VLI Invests R$60 Million to Expand Railway Workshop in Cariacica
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VLI completed the expansion of its railway workshop in Cariacica, in the state of Espírito Santo, following an investment of R$60 million. The work, finished in October, will allow the unit to carry out preventive maintenance and light corrective repairs on locomotives used for cargo transport on the Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas (EFVM), as well as manufacture parts and components for freight cars. With the modernization, the workshop will reach an estimated capacity of 300 services per year.
Daniel Schaffazick, Operations Director for VLI's Eastern Corridor, stated that by taking direct charge of maintenance for its assets, the company ensures greater fleet availability and reduced downtime, which translates into increased competitiveness for its customers' production chains.
ATF-C Model
The expansion is part of VLI's operational reorganization on the EFVM, a railway operated by Vale, where the company has been operating since 2025 as a Rail Freight Transport Agent (ATF-C). The project is part of a R$600 million investment plan announced in July 2025, of which approximately R$530 million was allocated to the acquisition of locomotives and freight cars and R$70 million to facility upgrades. Since late 2024, VLI has acquired 50 locomotives and 1,000 freight cars, and has taken over operational services at 17 railway yards.
Growth of the Eastern Corridor
The expansion follows a period of growth in VLI's Eastern Corridor, which comprises sections of the Ferrovia Centro-Atlântica and the EFVM, and which in 2025 moved more than 16 billion ton-kilometers, a 10.5% increase over the previous year. At the General Cargo Terminal of the Port of Tubarão, in Vitória, the handling of grains, meal, and fertilizers grew 14% in 2025.
New Jobs
The expansion of the Cariacica workshop created 60 new operational and support positions, bringing the unit's workforce from about 180 to 240 professionals. Considering the entire ATF-C operation project, VLI reported having generated close to 650 direct jobs in Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, with technical training provided by the company itself together with Senai. According to the company, women account for approximately 25% of hires under the project, a share that rises to 30% among those working along the rail network.
