These are the companies that sell to the US more

May 25, 2011 - Only one company, Ecopetrol, accounts for 36 percent of exports to the United States, and leads the ranks of the 3,904 firms that sell to that country and awaiting the approval of the free trade agreement (FTA ) to be even more competitive with their sales.

The following other oil of the ladder, followed by companies exporting gold, then bananas and flowers are placed.

The first ten of the classification account for 66 percent of exports to the United States, while the top 50 to 85 percent sold.

The remaining 15 percent is divided among 3,854 companies.

This is shown by an analysis of the Virtual Business Center (NVC), based on data from the Dian, noting that last year US exports to Colombia 16,811,000 dollars.

On the other hand, were imported from the north country 10,477,000 dollars, a figure of which 24 per cent corresponded to the first 50 companies in the ranks.

Ecopetrol, the largest seller in the United States, in 2010 the country sold 6.096 million dollars. Followed by Pacific Rubiales Energy, with 1,127 million dollars, and Hocol (subsidiary of the former) with 1,049,000.

If you add another subordinate Hocol and Ecopetrol Refinery Cartagena (Reficar), on the eighth place, chop reaches 44.7 percent.



Big Spenders


As for imports, the leader is again Ecopetrol 1,078 million (16 per cent); Carbones de Cerrejon, with 450 million, and Reficar, with 275.3 million dollars.



If Ecopetrol Group companies, including Propilco a resin manufacturer, its participation in the purchase amount from 10.3 to 14.9 percent add up.



What Colombia's exports in value and volume to the United States is oil and coal, and among the most important are petrochemicals, aircraft spare parts, weapons and agricultural commodities such as corn and soya.En the ranks, acquisitions are also evident Reficar has made to expand capacity and are tied to some equipment purchases in the United States. On Friday, the Ex-Im Bank will guarantee approved a credit for 2,840 million dollars to buy equipment to about 150 US firms, generating some 15,000 jobs in the country for four years.



In the ranking of exports to the United States glow, among other companies, Gutierrez and Company, C.I. Precious Metals and C.I. Goldex, exporting gold.



According to the Commerce Department, Colombia, which exported 300 million dollars worth of gold in 2005, it went on to place 1,433 million last year.



As for oil, Colombia is one of the countries with the highest surge in sales during the last five years, although in 2010 the refineries operated under capacity, due to lower demand and reduced gasoline margins.



3,276 million sold in 2005, went on to place 8,832,000 dollars last year. It ranks eighth among US suppliers.



Importers are waiting for the TLC


Mauricio Campillo, president of Solla S.A. which he brought 70.2 million US dollars, mainly soy beans and corn says while purchases from that country have not fallen stalled because without NAFTA, the tariff in force is 5 percent, compared with Mercosur countries, where it is zero, and diversify purchases.

"The implementation of the FTA would most competitive American raw materials, but even with tariff would buy more if other countries do not find the quantities we need," he adds.

The employer ensures that the soy farmers association has warned the US government who lose jobs and competitiveness with the delay of the FTA.

Among the largest importers of equipment to Colombia from the United States is Gecolsa, representative of the Caterpillar brand, one of the companies who have criticized the delay in the study of the FTA in the US Congress, since it is one of its most important markets Latin America. Gecolsa imports 228 million dollars a year and is the sixth largest importer.