Gerdau, Magnesita score high on multinational ranking

Among Brazil's most "international" companies are steelmaker Gerdau, with an internationalization rate of 54.7%, and refractory brick producer Magnesita, according to a survey from São Paulo think tank Fundação Dom Cabral.

The study also includes a ranking of companies based on the number of countries they operate in. The list was topped by local IT solution company Stefanini (32 countries), followed by manufacturer WEG (31) and mining giant Vale (27), which ranked first in 2013.

The majority (75.8%) of these firms are active in South America; 66.7% in North America; 54.6% in Europe; 37.9% in Asia; 28.8% in Africa; 27.3% in Central America and the Caribbean; 22.71% in the Middle East and 15.2% in Oceania, the survey showed.

The countries where Brazilian companies expanded their operations most in 2013 were Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Russia.

According to the survey, 65.1% of the companies polled plan on expanding their operations abroad and 55.6% hope to enter new markets this year.

The country's most international company was conglomerate Odebrecht, with an internationalization rate of 54.9%.