Amazonas, the largest producer of shoe components in Latin America, with offices in Franca, in the countryside of the southeastern state of São Paulo, has already been exporting to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates for 10 years. This year the company forecasts a growth of over 10% in foreign trade, mainly to the Arab countries.
Author: Geovana Pagel
At the end of April, the Brazilian cosmetic industry will have an exclusive pavilion in Beautyworld Middle East – Gulf Beauty 2004, at Dubai World Trade Centre. Each year, the Arab market shows itself more receptive to Brazilian products. Saudi Arabia, for example, is already the second largest destination for export of Brazilian fragrances.
In the last day of the event, another two companies from Saudi Arabia visited the Brazilian stand. One of them got in contact with Sansuy plastics, which already sells to the Arab market and intends to increase trade with the region this year.
The exhibition, which is the largest business event in Egypt, was considered "excellent" by the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Paulo Atallah. For this purpose, in 2005, the CCAB stand at the event will be doubled in size.
The Brazilian Zebu Breeders Association, which has a stand at the 37th Cairo International Fair, is going to export 300,000 heads of cattle per year to Egypt. Two Brazilian companies, Criogen, a producer of tanks and containers for compressed and liquefied gas, and Ataforma, which makes extractors and moulds for ice-cream, both participating in the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) stand, have announced good results. The first is negotiating a joint venture with an Egyptian company, and
Businessman Stephen Mazyuk visited the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce stand at Cairo International Fair, showing interest in establishing a partnership for toy import and export, and for technology transfer between both countries. Brazilian company Ataforma, which works with ice-cream moulds and extractors, is in negotiation with two Egyptian importers.
The export consortium Brazilian Cattle Genetics (BCG), established by the Brazilian Zebu Breeders Association (ABCZ) to increase export of semen and live animals, counts on the support of the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex) and is planning to invest around US$ 900,000 in marketing for promotion of the Brazilian cattle genetic material. ABCZ has a stand at the Cairo International Fair.
Two large Saudi companies interested in sectors that include building material and consumer goods, like shoes, cosmetics, and food, have started negotiating with Brazilian businessmen. Cairo International Fair makes business opportunities with around 80 different countries possible.
With investment of around US$ 480,000 and actions for promotion, plus participation in international fairs, the Brazilian government and the Union of the Industry of Rubber Devices in the State of São Paulo (Sindibor), hope to increase sector export, mainly by small companies, from U$ 560,000 to US$ 610,000. Another target is to open 1,164 new jobs in 22 companies participating in 2004, and another 1,257 in 2005.
Even before official opening of the fair, which is at its 37th edition and includes various industrial sectors, a Brazilian company has already done business. Businessmen from South America see the fair as an opportunity to enter the Egyptian market, already the main buyer of Brazilian products in the Arab world.
For the first time, a Brazilian company in the alcohol and sugar sector invests in a sugar mill outside the country, in Homs, Syria. Crystalsev, from the city of Ribeirão Preto, in the southeastern state of São Paulo, joined forces with three Syrian companies and Cargill Africa for the investment of US$ 150 million in one year. Land levelling has already begun and the mill should go into operation in the second half of 2005.
Falacal produces and exports infant shoes to Latin and Central America, and to countries in the Middle East, such as Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The great target for 2004 is to return to trading and increase export to the Arab market, through a partnership with an export agent or a local distributor.
The furniture sector fair will bring together 430 exhibitors from 14 Brazilian states up to next Friday (12). The governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul mentioned reduction of export cost at the official opening of the event.
The owners of company Guanabara, from the centre-western state of Mato Grosso do Sul, intend to expand their product mix by including food and shoes to their current trade basket of bed, table, and bath fabrics. In the plans of the businessmen is the opening of a distributor or a representation office in the region.
