The three companies hope to start the 280m real ($68.2m) venture in April in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, pending approval from the antitrust regulator.

Porto Alegre-based Gerdau will likely take at least a 50% stake in the venture, dubbed Gerdau Summit.

It will supply equipment to make special steel for wind turbine towers, including main shafts and bearing rings.

Total output of wind-related components and of rolling mill rolls is expected to reach 50,000 tonnes per year.

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