Orders to industry point to a high in production in January
Valor Econômico - 12/18/2007
The consumer goods industry is already getting ready for a heated month of January due to strong replacement of the stocks. The orders placed by retailers already reach many of the manufacturers of clothes, footwear, electric-electronics and construction material and indicate business perspectives far above those of 2007 for the first quarter of next year. In the area of electric-electronics, the industries will start 2008 at a fast pace, pushed by the necessity of replacing the stocks and complying with the firm orders, which besides being more numerous, will have their lead time advanced because of Carnival. American Whirlpool, the owner of the Brastemp and Consul brands, increased the number of employees in 5% this year and has kept the same rhythm of production since May. The goal, according to its commercial director Sérgio Leme, is to guarantee the same level of the first semester in order to guarantee the delivery of the firm orders for next year, which are already between 10% and 15% greater than in 2007. Vicente Donini CEO of Santa Catarina Marisol, says there was a "very positive sign from the retailers" in the last 90 days. Clients are buying more significant volumes and the company already has firm orders for January, a movement that is taking place in advance in comparison with January of 2007. The footwear industries already plan to start 2008 with the best quarter in three years due to the replacement and renewal of the stocks of the retail. The evaluation is from Heitor Klein, executive director of the Brazilian Association of Footwear Industries (Abicalçados).