As a point of reference, the case of Brazil was taken, headed by the Brazilian Association of Paint Manufacturers, Abrafati, which was responsible for the design and execution of a training and certification program for paint applicators. As a result of this exercise, a national registry of painters was created, in which contractors in the construction sector can locate people trained in the application of architectural coatings and finishes in a specific geographical area.
Thanks to this program, it has been possible to control the quality of the work, because when there are breaches or misuse of a specific product, the contractor generates a negative report that leads to the suspension of the license and the elimination of the registration of the applicator contractor in the national database.
To this are added other activities such as campaigns for the formulation of more environmentally friendly paints, the recycling of packaging and toxic waste management, as well as the monthly publication of production statistics that allow coating manufacturers in that country to analyze the conjunctural situations and look for solutions that avoid large losses.
To reach this balance and achieve teamwork, partnership and sectoral representation are necessary. Both elements are quite scarce in Latin America, with few exceptions, such as Argentina and Mexico.
Although the issue has already been debated from this editorial space, I do not want to miss the opportunity to invite again all the formulators to join in common spaces and to seek representation for their interests in front of local governments.
Allying will allow easier access to a regulatory scheme for the sector, achieve relief in the tax burden and a better definition as a productive chain in which marketers and applicators also intervene. This is of vital importance in countries such as Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, where investments are growing in sectors with intensive consumption of paint, such as civil construction, infrastructure, and industrial and mining development.
