whichbyreducing imports,andtheremainingUS$100millionduetothecreationofexports.
Tolearnmoredetails,Paint&PinturaMagazinehasinterviewedAlexanderTraut,BASF’sdirector
ofpetrochemicalsforSouthAmerica,whotoldusaboutthe importanceofthis investmentto
boththecompanyandtheBrazilianmarket.
Thickeners - IndispensablePaintProperties
Withmajor challenges ahead, thickenermanufacturers seek innovationandnewdevelop-
mentstosetthemselvesapart inthemarketplaceandtodeliverperformancewithabetter
cost-benefitratio.
WiththedifficulteconomicsituationBrazilfinds itself in,thepaintandcoatingsmarketwinds
upbeingaffectedaswell,asdoallothersegmentsofthemanufacturingsector.Asaresult,the
crisisalsoaffectssuppliersofrawmaterialsand,morespecifically,manufacturersofthickeners.
Inanattempt tofindawayaround theproblem, suppliers invest todevelopproducts that
deliverbothhighperformanceandgoodcost-benefitratios,whileprovidingcustomerswith
technical supportandotherservices.“Sadly,Brazil isnowexperiencinganeconomicdown-
turn.Asthecoatings industry isnoexception,allof itssupplychain isaffected.Thethickener
segmentisnoexceptiontothisrule,either.Consideringthissituation,Elementishasastrategy
thatinvolvesstandingoutfromthecompetitionbymeansofadifferentiatedtechnicalservice
program,”saysCarlosRamiro,TechnicalServices&Applicationsmanager forLatinAmerica
atElementisSpecialties.
Ramirowarns that seeking full customer satisfaction is thekey tosurvival inaslow-growth
market.“Forexample,costreductionprogramswillbemorefrequenteachday,andElementis
standsasan idealpartnerwithwhomtotacklethesechallengesthroughourcomprehensive
productportfolio, combinedwithourapplication laboratories.Bypartneringourcustomers
tofacethesechallengesand introducing innovativesolutions,weexpecttosecurenewdeals
to leverageoursales inthis increasinglycompetitivemarket.”
Currently,Dowisfocusingitseffortsonproductsthatcombinefunctionality,sustainabilityand
lowcost,accordingtoAnaFélix,marketingmanageratBayerCoatingMaterialsinLatinAmerica.
“It isourstrategytodevelopthickenersthatwilleithermeetorexceedmarketrequirements
forpaintsandcoatings,whileensuringbettercost-benefit ratios forpaintmanufacturersat
thesametime.Toachievethat,we’vebeenworkingon innovationsand localdevelopments
in linewiththedomesticmarket.”
Theeconomiccrisisthathasbeenaffectingthedomesticmarkethasalsohad impactsonthe
paintandcoatings industryand,asaresult,ontheirconsumptionofrawmaterials,according
toReginaKawai, productmanager for Evonik’sCoatingAdditivesbusiness. “However,we
believethatwhentheeconomicadjustmentsnow inprogressstartdeliveringandconfiden-
cepicksup, thesupplychain isgoingtorecover itsgrowthrate,asthedomesticmarkethas
hugepotentialfordevelopment.Thepaintandcoatings industry,takenasawhole,aswellas
severalmanufacturing industries, isnotexpectedtodisplaysignificantgrowthfor2015dueto
theeconomiccrisis.Theexpectedscenario isoneofstability,andthethickenersegmentwill
followsuit.AtEvonik,weseekcontinuousgrowthbyprovidingproductsthatarebetterand
better atmeetingcustomer requirements like improve functionalityand topperformance.
Accordingly,weexpectourresultstobepositive.”
The impactonthemarketforthickeners isthesameas it isontheentiresupplychainofthe
paintandcoatings industry,whichcanbesummedupasastagnanteconomy,andespecially
anuncertaintyabouttheresumptionofsustainableeconomicgrowththatprevailsamonga
largemajorityof customers, according toPolystell businessdirectorWildonLopes. “Never-
theless,weareconfidentthattheBrazilianpaintmarketwillbounceback,andthis iswhywe
keep investing innewproductsand intheprofessionalgrowthofouremployees,preparing
ourselvesproperlytobetterserveourcustomers.”
