Fray Bentos
Encyclopedia
Fray Bentos, the capital of the Río Negro Department
of western Uruguay
, is a port on the Uruguay River
. It is close to the border with Argentina
and about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) due north of Buenos Aires
.
closed there in 1979 after 117 years in operation. A local history museum opened on the site in March 2005.
The town was originally founded in 1859 as 'Independencia'. Its current name, meaning "Friar Benedict", is derived from a reclusive priest.
Fray Bentos was the location of the tragic accident of Austral Flight 2553, where 74 people were killed (69 passengers and 5 crew) on October 10, 1997.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Botnia S.A., a subsidiary of Finnish
corporation Metsä-Botnia, has built a large cellulose
factory in Fray Bentos to produce bleached eucalyptus
pulp; production started in November 2007, first shipments in December 2007 from oversea port of Nueva Palmira. The investment in the project was about 1 billion USD
and the factory directly or indirectly employs about 8,000 people. The project, however, is not without opponents. On 30 April 2005 about 40,000 Argentines
from Entre Ríos
, along with environmental groups from both countries, demonstrated in the bridge linking both countries; and since then, around ten to fifteen argentinians are blocking the international bridge to put pressure on the Uruguayan government to stop the factory claiming it will gravely pollute the Uruguay River. On 20 December 2005 a World Bank
study concluded that the factory would not have a negative impact on the environment or tourism in either country. The paper mill started operating in November 2007 (see Pulp mill conflict between Argentina and Uruguay).
In 1899 a company called "Anglo" began making corned beef
there, which was sold as "Fray Bentos Corned Beef" in the UK. Fifty years later the Fray Bentos company diversified into soups, meatballs and tinned fruit. During the 1990s the focus shifted to pies and puddings and Fray Bentos were taken over by the Campbell Soup Company
, however, in 2006, 'Campbells UK' was acquired by Premier Foods
.
In 2008, Brazilian-owned Marfrig Group
announced the reopening of the Liebig factory and the export of meat products, though at a lower capacity than the original factory.
. It also has a museum for the artist Luis Alberto Solari
who was born in the city.
short story "Funes el Memorioso
" was from Fray Bentos.
Río Negro Department
The Río Negro Department is an administrative division of Uruguay located in the west of the country. It has 53,989 inhabitants and an area of 9,282 km² . Its capital is Fray Bentos.-Geography and climate:...
of western Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, is a port on the Uruguay River
Uruguay River
The Uruguay River is a river in South America. It flows from north to south and makes boundary with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of the Mesopotamia from the other two countries...
. It is close to the border with Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) due north of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
History
Historically, Fray Bentos' main industry has been meat processing. The Liebig Extract of Meat CompanyLiebig Extract of Meat Company
The Liebig's Extract of Meat Company was the originator of Liebig and Oxo meat extracts and later Oxo beef stock cubes. It was named after Baron Justus von Liebig, the German 19th-century organic chemist who founded it.-Early development:...
closed there in 1979 after 117 years in operation. A local history museum opened on the site in March 2005.
The town was originally founded in 1859 as 'Independencia'. Its current name, meaning "Friar Benedict", is derived from a reclusive priest.
Fray Bentos was the location of the tragic accident of Austral Flight 2553, where 74 people were killed (69 passengers and 5 crew) on October 10, 1997.
Population
In 2004 it had a population of 23,122.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 17,136 |
| 1975 | 19,407 |
| 1985 | 19,862 |
| 1996 | 21,959 |
| 2004 | 23,122 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Economy
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
corporation Metsä-Botnia, has built a large cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
factory in Fray Bentos to produce bleached eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
pulp; production started in November 2007, first shipments in December 2007 from oversea port of Nueva Palmira. The investment in the project was about 1 billion USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
and the factory directly or indirectly employs about 8,000 people. The project, however, is not without opponents. On 30 April 2005 about 40,000 Argentines
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
from Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
, along with environmental groups from both countries, demonstrated in the bridge linking both countries; and since then, around ten to fifteen argentinians are blocking the international bridge to put pressure on the Uruguayan government to stop the factory claiming it will gravely pollute the Uruguay River. On 20 December 2005 a World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
study concluded that the factory would not have a negative impact on the environment or tourism in either country. The paper mill started operating in November 2007 (see Pulp mill conflict between Argentina and Uruguay).
In 1899 a company called "Anglo" began making corned beef
Corned beef
Corned beef is a type of salt-cured beef products present in many beef-eating cultures. The English term is used interchangeably in modernity to refer to three distinct types of cured beef:...
there, which was sold as "Fray Bentos Corned Beef" in the UK. Fifty years later the Fray Bentos company diversified into soups, meatballs and tinned fruit. During the 1990s the focus shifted to pies and puddings and Fray Bentos were taken over by the Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company , also known as Campbell's, is an American producer of canned soups and related products. Campbell's products are sold in 120 countries around the world. It is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey...
, however, in 2006, 'Campbells UK' was acquired by Premier Foods
Premier Foods
Premier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
.
In 2008, Brazilian-owned Marfrig Group
Marfrig Group
Marfrig is the third biggest Brazilian food processing company, after JBS and Brasil Foods. The company and its main competitors is headquartered in Sao Paulo....
announced the reopening of the Liebig factory and the export of meat products, though at a lower capacity than the original factory.
Museums
Fray Bentos has a museum in its former meat processing factory. This was a factory of the Liebig Extract of Meat CompanyLiebig Extract of Meat Company
The Liebig's Extract of Meat Company was the originator of Liebig and Oxo meat extracts and later Oxo beef stock cubes. It was named after Baron Justus von Liebig, the German 19th-century organic chemist who founded it.-Early development:...
. It also has a museum for the artist Luis Alberto Solari
Luis Alberto Solari
Luis Alberto Solari . is a painter and engraver from Uruguay.-Background:He moved to Montevideo in 1934 to study at the Circulo de Bellas Artes with Professor William Laborde between 1934 and 1937...
who was born in the city.
In fiction
The title character of Borges'Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
short story "Funes el Memorioso
Funes the Memorious
"Funes the Memorious" is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. First published in La Nación in June 1942, it appeared in the 1944 anthology Ficciones, part two . The first English translation appeared in 1954 in Avon Modern Writing No. 2...
" was from Fray Bentos.
See also
- Uruguay RiverUruguay RiverThe Uruguay River is a river in South America. It flows from north to south and makes boundary with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of the Mesopotamia from the other two countries...
- Funes the MemoriousFunes the Memorious"Funes the Memorious" is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. First published in La Nación in June 1942, it appeared in the 1944 anthology Ficciones, part two . The first English translation appeared in 1954 in Avon Modern Writing No. 2...
- List of diplomatic missions in Uruguay#Consulate in Fray Bentos
External links
- Botnia: Uruguay project
- Fray Bentos brand on Premier FoodsPremier FoodsPremier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
website - Fray Bentos pies
- Weather Forecast Fray Bentos
- Fray Bentos web site (in Spanish) including map and main contact information
- Short film showing facts and highlights of Fray Bentos "Bienvenidos a Fray Bentos"
- INE map of Fray Bentos