ECUADOR - In the first quarter of 2019 (1Q-2019) Ecuadorian imports of decor papers by the country’s two wooden panel manufacturers, Novopan del Ecuador and Aglomerados Cotopaxi, reached 6.37 million representing a strong increase of 58.6% compared to the 1Q-2018 (USD 4.01 million).

This growth results from the penetration of the Ecuadorian added value panels in the domestic and export markets.

The country’s largest panel manufacturer, Novopan, grew its decor paper imports by 66.8% in the period, going from USD 3.25 million in the 1Q-2018 to USD 5.42 million in the 1Q-2019.

Ecuador’s main international supplier of decor papers in the 1Q-2019 was Impress Decor with USD 2.55 million, up 45.9% compared to the 1Q-2018 (USD 1.74 million) and a 39.9% share of total decor paper imports in the 1Q-2019. Schattdecor followed with USD 1.94 million and 80.4% growth compared to the 1Q-2018 (USD 1.06 million) that represented 32.2% of total decor paper import in the 1Q-2019.

Austria was the main supplier country with USD 2.5 million in the 1Q-2019, followed by Italy (USD 2.06 million) - that had the highest growth among the main supplying countries - and by Spain with shipments for USD 1.06 million.