Cargo sector foresees 50% increase in production in 2011
Valor Econômico
Strongly dependent on the orders of a few companies connected to the commodities sector, the industries of the field of railway equipment - mainly Randone -Amsted Maxion - had an exceptionally bad 2009, with an 80% decrease compared to the previous year. In a sort of roller coaster movement, the production tripled in 2010, and it should grow even more in 2011, greatly helped by long-term contracts signed by large buyers of the field, such as MRS and Vale. According to Ricardo Chuahy, President of Amsted-Maxion, the recovery after 2009 was fast, aided by the credit line launched by the BNDES (National Development Bank), the so-called Investment Maintenance Program (PSI). The program began with rates of 4.5% a year - nearly equal to the rate of inflation -, increased to 5.5% earlier this year.
With that, says Chuahy, new orders were placed and there was a novelty: long-term contracts. Besides guaranteeing part of the sales of 2,140 wagons made by Maxion in 2010, the contracts alone may assure sales of 3,202 in 2011. The contract with Vale foresees another 2,058 wagons in 2011, and MRS has a purchase option that, if confirmed, would assure another 1,144 wagons. Together, the orders already made would mean sales 50% greater in the coming year. Another detail, according to Chuay, is that part of new orders regards new wagons with capacity for 150 tons, specifically made to travel in the Vale railroad of Carajás. Before that, the cars had 130 tons of capacity.
Norberto Fabris, Executive Director of Randon, says in the Division of railway implements one of the factors that certainly made a difference in 2009 and 2010 was the subsidized interest rate of the BNDES. The goal of Randon is to dominate 30% of the market, for the rest taken by Amsted-Maxion and by Usiminas Mecânica, also with some contracts closed throughout the year. In Randon, says Norberto Fabris, the main clients are, besides the large companies MRS and Vale, ALL Logística, Rumo Logística, Bunge and FCA, a subsidiary of Vale.
The market in 2009, says the Executive, totaled less than 1.3 thousand wagons, and it should get to 3.5 thousand this year - increasing three times the demand. Randon sold little less than a thousand wagons in 2010, and it expects to sell nearly 1.2 thousand next year. For 2011, it foresees a total market of 4 thousand wagons. The association of the sector, Abifer, works with a more optimistic forecast of 5 thousand wagons. The entity also foresees a good increase in the sale of locomotives, due to a project to expand the productive unit of GE in Contagem (MG).