Paint and coating manufacturers in Ecuador, Peru and Colombia must import much of the pigments they use, as they are not produced in the region. However, purchases of these materials fell in 2009.by Vanesa Restrepo
Preparations of pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media, including ground pigments used in the manufacture of paints have acquired great importance for the countries of the Andean Community of Nations, CAN (Peru, Colombia, Ecuador).
This type of product, despite presenting a fall in exports and imports throughout 2009, remains, along with the variety of products derived from titanium dioxide, as the most important item in terms of pigments for paints.
In the case of Peru and Ecuador, there is a high dependence on the import of these inputs that, despite this, had a significant fall during 2009, if compared with the statistics of 2008. Meanwhile, in Colombia, this item meant annual sales of US$104.8 million during 2009, for companies in the sector that sold their products to Switzerland, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Costa Rica, mainly.
Purchases fell in Ecuador
Ecuador closed 2009 with a fall in its GDP estimated at 0.4% in 2009, compared to the growth of 6.5% recorded in 2008. The situation was reflected in imports of pigments in non-aqueous dispersions, which fell by US$207,261, equivalent to 17.59%.
According to studies carried out by different economic organizations, in 2002 the paint industry in Ecuador was estimated at about eight million gallons per year with sales of US $ 70 million and a per capita consumption of two liters.
Imports of pigment dispersions in non-aqueous solutions used in this industry during 2009 were 126,805 kilograms, worth US$970,384. Brazil was the main supplier, with 54.71% of the total, followed by Germany (14.99%), Italy (9.30%), the United States (6.24%) and Colombia (4.48%). It should be clarified that, to a lesser extent, this type of pigments is also used in other industries such as graphic arts and leather.
It should be noted that today Ecuador is in a process of consolidation of its economy, after having between 2000 and 2009 one of the most hectic periods in the political sphere, with coups d'état and about eight changes of government that included the mandate of a military junta and the re-election of the current president, Rafael Correa. As a result of the recent stabilization, the interest of some multinational formulators has grown looking for new markets and seeing there the possibility of having new subsidiaries, thanks to the considerable number of small and medium-sized companies.
Peru, in free fallIn the pigment segments, the share of imported products is greater, due to weaknesses in the Peruvian industry. This country has a dependence on certain imported inputs, such as titanium dioxide-based pigments and some dispersed in non-aqueous media.
In terms of paint production, the main lines in the country are architectural, marine (for the fishing industry) and automotive repainting. Per capita consumption is calculated at three gallons per year.
In terms of imports, the presence of large multinationals or local companies of considerable size that are responsible for supplying smaller companies that formulate paints or distribute the products in the interior of the country stands out.
In the case of the products that concern us today (pigment dispersions in non-aqueous media for the manufacture of paints), Peruvian imports reached 124,787 kilograms, equivalent to US$955,088. This implies a decrease of 54.82% compared to 2008 records.
The main Peruvian importer, with 34.05% of the total, is the chemical supplier Company Representaciones Iver S.A; followed by the retail chain Sodimac Peru (20.26%). Within the group of formulators, the main importer is Coating SRL, a subsidiary in that country of Sherwin Williams, with 5.41% of the total imported. The two main formulation companies in that country also appear in the ranking.
In the 14th place on the list is Teknoquímica S.A, a brand belonging to the country's main formulator, CPPQ, with 1,312 kilograms equivalent to 1.05% of the total volume imported, for a value of US$25,469. For its part, Industrias Vencedor imported 0.34% of the total volume (about 427 kilograms), with a cost of US$7,064.
The main supplier of this product for Inca entrepreneurs is Brazil, with 39.02% of the total, followed by the United States (27.27%), Germany (6.76%), Italy (6.29%) and Mexico (5.80%).
Colombia, an exceptional caseUnlike Peru and Ecuador, imports of pigment dispersions in non-aqueous media in Colombia are lower than exports; the latter even registered growth during 2009, when the economic crisis hit the sector hard.
However, it should be clarified that 97.64% of these exports corresponded to the sale of jewelry inputs that the Rexmetal company made to Swiss companies. This happens because within the foreign trade code that these dispersions have, a natural pearlescent pigment obtained from scales of certain fish is also included and a synthetic one made with mica coated with bismuth oxychloride or titanium dioxide that is used to coat pearls and other jewelry.
Regarding the paints and coatings industry of this country, the statistical information that exists is still very little and messy, however, it is known that its per capita consumption is 2.6 gallons per year and that a single company, the World Group, owner of several brands, including the international Pintuco, owns about 60% of the market share.
Imports of pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media during 2009 in Colombia reached 261,191 kilograms, with a value of US$1.96 million, representing a decrease of 33.82% compared to imports declared in 2008. 31.48% of this material arrived from Switzerland, 21.32% was shipped in Mexico, 12.88% came from the United States, 11.88% was purchased from Brazil and 11.57% was imported from Italy.
Similarly, the main importing company was the supplier of chemical inputs Mesa Hermanos & Cía, with 54,461 kilograms (20.92% of the total); followed by Degussa Construction Chemicals of Colombia, with 52,954 kg. (20.27%). The paint producer Compañía Pintuco appears in fourth place with 8.09% of imports, equivalent to 21,139 kg, worth US$127,209.
Basf Química de Colombia continues on the list with 13,622 kg (5.22%) that had a cost of US$13,622. It is followed, in its order, by Clariant of Colombia (13,090 kg, 5.01%); Tonner paints (13,000 kg, 4.98%); Nubiola Colombia Pigmentos (12,012 kg, 4.60%) and Tintas S.A (9,707 kg, 3.72%).
Other formulators such as Colpisa (4,691 kg, 1.80%), Novacolor (2,155 kg, 0.83%) and Sika (750 kg, 0.29%) are also listed by The Datamyne.
As for exports of this type of product, the annual record of 2009 closed with sales abroad for US $ 104.85 million, which shows a growth close to 3% compared to the records of 2008. In addition to Rexmetal, other companies such as Pinturas Tonner, Philaac Ltda, Degussa Construction Chemicals, Pintuco, Colpisa, Clariant and Basf also exported these materials in percentages that, in no case, reach 1% of the total.
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