Revista Paint & Pintura - Edição 251

CLIPPING PAINT&PINTURA | Jan/Fev 2020 | 9 an overview of Brazil’s economy with the help of the economist Ricardo Amorim, who is recognized for his expertise and his talent as a lecturer, while being the top Brazilian influencer on LinkedIn. Amorim’s lecture featured a series of analyses and data points underpinning his optimistic outlook for Brazil, starting from the fact that it is currently a low- -cost country for international investors. He gave those attending a heads-up that Brazil is in a stronger position for economic growth than the forecasts an- nounced by the government and pundits reflect, and that they need to pay atten- tion so they can find the right timing to seize opportunities. Up next came Freddy Carrillo, chairman of Abrafati’s Board of Directors, whose account of the performance of and prospects for the paint coatings industry converged with the previous speaker’s optimistic outlook. He stressed that, after more than a year underperforming relative to its growth potential (0.8% growth for 2019), the coatings industry should experience a more significant expansion, which should range from two to three percent. “After a long six years, sales of decorative paints are going to increase again, and there are positive expectations for coatings intended for other applications as well,” Carrillo said. ASSOCIQUIM-SINCOQUIM SEES GOOD PROSPECTS AT YEAR’S END The Brazilian Association of Chemical and Petrochemical Distributors and Union of São Paulo State Chemical and Petroche- mical Wholesalers (known for short in Portuguese as Associquim-Sincoquim) held their traditional year-end dinner party on December 5 at Buffet França, in São Paulo, São Paulo. In attendance were key personalities and senior officers of Brazil’s chemical and petrochemical distribution industry. During the social function, Associquim- -Sincoquimhonored to companies. Univar Brazil was recognized as the most senior member. Univar Brazil has been part of Associquim’s membership since Novem- ber 1999, and in July of 2005 it became the 30th company to be certified by the Responsible Distribution Process (Prodir for short). The other company honored for seniority wasMetachem, whichhas been amember of Associquim since March of 2000 and became the 50th Prodir-certified company in December of 2007. Associquim-Sincoquim also presented the People of Value Award, which was created by the executive boards of Asso- ciquim and Sincoquim to annually honor those personalities, entities and govern- ment agencies that have stood out and contributed in any way to the chemical and petrochemical distribution industry. The person receiving the honors in the evening was Patricia Faga Iglesias Lemos, president of CETESB, the São Paulo State environmental agency. ENAIQ 2019 ANNOUNCES CHEMICAL INDUSTRY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR Abiquim held the 24th edition of the Che- mical Industry’s Annual Meeting (ENAIQ, the initials in Portuguese) on December 2 at Hotel Unique, in São Paulo, São Paulo, which was attended by around 550 chemical industry entrepreneurs and executives. For his opening speech, Marcos De Marchi, chairman of Abiquim’s Board of Directors, said that the chemical industry had a tough year in 2019, with a fall in output and imports increasing their share in the domestic market. “In addition to the headwinds it entails that are specific to the industry, which has to pay three to four times as much for natural gas as do its US counterparts and twice as much as those in Europe, the ‘Brazil Cost’ affects Brazilian businesses in all industries. It represents an added cost of R$1.5 trillion each year,” De Marchi points out. In his view, the industry could become more competitive through the NovoMer- cado de Gás, or “New Gas Market” pro- gram, which is expected to create condi- tions for the industry to access natural gas at competitive prices, consistent with the international market. Joint actions being carriedout by the executive and legislative branches, which include structural refor- ms, trade agreements, and the creation of Executive Boards on Chemistry, both basic and specialty, by the Ministry of Finance, help to support a more positive outlook for the next few years. HOLDS INDUSTRY YEAR-END MEETING AND PRESENTS AWARDS Sindquimica (short in Portuguese for Union of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Oil Distillation and Refining Industries in the State of Ceará) held on November 28 at Casa da Indústria, in Fortaleza, Ceará, the local industry’s year-end dinner party, during which the 4 Elements Awards were presented to one personality, one institution and five suppliers of the year. The awards are meant as recognition for the contributions made by the chemical industry’s picks for 2019. Sindquímica president Marcos Soares kicked off the event by pointing out the chemical industry’s achievements for 2019, such as two plants opened in the state of Ceará—one by the Pernambuco- -based group Interlândia, manufacturer of the Dragão cleaning products, which started in July in the town of Cascavel, and one by the also Pernambuco-based group Raymundo da Fonte, owner of the Brilux brand, whichopened its first Ceará plant in the town of Horizonte back in September. In addition, four other companies already have construction in progress at the Guai- úba Chemical Park, a chemical compound located in Guaiúba, Ceará. “It’s a dream come true. It’s been a good year for the chemical industry, and we’re confident our country will see more improvement so we can grow more rapidly next year,” Soares said. In the Individual Partner category, the awardwas presented toRicardo Cavalcan- te, while in the Institutional Partner, the winner was the Ceará State Development Agency (ADECE). The award winners for Supplier of the Year were Aaron Rótulos & Etiquetas Adesivas, in the cosmetics industry, Quí- mica Anastácio, in sanitizers, and AVCO Polímeros do Brasil, Fos-Química Deriva- dos and Wana Indústria, in the paint and coatings industry.