We must be clearer

Many times I have been contacted by entrepreneurs and marketing managers from all over the region who seek to know clear statistics of the paint market in each country.  It is increasingly frustrating not to have a precise answer, because with few exceptions the picture is not very defined. The reasons vary from country to country, but in most cases it is due to the lack of an associative entity that studies and orders the sectoral information; as well as the unwillingness of the same manufacturers who do not share the information publicly.
Of the latter case I have a rather telling example. At the end of last year, we tried to do the x-ray of the paint market in one of the Andean countries and for that I investigated sales and production figures among the main players in the market. My disappointment was great when I confirmed that one of the managers gave me certain export numbers that, when contrasted with those of the customs authority, were inflated.

Although it is not an obligation to share particular statistics, I believe that it is healthy and necessary for the market to be defined and for competition to be transparent. That benefits sales leaders, who will be able to establish and calculate the differences with their competition; and small ones who will be able to identify market niches with potential growth.

Even the sector could take advantage of a good x-ray of the market, because any bill that wants to be promoted will have a greater echo if it can be justified how many people benefit from work in the paint sector and how much the industry contributes to GDP.

From the sidelines I cannot find a clear explanation as to why it should be a secret how much a company produced and that is why this letter serves as an invitation to healthy competition, capitalization and reproduction of knowledge and sincerity in the face of the situation of each company. After all, reality can be concealed, but not avoided.