Flexible packaging producers will resume investments in 2013

Flexible plastic packaging industries must make investments from 2013. In an interview with Value, Alfredo Schmitt, President of the Brazilian Association of flexible packaging Industries (Abief), said that the breakdown of agricultural crop and strong import volume of processed plastics in 2012 have damaged the performance of the sector. "The expectation is that the agricultural crop recovers and the global crisis has cooled, which should stimulate the contributions for the purchase of equipment," said Schmitt.
Processed plastics sector, the so-called third generation petrochemicals, might have closed with revenues of 2012 $ 55 billion, according to estimates of the entire supply. These industries employ 350 thousand direct workers and represents about 11 thousand companies in the country. Only the flexible packaging segment-used on a large scale by the agricultural and food industries, production of plastic bags-represents about 35% of that amount, with revenues of $ 20 billion, and production of 2 million tons per year, out of a total of about 6 million tons of plastic chain. "The expectation is that the production volume grow between 5% and 7% in 2013," said Schmitt.
The rebirth of American petrochemical industry, the exploitation of "shale gas (shale gas) worried about the national chain, since it will promote plentiful supply of products from raw materials cheaper. The Brazilian petrochemical uses the nafta as main raw material.
For Schmitt, 2013 will be an important year of decision making for the sector. "We have to take important decisions for industries survive, survive and grow. And for that we have to be on our side to Petrobras. The Petrobras presence alongside the other links in the chain, participating in a project to make the plastic processing industry competitive, is of fundamental importance. Although the State is an oil company, I understand be inseparable from his mission the strengthening of the productive chain of plastic. "
In 2011, according to him, the flexible plastic packaging segment suffered a trade deficit of 58 000 tonnes equivalent products, which corresponds to $ 357 million. 2012 data have not yet been upgraded, but don't run much of the reality of the previous year.
Comperj project (petrochemical complex of Rio de Janeiro) is considered of extreme importance to the third generation of the industry. The decision of investment of the petrochemical project, in partnership with Braskem, is still under discussion, without a date set for the beginning of construction work. For Schmitt, this project is expected to stimulate the growth of the market of domestic resins.