PRODUCTION of PROCESSED PLASTICS INDUSTRY GROWS 2.6% UNTIL AUGUST

The production of processed plastics sector grew 2.6 percent from January to August of 2013 compared to the same period last year. The data is the latest edition of Econoplast, Economic Bulletin of the Brazilian Association of the plastics industry (ABIPLAST) released in October.
The result was supported by the recovery in the production of laminates (+6.57%) and by the good performance of "miscellaneous artifacts" (+3.76%), provided mainly for the automotive industry. Due to the behavior of the food and beverage industry, the packaging segment remained stable, with a high of only 0.21%.
In August, the production kept the same level the previous month, with growth of 0.39%. The stability was sustained by the performance of "miscellaneous artifacts", that there have been already compared the laminates and packaging. In the last 12 months, accumulated the production had an increase of 2.42%.
Processed plastics sector generated 7.3 thousand new job vacancies in the first eight months of the year, totaling, until August, 355.1 thousand workers registered. The level of employment in the sector is recovering throughout the year and has already surpassed the number registered in 2012. Productivity grew by 0.64% over the same period last year, less than the performance observed in the manufacturing industry.
From January to August of 2013, the apparent consumption of processed plastics reached r $ 41.9 billion, 11.2% higher than the value held in 2012. In August, apparent consumption amounted to r $ 5.4 billion, with a high of 1.5% over the same month of the previous year.
The accumulated deficit of the trade balance in the period grew by 13.3% compared to the same time the previous year, totaling $ 1.6 billion. Imports were discharged of 8.2%, reaching $ 2.5 billion, while exports grew by only 0.08%, amounting to US $ 914 million. The import coefficient was 14.5% in apparent consumption. Exports already amounted to 6.2% of the volume produced.
In volume, the balance is also a deficit in 320 thousand tons, 7.25% higher than the number of the previous period. 484 thousand tonnes were imported (+ 5.7%), against foreign sales of 163.9 thousand tons (+ 2.9%).
For September, the businessmen maintained positive expectations in relation to demand, the purchase of raw material and the hiring of new employees, but are pessimistic about the performance of exports.