Brazilian Composites Industry Forecasts Revenue Growth of 8.2% in 2011

Brazilian industry of composite materials sold USD 440 million in the first quarter, 16.3% increase compared to the same period of last year. The consumption of raw materials; however, fell 8.7% totalizing 46,900 tons. The difference between both indicators is mainly due to repeated increase in the prices of petrochemical inputs. Figures are part of the latest survey by Maxiquim, consultancy commissioned by the Brazilian Association of Composites Materials (ABMACO).

The study of Maxiquim also forecasts an increase of 8.2% in the sector’s total revenue in 2011, reaching USD 1.725 – the revenue consisted of USD 1.595 billion last year. Concerning the consumption of raw materials, the consultancy estimates that Brazil will process 214,000 tons, 4.8% higher than the reached in 2010 (205,000 tons). Yet, the expected growth in the number of jobs is 1.8%, totaling 75 thousand vacancies.

“All segments that consume composites materials must grow this year, but we believe that civil construction, wind energy generation and transportation will be responsible for even more expressive indexes”, says Gilmar Lima, ABMACO’s president. About the transportation area, Lima highlights the positive impact that the anticipation on the acquisition of trucks and buses will promote in the last quarter of 2011, due to Euro 5 standard, which will come into force in the beginning of 2012 – vehicles adjusted to the new regulation, which controls the emissions of pollutants, are more expensive.

Study separates polyester and epoxy

This time, the research commissioned by ABMACO addressed the polyester resin composites separately from the ones based on epoxy resin. In the first case – 162,000 tons or 79% of the total processed in 2010 – civil construction kept the position of the highest consumer of the material, with 46%. Then, the automakers came, above all, the ones that manufacture heavy and agricultural vehicles, with 16%. The markets of corrosion (11%), sanitation (7%), electricity (4%), nautical (3%), petroleum (1%) and others (11%) complete the list.