Manufacturers of construction material have record sales
Gazeta Mercantil - 07/22/2008
Not only did the performance of the manufacturers of construction material verified in June confirm the trend of record high of the sector, but it also caused the Brazilian Association of the Industries of Construction Materials (Abramat), responsible for the survey of the data, to review, for the second time since January, the projection for the year. Until June, the sector accumulated sales of R$ 45 billion (US$ 28.13 billion), between sales to the domestic market and exportations, which represents a 25.7% increase compared to the same period of 2007. Considering only the sales to the Country - which are responsible for 92% of the sales -, the income of R$ 41.5 billion (US$ 26 billion) represents an increase of 28.2% in the first half-year of 2007. In the isolated analysis of the month, the result of June, 2008 was 34.2% greater than that of the previous month of June. In view of such results, Abramat reviewed the projection of growth for the year to 18%, which should take to sales of R$ 92.4 billion (US$ 57.8 billion) in 2008. "The growth may get to up to 20% this year. In the second half of the year, the rates may be a little lower, since the second half of 2007 presented very high levels ", explained the President of Abramat, Melvyn Fox. The growth of the industry of construction materials is taking the sector to record levels of sale. Among the main factors responsible for the leap in sales, Fox pointed out the infrastructure works sponsored by the GAP (Growth Acceleration Program) and, mainly, the civil construction and the real estate market. Basic materials, such as cement, steel and pipes, were the main responsible, with an increase of 30% in the accumulated of the year. Finishing items (paints, coating, windows) went 17.3% up.