Henkel grows only in Latin America
Valor Econômico
In the second quarter of the year, Latin America stood out in the balance sheet of the multinational German Henkel, manufacturer of industrial adhesives and of the Super Bonder and Tena glues z, among others products. The region increased the earnings, while Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific reduced the sales. The growth in Latin America, from April to June, amounted to 3.8% and the earnings reached € 210 million, due to a combination of bigger volume sold and price increase. In total, the sales of the company reduced 5% in relation to the same period of last year, to € 3.48 billion.
When the organic sales are considered, that is, the calculation made without the effects of exchange rate fluctuations or of acquisitions, the Latin American operation was also good: it grew 3.9%, in view of the falls seen in the other parts of the world that reached, in the case of Asia for example, 10.2%. Frank Liesner, Henkel financial officer in Latin America, affirms Brazil contributes for the greater result in the region, but he does not say how much. Here, as in the rest of the world, the products of bigger weight in the results of the company are glues for industry.
With the slow down of the industrial production in the entire world, the organic sales in this segment fell 15.4% in the second quarter. In Latin America, however, there was increase. "In Brazil, specifically, the reduction of the IPI (Excise Tax) promoted by the Government stimulated the sales to the car industry", affirms Liesner. Adhesives for food packaging have also presented a good result, he says. In the country, Henkel also operates in the segment of cosmetics, with lines exclusively for professional use. In the rest of the world, it also operates a division of cleaning products.
In 2008, Brazil generated Henkel an income of nearly € 300 million - the entire Latin America generated nearly € 700 million and the company, €14.13 billion. Around here, Henkel should close the plants of Boituva and Jacareí this year and transfer the production for the units in Itapevi and Jundiaí - all municipalities located in São Paulo. Until the end of this year, affirms Liesner, the multinational will also conclude the substitution of toluene, substance that may cause chemical dependence and severe toxic effects, in all the glue formulas that still contain the product, in Brazil.