PAINT & PINTURA
Setembro 2009
www.paintshow.com.br
17
ponsibility and economic feasibility,” says Dilson
Ferreira, chief executive officer at the Brazilian
Association of Paint Manufacturers, known for
short as Abrafati, which has put together the tra-
de show.
Notwithstanding that Abrafati 2009 was laun-
ched in late 2008, a time when the nation alrea-
dy felt the first signs of the economic crisis, the
companies concerned did not
drop out of the grand event.
“The launch of Abrafati 2009
was a success, with sales of
larger exhibit spaces than in
the previous edition of the
show. There was some inde-
cision on the part of some
companies on account of
the economic environment,
but eventually they all deci-
ded to participate because it
makes no sense to miss the
industry’s most important
event in all of Latin America.
The crisis itself has encoura-
ged some companies to come
from abroad, seeking in Brazil
a market with greater poten-
tial and more opportunities
than Europe or the United
States provide,” Ferreira cele-
brates.
In spite of the crisis, the
outlook for the year 2009,
according to the entity’s CEO,
is positive. “The crisis has
failed to prevent the industry
from developing or initiatives
from flourishing and being
improved towards organizing
and energizing the market.
Whether separately or in con-
junction with the other com-
ponents of the paint supply
chain, the paint industry has
either implemented or carried
on with a series of programs
and activities designed to enhance competitive-
ness, stimulate business, improve paint quality,
encourage research, protect the environment and
further qualify and train painters and professio-
nals engaged in the paint business, which was
boosted in 2009 and help to mitigate the effects
of the international crisis,” Ferreira points out,
adding that the paint industry will have its se-