The figures are from Maxiquim, a consulting firm hired by the Latin American Composite Materials Association (ALMACO).
From January to March this year, 53,700 tons of composites were produced in the country, a volume that is 8% higher than in the first quarter of 2013, but 1.2% lower than the amount processed between last October and December.
“This reduction is a consequence of the slowdown experienced by virtually all segments in which composite moulders operate, such as the transportation, road equipment, agribusiness and marine segments. The only segments that have managed to remain stable are the wind and construction,” said Gilmar Lima, president of ALMACO.
In 2013, the construction sector led the Brazilian consumption of polyester composites, with 49% of the total processed, ahead of transportation (17%), corrosion (11%) and sewage treatment (6%) – a total of 154,000 tons. Applications in wind power, which use composites based on epoxy resins, consumed 56,000 tons.
For 2014, Maxiquim estimates a 5.1% revenue increase of the sector represented by ALMACO, totalling US$ 1,550 billion. In terms of production, the expectation is to reach 212,000 tons (+1.1%).
