The sales of the Brazilian machinery and equipment industry grew 45.4% in June compared to the same month last year, totaling R$ 17.5 billion in 2021. Compared to the previous month, however, there was stability, with variation of -0.1%. The data was released yesterday (28/07) by the Brazilian Machinery and Equipment Industry Association (Abimaq).

In the last 12 months, sector sales totaled R$198.7 billion, up 27.9%. In the first half of the year, the sector's revenue grew 40.3% in comparison with the same period in 2020. Sales from January to June increased from R$ 100.2 billion. For this year, Abimaq estimates growth of 18% to 20% in the sector.

According to the entity, the results are explained by the maintenance of growth in sectors linked to agribusiness and by the recovery of areas linked to the consumption of durable and semi-durable goods. The high growth, above 45%, is also justified because the basis for comparison in 2020 is low, given the sanitary measures required to control the covid-19 pandemic.

"Growth is now very high, at 27.9% [semiannual], but we are already forecasting growth by the end of this year that should be between 18% and 20%. It's not that it will slow down, the sector will continue to accelerate, but the low base is being diluted with other larger bases from the previous year", explained the president of Abimaq, José Velloso (photo).

He adds that "[the numbers] could be better, if it weren't for the exports that are still bad compared to the average they had last year." In general, the results are considered encouraging for the machinery and equipment industry, but they are still 23.8% below the average between 2010 and 2013.

Regarding jobs, 61 thousand jobs were created in June, compared to last year. The sector employs 357,000 people directly.