Baseline scenario
Pultruded FRP profile, 90 × 90 × 2,000 mm, 250 daN nominal load, 350 daN exceptional load, 500 daN minimum breaking load and 10 kg maximum weight. Drilling, UV protection, flame retardancy and testing must follow the utility specification.
Recommended process
Pultrusion produces a continuous profile using longitudinal fibers, mats or veils, polyester resin and additives. After cutting, the crossarm receives controlled drilling, finishing, end caps, identification and inspection. Fiber orientation and content must be validated by calculation and testing.
Estimated factory cost per unit
Basis: industrial purchases by the metric ton; E-glass at US$1,100–1,850/t (US$1.10–1.85/kg) and UPR resin at US$1,400–2,100/t (US$1.40–2.10/kg); reference PTAX of BRL 5.1575 per USD 1 on September 18, 2026.
| Item | Assumption | USD/unit |
|---|---|---|
| Glass reinforcement / roving | 4.8 kg | $5.28–$8.88 |
| Polyester resin (bulk assumption) | 1.9 kg | $2.66–$3.99 |
| UV, flame-retardant additives and surface veil | — | $3.50–$5.50 |
| End caps, identification and packaging | — | $2.00–$3.50 |
| Labor, energy, cutting, drilling and finishing | — | $6.80–$10.70 |
| Quality, depreciation and factory overhead | — | $6.80–$10.70 |
| Process loss allowance | — | $1.50–$2.50 |
| Estimated total | 90×90×2000 mm | $28.54–$45.77 |
Brazilian retail: comparison, not the cost basis
For pultruded crossarms, the appropriate comparison is continuous direct roving. The public reference checked lists approximately 22 kg packages; chopped fiber and mat are different formats and do not directly replace production roving.
| Format | Observed price | USD/kg |
|---|---|---|
| 2400/4000 tex direct roving · ~22 kg | BRL 345.71–363.90 per package | US$3.05–3.21 |
| Chopped fiber · retail packages | BRL 21.99–31.40 per kg | US$4.26–6.09 |
These prices are shown only for comparison. The study cost basis uses purchases by the metric ton: glass fiber at US$1.10–1.85/kg and UPR resin at US$1.40–2.10/kg.
UPR resin: international and wholesale market
As a market reference for finished unsaturated polyester resin, regional prices observed in Q2 2026 were US$1,205/t in China, US$1,310/t in the United States, US$1,760/t in Europe and US$2,020/t in Southeast Asia, with a global average of US$1,574/t. The budget uses a conservative procurement range of US$1,400–2,100/t.
Oil and derivatives, styrene, maleic anhydride, ocean freight, region, formulation, purity grade and contracted volume affect the final price. Mordor’s US$1,400–2,100/t range refers to maleic anhydride, a UPR feedstock, and should not be presented as a finished-resin quotation.
Flame-retardant package: initial quantity per crossarm
For the 1.9 kg of UPR resin in the baseline scenario, the initial development window is 20–25 phr decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and 4–5 phr antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃). Phr means parts by mass per 100 parts of resin.
| Component | Initial loading | Quantity per unit |
|---|---|---|
| DBDPE · brominated flame retardant | 20–25 phr | 0.380–0.475 kg |
| Sb₂O₃ · synergist | 4–5 phr | 0.076–0.095 kg |
| Flame-retardant package | 24–30 phr | 0.456–0.570 kg |
Use DBDPE (decabromodiphenyl ethane), not decaBDE (decabromodiphenyl ether). DecaBDE is a persistent pollutant subject to prohibitions and narrow exemptions in several markets. This formulation is an engineering starting point: the resin supplier, dispersion, viscosity, cure, smoke, mechanical and electrical properties and the utility flame test must define the final recipe.
Public price benchmarks
| Lot | Reference | USD/unit |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 units | 2026 public planning price · 90×112.5×2000 mm | $53.15 |
| 1,000 units | 2026 public planning price · 90×112.5×2400 mm | $63.06 |
| 250 units | 2025 public contract · 90×90×2000 mm | $83.37 |
Indicative commercial range: US$48–68 per unit for a standard volume product, before taxes and freight. Smaller lots, special tests or unique drilling may exceed this range.
Reference conversion
Equivalent in BRL: R$ 247,56–R$ 350,71 (indicative commercial range).
Sources and criteria
- COCEL — ET.COCEL.204-00
- Touros/RN — Pregão 11/2025
- Banco Central do Brasil — PTAX
- Industrial study input: E-glass at US$1,100–1,850/t and UPR resin at US$1,400–2,100/t. Confirm specification, freight, import clearance, taxes and formal quotations.
- UPR regional prices and global average — Q2 2026
- Mordor Intelligence — maleic anhydride as a UPR cost driver
- LANXESS — DBDPE flame-retardant product guide
- US EPA — restrictions on decaBDE