A news study by the IBGE, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Annual Research on the Construction Industry, shows that in 2004, in comparison to the previous year, the total construction works and services executed by Brazil’s building companies increased, in values, 12.2%, adding to about US$ 41.87 billion.

The small companies are leading in participation in the constructions works carried out, with 41.7% of the total, although that represents a reduction in relation to 2003.

The large companies, on the other hand, increased their participation, going from 23.7% to 27.7% of the total value of the works done. The medium sized companies went from 26.2% to 30.5%.

The research by the IBGE registered 109,000 construction companies in activity in the country. The total number of jobs generated by these companies in 2004 (1.6 million) surpassed by 6.3% that registered in the previous year.

The average monthly wages paid by these companies kept the same level as in 2003: three minimum wages (currently the equivalent to about US$ 467.68).

The increase seen in employment and in the activities of the construction companies in 2004 happened in a differentiated manner in the different regions of Brazil.

The Midwest had the best performance, expanding their participation from 7% to 7.8%, in the case of employment, and from 8% to 8.6%, in activities.

The Southeast region, which concentrates more than half of both jobs and activities, kept its participation stable in terms of the values of constructions done, going from 55.9% to 55.5%. In the case of people employed, the variation registered was of 50.9% to 51.2%.

A small advance was also registered in the North of Brazil, which slightly increased its participation in employment (from 6.1% to 6.4%) and in construction works done (from 15.4% to 15.6%). The statistics for the Northeast remained stable in employment (from 19.9% to 19.8%) and value of constructions (15.4% to 15.6%).

On an inverse trend, the South reduced their participation in the two cases: employment was reduced from 16% to 14.9% and the total built from 14.4% to 13.8%.

ABr