Dubai – Brazilian companies participating in the Big 5 Show expect the business volume generated by the building sector fair in the United Arab Emirates to reach US$ 7.5 million, according to estimates by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), alongside the 15 exhibitors, disclosed on Thursday (25), the last day of the fair.
The Brazilian stand covered 280 square metres at the export pavilion of the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Company estimates show that some 2,500 commercial contacts were made.
Andréa Monteiro Uhlmann, from the Arab Brazilian Chamber, pointed out two differentials of participation by Brazilian companies in this edition of the fair: diversification of products and the presence of companies that had not participated in the fair before, among them Tecnoflash, Top Telha, the GCM consortium, Bom Bril and ihouse. "The initiative of diversification this year was interesting," she said.
The director at ihouse, Wilson Stambon, for example, said that the event "was excellent". "Visibility is great, not just in Dubai, but in Abu Dhabi and in neighbouring countries," he said. "Our product was a novelty, there was great interest in the technology," added the executive at the company, which produces showers, bathtubs and other automatic household appliances.
ihouse already has an office and showroom in Dubai, managed by Rodrigo Diel, the sales director, but has not yet exported to the Middle East. “We are starting activities," said Stambon. The company belongs to businessman Leonardo Senna, the brother of Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, who passed away in 1994.
Big 5 2010 has finished, but next year it will be back, also bringing a Saudi edition. Large and slightly confusing for those visiting it, the fair should have some changes in 2011, which may include reorganisation of the stands by sector.
*Translated by Mark Ament
