South America - Page 1

Stay up to date with the latest South America updates from the global wood industry

Latest South America Update

Playing at home and away 22 November, 2013 Leading South American board maker Duratex has revealed it could begin work as soon as the start of next year on a US$564m project to construct Brazil’s biggest wood panels complex in Minas Gerais state. Richard Higgs visited Duratex to being this report. > read more

A dramatic recovery 22 November, 2013 Colombia, Latin America’s third most populous nation with over 46 million inhabitants, a big proportion of them urbanised, and a robust and still growing economy, is a key target market for the region’s wood panel makers, says Richard Higgs.

Reaching out 22 November, 2013 Panel maker Aglomerados Cotopaxi has seen a sudden eruption of investment activity in the past 18 months, much of it beyond the borders of its native Ecuador, says Richard Higgs in the first of his reports from the region.

Adapting to market demand 14 October, 2011

In the second half of last year, producers reported their plants were fully sold as MDF panels led the charge with annual growth of some 28%.

However, now the government has slammed on...

Small can be beautiful as well 14 October, 2011

One small newcomer to the Brazilian fibreboard market is already achieving remarkable success in the country?’s northeast region, barely a year after pressing its first MDF...

Masisa confirms its commitment to Brazil 14 October, 2011

Key to the success of this Chilean group’s strategic plan is how it develops its existing operations to serve the region’s huge and still-growing board market in Brazil.

Masisa do Brasil...

Duratex is set to rise in world rankings 14 October, 2011

Emboldened by Brazil?’s seemingly insatiable love affair with MDF, the southern hemisphere’s biggest producer is investing over US$766m to add over 1.2 million m3/year more to its already...

Berneck invests all in Curitibanos project 13 October, 2011

The country’s latest Siempelkamp ContiRoll line, starting up this October, represents the first phase of what is a major integrated wood products complex. Apart from MDF, it will later include a...

Chilean panel maker is a major force in Brazil 16 November, 2010

Arauco do Brasil SA, an MDF and MDP (medium density particleboard) manufacturer with nearly 87,000ha of its own planted forest land and seven wood panel lines at three plants in the country, is...

Committed to thin panel and to value-adding 16 November, 2010

Specifically targeting powerful demand for thin board in the domestic market, the new 350,000m3/year Dieffenbacher HDF/MDF line, erected at Eucatex’s Salto site, could operate at full capacity...

Compomade growing in valuable niche market 16 November, 2010

The furniture sector has benefited greatly from a much needed boost this year after the Brazilian government cut the country’s IPI industrial products tax by 5%. Panel...

Everything to play for in a growing market 16 November, 2010

With two new fibreboard plants ?– a 350,000m3/year thin MDF/HDF line and a 120,000m3/year standard MDF line – being brought on stream respectively by Eucatex and the newest...

‘Super-group’ benefits from its synergies 16 November, 2010

The ongoing integration process to form the new group, named Duratex SA, had already ?‘captured’ synergies valued at more than US$18.4m by early July 2010. The group says it is targeting...

LP Bazil leads the way in OSB development 11 February, 2010

Despite the global economic crisis, the US giant, which launched the region’s first OSB mill in Chile five years ago, expects the panel will be in common structural use in Brazil in a little...

In uncertain times 03 December, 2009

The vibrancy of the Asian panel markets over the past decade, particularly those in China, has long been commented upon. China has been an exciting place in which to observe the development and...

Aiming high 03 December, 2009

Today, the Berneck group operates a modern, integrated, industrial site near Curitiba, equipped with a new 342,000m3/year MDF line, a 624,000m3/year MDP (particleboard) line and a 300,000m3/year...

A major Alliance 03 December, 2009

Duratex has expanded, not just in terms of its recently-announced merger with Satipel Industrial, but with the launch in June of a huge, 77m-long, continuous MDF press line – the world’s longest...

Brazilian shake-up 03 December, 2009

The initial tremors shaking up the Brazilian panel industry, triggered largely by the global economic recession, saw the first stages of a long-delayed sector consolidation with the creation of...

Man of vision 01 December, 2009

MrMaluf’s emphasis on stimulating market demand through developing a wide range of distinctive finished panel products has helped Eucatex remain a leading sector player, although it only...

The MDF Converts 26 November, 2009

Even in Brazil the international credit crunch and short term market uncertainty, magnified by the launch of fresh capacity schemes by big MDF players, are now deterring more newcomers from...

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