ACR LATINOAMÉRICA conducted an analysis of the behavior of the Latino CVAC/R and building automation market during 2008, with the help of some of the most important companies in the industry. According to the data provided by the companies interviewed, a growth trend continues to occur and everything seems to indicate that 2008 will close with positive figures.The claims of those directly related to this market are quite encouraging and usually offer growth expectations that are above the region's forecast.
This year will go down in economic history as the period when it was proven that not even the most powerful nation in the world could be safe from an economic debacle caused by multiple factors. Latin America, as expected, could do little to free itself from this economic spiral, and in addition to the falls in the most important stock markets in the region, these countries have had to face quite negative elements such as the fall in the prices of several raw materials such as copper and oil thanks to cuts in demand; which in turn will lead to a fall in consumption in the region, as purchasing power in these countries is obviously being reduced.
In addition, preliminary figures from the IMF indicate that in the coming year the region will grow by only 2.5% and some of the most complicated cases are expected for Mexico and the United States, where the growth expectation is around 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively.
However, despite this panorama, it can be said in general that 2008 was a positive year for the industry. Once again, the growth that has been seen in the regional economies, at least until the end of this year, can be considered as the factor that most boosted the consumption of air conditioning solutions, added to some growth observed in construction; the increase in food production, on the other hand, boosted the consumption of refrigeration solutions and this in turn was reflected in the demand for evaporators and condensers.
On the other hand, global concern about energy consumption also reached Latin America, more specifically the Central American countries, which are importers of oil. This situation stimulated the commercialization of control devices; refrigerants were not far behind and the current transition of substitution of substances harmful to the environment did the same with the consumption of "ecological" substances.
