Instability in the price of oil worries packaging manufacturers

The variation in oil prices and uncertainties with respect to quotation of the commodity hinder planning flexible plastic packaging industries, experts say. The price of resins, leading industry inputs varies depending on the oil.
Since the last quarter of last year, the price of oil plummeted in the international market. In September the barrel of Brent price reference type, was traded for around $ 100. In January this year, that price was $ 45. The exchange rate had a slight recovery since then and is on the landing between $ 50 and $ 60.
The price of Naphtha followed the trend and also presented fall of $ 900 a ton to $ 350 a ton. The price of the main resins used by the sector, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, also fell. According to the experts heard by the DCI, the problem is not knowing what the trend in prices, which complicates long-term planning of enterprises.
For the Director of Braskem's polyethylene business, Edison Earth, the scenario of oil prices is "hard predictability". According to him, numerous factors press commodity price up and down and at the moment it is difficult to know what trends will prevail.
"On the other hand, major producers like Saudi Arabia want to bring down the price to discourage investments in other sources, such as shale gas (shale gas). On the other hand, the barrel tipped at the $ 50 makes nearly 70% of new oil exploration projects. Right now it's hard to know what trends will prevail in the coming years, "said Land.
The recent appreciation of the dollar is another issue that has attracted the attention of the industry. According to Maxiquim Consulting Executive partner, Solange Stumpf, the shifter has a dual effect on the segment because on one side makes Brazilian products more competitive against imported products. On the other hand, however, the price of imported resins rises when the dollar value which increases the cost of production in the industry.
"The price of resins goes up when the dollar appreciates, but the Exchange can also encourage an increase in exports of Brazilian industry", stated during event of the Brazilian Association of Plastic Flexible Packaging (Entire) held last Friday (27) in São Paulo.
Last year, imports of plastic packaging in exports outweighing 67 thousand tonnes, up 4% on the previous year before the deficit.
Expansion
Flexible packaging production suffered a little with the slowdown of the economy last year and fell 1% from 2013 to 1,857 metric tons per year. For 2015, the expectation of is increased by Maxiquim 0.6%.
According to Sha, the packaging industry suffers a bit less than the rest of the economy in times of low growth, once the production is mainly geared to sectors such as food, drinks and hygiene where consumption is the last to be cut by households.
"Within an adverse economic scenario the packaging segment tends to not suffer less because it is facing crucial consumer segments such as food," said Maxiquim Executive.
Solange believes that the demand for beverage packaging industry will grow 2.5 percent this year, while that of food, 1.5%. The agricultural segment shall provide a reduction in demand of about 3%.
Credit
Despite the uncertain economic backdrop, experts believe that the moment is also conducive to innovation and investment. Solange cited with the water crisis can bet companies, for example, in the production of tanks for water storage. Businesses can get credit from banks to finance these new projects.
The Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) has an exclusive line for the plastic industry. According to the Manager of Chemical Industry Department of the Bank, Sabrina Martinez, this line has been transformed into one of the State's priority last year for the industrial sector "to companies in the plastics production chain are priority for the BNDES. Our focus is to support projects of innovation, modernization, expansion and extension of productivity and capacity to stimulate mergers and acquisitions, "said Sabrina.
The minimum value of finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises is of R $ 5 million, while for other sectors is $ 20 million. For innovation projects, the minimum amount of funding is less, $ 1 million, and for companies in other sectors this value is r $ 5 million. The time limit for payment of the loan is up to 10 with a grace period in the first three.
"The Bank does not charge rate of remuneration for innovation projects under the Propláscito (BNDES program for plastic industry). This is a way to encourage companies to seek always to innovate, "he said.
The conditions offered were designed to "assist in modernizing the processed plastic industrial park and to contribute to the improvement of the standard of quality of national products. This way is also one of the goals to reduce the trade deficit in the sector, "said the representative of the State-owned bank. The program was renewed by the BNDES in 2013 and has guaranteed duration until 2017.