São Paulo – Brazilian company Suzano Pulp and Paper recorded growth of 13.3% in sales of pulp in the in the last quarter of last year compared with the previous three-month period, according to information disclosed by the company yesterday (25th). One of the leading pulp and paper manufacturers in Latin America, Suzano sold 329,000 tonnes of pulp during the period. The volume represents growth of 12.7% over the same period of 2007.
The main cause for the increase was the resumption of exports to Chinese paper manufacturers. "In the third quarter, the pulp market buyers had chosen to reduce their inventories and buy according to their short-term needs," explains the director of Investment Relations at Suzano, André Dorf.
In 2008 as a whole, Suzano attained its highest sales volume for pulp, at 1.3 million tonnes. The figure represents growth of 65.2% over 2007. Out of total sales, 82.5% went to the foreign market. Suzano exports to 47 countries and Europe is the company’s main market. In a press release, the company also highlights the Chinese market.
Global demand for eucalyptus pulp grew 11.8% last year, boosted mainly by China, which increased its purchases by 40.6%. The Western European market grew 9.8% and the North American market, 7.3%. China consumed 340,000 additional tonnes of eucalyptus pulp in 2008. Out of that volume, 38.6% were supplied by Suzano.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
