ 327 million).
Like other projects developed by Sonae Sierra, the Manauara Shopping abides to the most rigorous standards established by the company's Environmental Management System, and adopted the most eco-efficient solutions in terms of energy and water savings.
Innovation in the Brazilian market: Sonae Sierra's Centres are the first to obtain certification for Safety & Health Management in Brazil
Sonae Sierra has just received certification for its Safety & Health management system in conformity with the OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series) 18001 standard, for its shopping centres Shopping Penha, in São Paulo, and Parque D. Pedro Shopping, in Campinas, which have thus become the first shopping centre in Brazil to be certified in this area.
OHSAS 18001 is a standard that validates a Management System (just like ISO 9000 and ISO 14000) oriented towards Safety & Health at the workplace, functioning as a tool that allows companies to manage and control their performance levels in those areas, according to the goals, policies and action plans set by the company itself.
To obtain this certificate, Shopping Penha and Parque D. Pedro have installed and adapted systems to eliminate and fight risks, as well as trained its employees in this area and implemented a manual of good practices. All the equipment used by the maintenance team was replaced by certified products according to the safety regulations. Periodically, the developments carry out evacuation drills, which involve the fire department, employees, tenants and visitors, previously warned about these initiatives.
Sonae Sierra has developed a Safety & Health culture throughout the entire Company and in its shopping and leisure centres, implementing measures consistent with its objectives and policy, so as to minimize and control potential risks derived from its activity.
One of the main interventions promoted by Sonae Sierra in this area was the PERSONAE project, which has the ultimate purpose of preventing and anticipating accidents, so as to protect employees and everyone who interacts with the Company. "Zero accidents" is the goal Sonae Sierra set out to achieve, through common values adopted by the entire organization.
Sonae Sierra is an international shopping centre specialist, with a passion for bringing innovation and excitement to the shopping and leisure centre industry. The Company owns 50 Shopping Centres in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Romania and Brazil, with a total Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of more than 1.9 million m2. Sonae Sierra has 15 projects under development and 13 new projects in different phases of completion in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Romania and Brazil with a total GLA of 1.2 million m2. In 2007, its centres welcomed more than 410 million visits.
Sonae Sierra Brasil a shopping centre specialist with an expertise of international partners: Portugal's Sonae Sierra and U.S.A.'s DDR (Developers Diversified Realty). The company owns and manages 9 shopping centres under operation: Penha, Plaza Sul, Campo Limpo and Boavista (São Paulo-SP); Pátio Brasil (Brasília-DF); Franca Shopping (Franca-SP); Tivoli Shopping (Santa Bárbara D'Oeste-SP); Shopping Metrópole (São Bernardo do Campo-SP) and Parque D. Pedro Shopping (Campinas-SP), with a total Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of 321.500m2 . Sonae Sierra Brasil's expansion strategy continues, with the development of 4 new projects, the Manauara Shopping , in Manaus-AM, scheduled to be inaugurated in 2009, and 3 other shopping centres in Londrina, Ubêrlandia and Goiânia.