Results and forecasts for the Brazilian plastics sector

The association representing Brazil's producers of plastic products (Abiplast) has outlined the results recorded by the sector in 2012, and also issued some forecasts for 2013. Last year was characterised, overall, by a worsening of the trade balance, with exports down by 15% and imports up by 4% in value terms. The sector's turnover nevertheless increased by 4.5% compared to 2011, to reach 52.5 billion reals (approximately 20 billion euros). The number of people employed in the sector also grew by over 3000, reaching a total of around 355 thousand employees, but the increase was smaller than that recorded in 2011, leading, according to Abiplast, to a something of a slowdown in the sector compared with the growth rates recorded in previous years. The association expects production to rise in 2013, recording a 1% increase in volume terms and an approximately 6% increase in sales.
Incidentally, it is to be noted that the national campaign for the responsible use of plastic shoppers, promoted by several associations including the flexible packaging association and the Instituto Nacional do Plastico, has had the effect of cutting consumption (or, rather, irresponsible use) of plastic shoppers by 5.8 billion units over the past five years (800 million in 2012 alone), which equates with a 32.4% reduction in volume terms. In 2012, consumption amounted to just 12.1 billion units.
In 2012, Italy's exports of plastics and rubber machinery to Brazil just topped the 81 million euro mark (90 million and 98 million were recorded in 2011 and 2010, respectively). In particular, last year saw a decline in deliveries of extruders, which fell, in value terms, by almost 13 million euros to around 5.5 million euros. Italy's main competitors, Germany and China, on the other hand, have gradually increased their exports to Brazil, both recording sales worth over 177 million euros in 2012, many of which were sales of injection moulding machines.