Brazil: Silicon Metal Statistics

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000376

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USITC FOR L.M.SCHLITT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON BR
SUBJECT: Brazil: Silicon Metal Statistics

Reference: State 4821


1. (U) Note: Since there is no central repository in Brazil for
retention of data on this industry, Post has not been able to obtain
information in all categories requested for the period covering
January 1999 - September 2002. In several other categories
requested in reftel, information was completely unavailable.
Information presented in this cable was sourced primarily from data
maintained by Brazilian Association of Iron and Silicon Metal
(ABRAFE). End note.


2. (U) As of 2006, Brazil had six companies involved in the export
of silicon metal: Camargo Correa Metais, Companhia Brasileira
Carbureto de Calcio, ITAL Magnesio Nordeste S/A, Ligas de Aluminio
S/A - Liasa, MinasLigas, and Rima Industrial S/A.


3. (U) Information on production and home market shipments for
calendar years 1999 - 2002 is presented below. No monthly figures
were available. Production capacity and capacity utilization
figures requested were unavailable for this period.

Production (quantity):
1999 = 136,572 tons
2000 = 166,344 tons
2001 = 112,123 tons
2002 = 133,390 tons

Home Market Shipments
1999 = 13,170 tons
2000 = 18,643 tons
2001 = 11,483 tons
2002 = 17,459 tons


4. (U) Information on quantity and value of total exports for
calendar years 1999 - 2002 is presented below. No monthly figures
were available. Figures requested by reftel on specific export
destinations were unavailable.

Export Quantity/Value (millions of US dollars):
1999 = 123,219 tons/ $136.717
2000 = 154,009 tons/ $167.156
2001 = 105,538 tons/ $113.339
2002 = 148,040 tons/ $155.989


5. (U) No information was found on finished inventories.


6. (U) The projected 2002 production change was 40 percent; for 2003
it was 25 percent. Data on when these projections were released is
not available.


7. (U) Projections of Brazilian exports are detailed below.
Information relating to a specific country is not available. Data
on when these projections were released was not found.

2002 = 16.8 percent
2003 = 22.2 percent


8. (U) Energy shortages in 2001 led to a reduction in Brazilian
exports of silicon metal. This was compounded by high taxes
assessed by the GOB on producers, which accounted for approximately
47 percent of the retail price of the product.


9. (U) The below companies were producing silicon metal in Brazil
during the period January 1999 - September 2002. Companies that
entered production in 2002 are so noted.

Camargo Correa Metais
Companhia Brasileira Carbureto de Calcio (3/2002)
ITAL Magnesio Nordeste S/A (2002)
Ligas de Aluminio S/A - Liasa
Sibra
MinasLigas (2002)
Rima Industrial S/A

Sobel