Brazil-Paraguay alliance DASSTEX invests $750,000 to expand sportswear plant

Paraguay is set to become the second-largest foreign export platform for sportswear giant Grupo Dass, following a US$750,000 investment to expand its DASSTEX joint venture plant in Mariano Roque Alonso. The expansion, expected to be operational by March 2026, will create 112 formal jobs, increasing the total workforce to 200 employees.

DASSTEX, a collaboration between Paraguay's Grupo Texcin and Brazil's Dass, has been producing apparel exclusively for export since March 2026. This strategic move leverages Paraguay's competitive labor costs, favorable tax incentives under its maquila regime for regional exports, and the local expertise of Grupo Texcin. The operation is seen as a prime example of Latin American multinationals mitigating currency risks and global supply chain bottlenecks through regional nearshoring.

Grupo Dass, a significant force in the sports apparel market for over 46 years, operates as an integrated management and supply chain provider for sports brands across the Americas. The group employs over 26,000 people and manages design, production, marketing, and distribution. Its extensive portfolio includes manufacturing footwear and apparel for Nike and Adidas, holding licenses for Fila across Latin America, and Umbro in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, among others. Dass also manages New Balance and Osklen in Brazil and boasts the region's largest footwear development center.

The expansion signifies a broader trend of companies increasing operations, adopting new technologies, and boosting production capacity in Paraguay, according to Javier Viveros, the country's Vice Minister of Industries. This investment underscores Paraguay's growing importance as a manufacturing hub within the region.

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DASSTEX is a textbook case of how Latin American multinationals mitigate currency risk and global bottlenecks through regional nearshoring.