Latin America Reports

  • Eastman Bullish on Latin America, its Environment, the Arts

    In Latin America, Eastman sales were up 14 percent to $588 million, leading all other geographies in percentage growth.
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 08.09.19
  • Peru Market Strengthens on Private Investment

    Peru Market Strengthens on Private Investment

    The Peruvian market is strengthening, with its estimated four percent gross domestic product growth rate steady, and a rising count of international investments in major projects. While much of the new construction in the country will surround infras…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 07.03.19
  • Latin America Market to Continue Slow Recovery

    Latin America Market to Continue Slow Recovery

    The Latin American market for paint and coatings has begun a slow market recovery, as it closely tracks regional gross domestic product growth, expected to rise by a half point to 1.7 percent this year, compared with 1.2 percent last year. The ind…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 05.31.19
  • Guatemala’s Grupo Solid Manufacturing and Transocean Coatings Form Partnership

    Guatemala’s Grupo Solid Manufacturing and Transocean Coatings Form Partnership

    The largest paint producer in Guatemala, Grupo Solid, has formed a strategic partnership with the Netherlands’ Transocean Coatings to pursue a spot in the high-performance paint and coatings market in the Central America and Caribbean regions.…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 05.10.19

  • Mexico’s Aeronautical Industry a “Gold Mine” for the Economy

    The workforce is rapidly headed toward 60,000 people, as the country assumes the position of the world’s sixth largest aviation industry.
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 04.12.19

  • Coatings World Interview: Charly Nader, Dow’s New Latin America Director

    Coatings World recently interviewed Charly Eid Nader – Dow’s new president in the Andean Region, and commercial director of the Latin American Performance and Performance Monomers business – about his expectations for growth in the…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 03.08.19
  • New Dow Andes Regional Head in Bogotá

    New Dow Andes Regional Head in Bogotá

    DowDuPont appointed Charly Eid as the new head of the Andes region for paint and coatings at a time when fostering growth there is a challenge. Colombia is the promising economic center of the region and Peru is a standout, while both Bolivia and Ecu…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 02.11.19
  • Latin America Sales Up 13% for Clariant in Q3

    Latin America Sales Up 13% for Clariant in Q3

    Latin America sales for specialty chemical maker Clariant climbed 13 percent in local currency during the first three months of this year. Plastics and coatings contributed a four percent gain in Swiss francs and contributed to an eight percent EBITD…
    Charles W. Thurston , Latin America Correspondent 12.03.18

  • Argentina’s Antipat Considers Renewable Energy

    Argentina’s national paint and coatings association has added renewable energy to its toolbox of technologies that will help the economic development of the industry,  which is battling against widespread recession in the country. Durin…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 11.05.18

  • Renner Opens New Plant in Recovering Chile

    Brazil’s family-owned Renner Coatings has opened a new production plant and laboratory in Pudahuel, in the Santiago Province of Chile, amidst growth reports that are moving GDP expectations higher this year. Renner Coatings is the high-perfo…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 10.03.18
  • Venezuela Reissues Bolivar to Fight Inflation

    Venezuela Reissues Bolivar to Fight Inflation

    Venezuela has revalued its inflation-heavy currency with a hope of containing runaway inflation, which has led to an imploding economic situation. The new bolivar Soberano or sovereign bolívar, slated for immanent issue under President Nicol&a…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 09.01.18
  • BASF Seeds Growth in South America

    BASF Seeds Growth in South America

    BASF predicts even more growth for South America in 2019 than this year, in its latest economic, corporate governance and environmental sustainability report, “BASF América del Sur Informe 2017” report, released in Spanish in June.…
    Charles W. Thurston , Latin America Correspondent 08.10.18
  • PPG Comex to Paint Mexico in Rosa Chilango

    PPG Comex to Paint Mexico in Rosa Chilango

    PPG Comex has taken up a broad campaign to help Mexico City paint murals and other walls throughout the capital in celebration of the city’s being named the 2018 World Capital of Design by the World Design Organization. The WDO is an interna…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 07.03.18
  • Mexico Surfactant Investors May Face Feedstock Uncertainty

    Mexico Surfactant Investors May Face Feedstock Uncertainty

    Two announced foreign investments in Mexico’s surfactant industry this year may face uncertainty in feedstock provision and pricing as a result of a petrochemical shortage for Pemex, the national oil company. Since the cost of surfactants is de…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 05.04.18

  • Argentina, Mexico Boost Sika Sales

    The Argentine and Mexican operations of Zurich-based Sika posted “above average” sales growth last year, supporting the regional to a 3.2 percent expansion overall compared with 5 percent in 2016, the company annual report stated. Sika…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 04.09.18
  • PPG’s Glidden Brand Opens Doors in Panama

    PPG’s Glidden Brand Opens Doors in Panama

    The latest paint and coatings store in Panama to offer PPG’s Glidden brand recently opened in Vista Alegre, part of a growing presence for the company in the country, according to local press reports. In addition to plans to open more stores &n…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 03.19.18

  • Brazil Advances Regulation for Lead Limits in Paint

    A new draft bill being readied for the Brazilian Congress would limit the permissible lead content in paint and coatings, in keeping with the region-wide effort to cut down on nominally high levels still in use by many manufacturers. The bill would u…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 02.09.18
  • Paint Suppliers Aid in Puerto Rico Reconstruction

    Paint Suppliers Aid in Puerto Rico Reconstruction

    Puerto Rico’s devastated infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria will require billions of dollars in materials and labor to repair and improve conditions. Paint and coatings manufacturers and suppliers are among the companies helping…
    harles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 01.08.18

  • Manufacturers, Suppliers Gird for Recovery in Brazil

    This is the second in a set of stories on strategies for growth in the Brazilian paint and coatings market. Part one appeared in the November issue, and examined new direct investments, distribution and logistics, and new technologies. This story wil…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 12.04.17

  • Manufacturers, Suppliers Gird for Recovery in Brazil

    Paint and coatings manufacturers and suppliers are adjusting their strategies for Brazil, preparing for an expected recovery in the market after a four-year slide. Among strategies being employed are new direct investments, expanded service and labor…
    Charles W. Thurston, Latin America Correspondent 11.06.17