Sale of material grows 28% in the year
Valor Econômico - 05/21/2008
Notwithstanding the increase in the prices of the construction materials registered in the last months in the country, the industries of the sector celebrate a growth without any precedents in these first four months of the year. According to data from the Brazilian Association of the Industries of Construction Materials (Abramat), the sales of the companies have grown 28% on the average in the four month period compared to last year's same period. When the analysis is restricted only to the month of April, the increase in sales is even bigger: 33.3% compared to last year's same month. The estimate of the association is that this rhythm may be reduced in the next months and that the first half of the year ends with an increase in sales of nearly 20%. The record growth, at this moment, is being driven by the sales of basic materials. According to Abramat, the sales in this segment grew more than 30% in the four-month period and registered an increase of almost 40% in April, when compared to last year's same period. Two factors explain this boom in the consumption of basic materials: the first one is that last year many real estate undertakings were launched in the country. Most of them are starting being built now, and that demands a great deal of cement, iron bars, structures, and sealing. The volume of employees among the companies of this sector grew 11% last April compared to last year's same month; the second factor is the significant increase in infrastructure works in the country. With the strong increase in internal sales registered so far, Abramat has reviewed its growth projections for the sector this year. The initial projection was that there would be a 10% increase in the industry, the same registered last year. But the consecutive breakings of records in the first three months of the year have caused the Association to review the projection to a 12% increase. Now, with an average growth of almost 30% in the four-month period, Abramat has reviewed its projections for the increase in sales this year once again. The official forecast is an increase of 15% in sales in 2008.