Colombia. Investments in infrastructure and construction, as well as the reactivation of the automotive industry, are the main factors that are stimulating the growth of the paints and coatings sector in Brazil and Colombia. This statement was derived from the forum "Perspectives of the paint industry in Latin America in a post-crisis scenario", which began the second day of Cubrecol Americas 2010.Due to the good Brazilian government structure, business in the country presented an accelerated reactivation in 2010, most of the companies recovered and had greater efficiency after the crisis, according to Telma Florencio, administrative manager of Abrafati.
Eduardo Loaiza, manager of Camacol, Antioquia regional, explained that in Colombia the management of loans adjusted to the UVR, the generation of new families and consumer confidence have increased the purchase of homes and construction; However, he explained that every year there are 280,000 new homes in Colombia and only 140,000 houses are being built, so that a significant deficit is generated that harms the finances of construction companies and manufacturers of architectural paints.
As in Colombia, Brazil has a housing deficit, according to Telma, although the greater purchasing power of the lower strata has led to an increase in reforms, extensions and repainting of facades and homes, an aspect that stimulates the reactivation of the market.
At the beginning of 2010 Abrafati forecast an 8% growth for the paint industry in the year, however the Association considers that it will have to change this forecast, since this figure was exceeded.
Another aspect that has driven this reactivation is the increase in the sale of vehicles in Brazil, a country that ranks number seven in the world ranking of the largest car producers. Investment in infrastructure, as well as in sustainable projects and innovation set the trend in the paints and coatings sector.
The future in terms of the development of new products is based on the formulation of water-based coatings, mainly in the architectural segments, according to Max Jaramillo, president of Latin Press and director of the magazine INPRA LATINA.
