InterviewBrazil petchems to withstand US woes

26 March 2008 22:19  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Brazil's petrochemical industry should withstand the economic slowdown in the US, an executive from Braskem said on Wednesday.

Economic growth within Brazil should provide enough demand to offset problems caused by the downturn in the US, said Manoel Carnauba Cortez, vice president of the basic petrochemicals unit of Braskem.

"The Brazilian economy is very healthy," Carnauba said.

Carnauba was speaking on the sidelines of the DeWitt World Petrochemical Review, held in Houston by DeWitt & Co.

Brazil's economy grew by more than 5% in 2007, and should expand by a larger rate this year, Carnauba said.

Among resins, demand for polyethylene (PE) grew by 6%, polypropylene (PP) grew by 10% and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) grew by 14%, he said.

Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Braskem is the largest petrochemical producer in Latin America.

For more on resins visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Al Greenwood
+1 713 525 2645

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly