Machinery industry invests US$ 5 .2 billion in 2010
DCI
The industry of machines and equipment will invest R$ 8.7 billion (US$ 4.8 billion) in 2010. "Our study has got to such amount of R$ 8.7 billion (US$ 4.8 billion), but in fact it may get to R$ 9 billion (US$ 5 billion) in investments this year", projected the President of the Brazilian Machinery Manufacturers Association (Abimaq), Luiz Aubert Neto. Regarding the earnings, the numbers were humbler: "In the accumulated in the first two months they amounted to R$ 10.03 billion (US$ 5.57 billion), the number is 21.6% greater than in the same period of 2009, but it is still 14% below that of 2008. We are still very far from it", emphasized the President of the entity. Aubert Neto explained the process of recovery in the sector: "our recovery depends on the PSI/Finame (Program for Investment Maintenance/Special Agency for Industrial Financing); we still don't know how the second half of the year will be", he explained mentioning the credit program of the BNDES (National Development Bank) is foreseen until the end of the first half.
According to data gathered by the Abimaq nearly all segments have grown compared to the same period of last year: "except for the segments of valves, that fell 1.8%, and hydraulic and pneumatic, that only advanced 1.9%, the others presented recovery", detailed Aubert Neto, who completed: "some sectors had exceptional performance, partly because they were affected by the crisis the most, including plastic machinery (+ 129.2%), machinery for wood (+ 86.5%) and textile machinery (+ 60.8%)", he explained.
The President of the Abimaq also showed concern with the growth of the imports: "the commercial deficit in machinery was negative at R$ 2.12 billion (US$ 1.08 billion), but we have to separate the good imports of the United States and Germany that improved our competitiveness, from those of the Chinese with similar machines in Brazil", he concluded.