Brazil. The paints and varnishes sector in Brazil reported exports of US$167.36 million during 2008, representing an increase of 18% over the results of 2007. This was assured by the Union of the Paints and Varnishes Industry of the State of São Paulo, Sitivesp.According to the Union, imports also registered an increase of close to 40%, equivalent to US$230 million, compared to the data of the previous cycle.
Until September 2008, before the economic crisis, the performance of the trade balance in the paints and varnishes sector showed the consolidated numbers now, but the projection was of a change in this scenario due to the new panorama of the world economy. "It was expected that when the dollar appreciated, exports would improve and imports would be greatly reduced, which in fact did not happen," said Sitivesp's management advisor, Airton Aparecido Sicolin.
The trend is for the pace of imports to slow down in 2009, reducing the deficit in the sector's trade balance. Currently, exports represent about 6% of the total turnover of the industry, including the architectural, industrial and automotive repainting lines.
The union also announced that imports in 2008 were 40,960 tons and had an average value of US$5.62 per kg., while exports totaled 61,443 tons, with an average price of US$2.72 per kg.
The main market for Brazilian paintings is the bloc of Mercosur countries, with a share of 44%.
