InterviewBrazil’s Quattor expands in Latin America

30 November 2009 23:06  [Source: ICIS news]

By Cristina Kroll

BUENOS AIRES (ICIS news)--Brazilian polyolefins major Quattor is pushing to nearly double its sales exports to Argentina and the rest of Latin America in the next 12-18 months, a company manager said on Monday.

“Latin America represents over 133,000 tonnes a year [polyethylene, polypropylene and basic chemicals] for Quattor, a third of the company’s exports, which are 400,000 tonnes a year”, said Oscar Lopez, operations general manager for Quattor in Latin America.

“And this number will continue growing: in between 12 and 18 months the company plans to reach sales for 250,000 tonnes in this region,” he added.

Quattor last week officially inaugurated its first commercial office outside Brazil. Quattor plans to cater to all Latin American markets from the office in Buenos Aires city, Lopez said.

“Quattor expects to accomplish sales for $120m [€80m] a year in Argentina”, said Lopez.

Argentina represents 60% of the company’s sales to Latin America outside of Brazil.

“The scarcity of natural gas supply in Argentina restricts local production of these products, and therefore it could create an opportunity for an importer such as Quattor,” said Lopez. 

In Argentina, the company has a presence in the polyethylene (PE) market, which is lead by Dow Argentina, followed by Braskem.

Quattor also participates in the Argentine polypropylene (PP) market, where it competes with Argentine companies Petroken and Petroquimica Cuyo.

“Demand for these products in Latin America follow the global growing trend of 4% a year for polyethylene and 5% a year for polypropylene,” he added.

The company also sells basic chemicals such as benzene and toluene in Argentina, Lopez said.

Quattor produces over 2.7m tonnes/year of basic chemicals, PE and PP from 10 plants in Brazil.

The company has sales totalling $4bn/year.

($1 = €0.67)

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By: Cristina Kroll
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