01/05/2009 14h49
Muriel sales grow 20% in 2008
Gazeta Mercantil 01/05/2009
The international financial crisis and the reduction of credit do not discourage cosmetics producer Muriel, which produces soap, shampoo and deodorant, among other hair and skin care items aimed at C and D classes. "As incredible as it may seem, the classes with the lower purchasing power are the less affected by the crisis", said Paulo Boldarim, president of the company. "With less resources available the population stops buying durable goods, because it becomes difficult to get a loan, but not the nondurable ones, such as cosmetics", he explained. According to the executive, the company should end the year with a growth in sales of nearly 20%, to 8 million units a month, in addition to another 3 million units of products produced every month to third parties. The performance is above the one registered by the sector of personal hygiene and cosmetics, of 10.4%, to R$ 21.6 billion (US$ 9.4 billion) in 2008, according to the estimate of the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry (Abihpec). Besides diversifying operations and assuring an increase in income, outsourcing and manufacturing products for retailer brands are a means of reducing the idleness of the plant. Opened in 2006, the plant has the capacity to produce 30 million units a month, but it produces less than 15 million. Besides, in 2009 the company is to end with an R$ 6 million (US$ 2.6 million)-expansion-project which will increase the capacity by 40%, to 42 million units/month. In spite of the optimistic view of the crisis, Boldarim is cautious about 2009. "We still need to see the impact of unemployment in the Country and the measures of the government, but we should grow between 5% and 10% in 2009", he says.
