CLIPPING
PAINT&PINTURA | Abril 2017 | 9
theAmericas.AndBrazilisthecompany’slargestmarketinSouthAmerica,”Soaresexplains.
Theregionhassomuchrepresentativenessinthegroup’sbusinessthattheBraziliansiteisnow
inanexpansionprocess.Thesite located inJandira,SãoPaulo ishavingacapacityexpansion
of itssiliconeplant,and isalsogoingtogainamulti-purposeplantproducingdefoamersand
functionalsiliconeoils.Thesiliconeoil reactor isexpectedtobe implemented inthesecond
quarterof2017,whilethedefoamerplantshouldbestartingupbytheendoftheyear.The
investmentamountstoapproximately€7billion.
Available inPortugueseonly isthefullversionofthis interviewwewerepleasedtohavewith
notonlyGustavoSoares,butalsoWackerexecutivedirectorAdrianoMagalhães.
CHEMICALDISTRIBUTION -UBIQUITOUS
Thechemicaldistribution industryhasgainedmoretractionastheyearsgoby.Inadditionto
delivering thebestproductsolutionsallover theworld, italso invests inservices, technical
support, logistics,certifications,specializedcustomercareand lotmore.
Theperformanceofthechemicaldistributionindustryfor2016waswellbelowexpectations,
but inkeepingwith thecircumstances imposedbyBrazil’seconomiccrisis. “Weexpect to
postaveragegrowth inUSdollarsof theorderof twopercentagepoints.Consideringthat
westarted fromanegativebasis for 2015, thisperformancesendsuspositivesignals, that
we’reovercomingthecrisisandgraduallygettingbackontrackforsomemoderatebutsus-
tainablegrowth,”saysRubensMedrano,presidentoftheBrazilianAssociationofChemical
andPetrochemicalDistributorsandUnionofSãoPauloStateChemical andPetrochemical
Wholesalers(knownforshort inPortugueseasAssociquim-Sincoquim).
The industry isexpected tokeep scoringpositivefigures for 2017, according toMedrano.
“Ifwesucceed insustainingagrowthcurve,even ifonlyamoderateone, thenthat in itself
willbegreatforthedistribution industry.Shouldthisoptimisticscenariobeconfirmed inthe
courseof theyear, thatwill bequiteauspicious for thechemical distribution industry.Mr.
Medranosaysthattherearenosuchgeneralmeasuresorformulaeavailabletodistributors
as could ensure better results for 2017 if pursued. “Each company, as part of their own
managementanddevelopmentplanning,will have toadjust topresentmarketconditions
if theyare toachieve the targets theyset for themselves,whether thatentailsappropriate
marketingactionsorstrict inventoryandcashflowcontrols,alltoavoidcompromisingtheir
economicandfinancialposition.”
The Industryand ItsDevelopment
Chemicaldistributionisadynamicbusinessthatconstantlyrequireschangesandadaptations
withaviewtomeetingtheneedsandrequirementsofsuppliersandcustomersalike.“One
major achievementwas the industry’s ability to takeupon themselves toprovide certain
servicesthatusedtobeprovidedbymanufacturers,whohaveentrustedthemtodistributors
aimingatcostreductionsandproductivity improvements.Distributorshavesetupanalytical
anddevelopment laboratoriesto improveonexistingproductsandformulationsandcreate
newones, and theyhave alsoequipped themselves to control customer inventories and
scheduledeliveries, amongmany other capabilities. These advances qualify the chemical
distributorsinourmarketplaceasmajorserviceproviders,whilehighlyprofessionalizingtheir
corebusiness,which istosell,”Medranopointsout.
AnAdvocateforthe Industry
It is Associquim-Sincoquim’s job topermanently and relentlessly further the interests of
theirmembers,whetherenvironmental,fiscal,legal,institutionalortax-related,accordingto
Medrano.“Ourtakingpartinworkgroupswithelectedofficialswithsuggestionsandcoope-
rationhasbeenkey renderingenforceablethe innumerablepiecesof legislationgoverning
our activities. RunbyAssociquim-Sincoquim, Prodir (short inPortuguese for Responsible
DistributionProcess)hasbeenan indispensabletoolof
helpingcertifiedcompaniesensuretheiroperationsare
managedproperly.
Back in2002,withsupport fromamajorityof itsmem-
bers,Associquim-Sincoquimwere fortunateenough to
roll out the Prodir initiative, which is basedon similar
processesbackedby itspeerentities inCanadaandthe
US,saidMedrano.“Sincethen, its importancehasbeen
recognized andpraised not only by the entire supply
chain, but alsoby governmental entities that legislate
onand regulateour business activities. AmongProdir-
-certifiedcompanies,thatrecognition isunderscoredby
their longevityand the support theyprovideby taking
anactivepartatworkshopsandotherevents. It’salso
importanttopointoutanddemonstrateourrecognition
of and gratitude to our advisers, Management Com-
mitteemembers, and the leaders and coordinators at
ourmember companies, some ofwhichhave already
completedtheirfourthre-certification,whichonlygoes
toshow thatwithoutallof theirhardwork,dedication
and commitment, the very continuity of Prodirwould
havebeen impossible.”
