Klabin provides keep pace of expansion in this semester

After logging 16 consecutive quarters of growth, considering the period of the last 12 months, Klabin, Brazilian maker of paper for packaging, bet on maintaining this trajectory in the second half of 2015. In addition to the increase in production capacity of paper, starting in 2013, the company should benefit from the consistent demand for cards for liquids and kraftliner and the possibility of direct more production for the foreign market, taking advantage of the favourable exchange rate for exports.
"Klabin has the strong conviction that will continue to deliver growing results," said the Director-General of the society, Fabio Schvartsman, commenting on the results of the second quarter. The period, according to the Executive, was challenging due to the continuous weakening of the domestic economy, which led the company to direct larger volume of production for exports. External sales were pulled 17% increase of the result before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) adjusted for R $ 391 million.
For the next few months, the company works with a scenario of "a little more of the same". "The economy is still weak and we don't see any signs of reversal. Given this, Klabin will remain more focused on exports to compensate for the inadequate situation in the domestic market, "he said.
From April to June, the company's foreign sales grew 12% over the same period last year, to 139 thousand tonnes, equivalent to 32% of the company's total sales, compared to 29% a year before. This piece, as Schvartsman, tends to continue to grow. "Don't be surprised if [export] reach numbers greater than those in the coming quarters. Because, with the current exchange rate, the profitability of exports is even superior to domestic sales, so we have a double incentive to sales in the foreign market, "he said.
Asked about the possibility of price increases this semester, the Executive explained that some products, "more directly related to export prices, offer space to increase". Already those geared to the domestic market, such as recycled paper, no. "There will be Hardly recycled increase during this period," he said.
In relation to the market, the Executive said that sales will grow in 2015 and that there are, at present, demand higher than the production capacity of the company. "The volume of cards grows with respect to last year, this is definitely the answer. We have even more demand that productive capacity. "
According to Schvartsman, while the market for net cards is what develops in 2015, the corrugated boxes has shown continuous weakening, without expectation of standardization. "We also see continuous expansion in sales of kraftliner in the coming months," he added. Next year, the expansion of the company's results should be conducted for the production of pulp mill in Ortigueira (PR), which is entering the final stretch of construction.
The Executive indicated that Klabin will monitor consolidation opportunities that arise in the Brazilian market, but not "If atropelará" for bringing new assets into the company before the start of operation of the new plant, scheduled for March next year. In theory, these opportunities will appear just as the market gets worse and has negative effect on the banks of smaller operations. "I think it's likely that as we increase the stress on the smaller companies, increase the chance of healing. Klabin will examine future opportunities in this regard. "
A possible opportunity to purchase would invalidate the company's plans to invest in a new machine, investment that depended on the existence of cellulose initially to join the production. "The advantage of the Klabin has always been by organic growth. Now, for this, we must have market growing. If you want to continue to grow in market declines, there is no other opportunity which is not the acquisition, "he pondered.