São Paulo – Focused in developing and adapting audio visual signaling devices for vehicles such as police cars and ambulances (pictured above), Flash Engenharia found its way into the Arab market. The products created by the company are electronic equipment that has taken the place of the old mechanical light bar. The Brazilian company exported its first shipment to the United Arab Emirates and expects other three deals.
“I stress this because we developed [the product] and exported it even during the pandemic. If it weren’t for that, we’d surely be in a more advanced stage,” the company’s founder Pedro Reis told ANBA.
The shipment took place following his first trip to the UAE, which was accompanied by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC). “I learned about the ABCC and, during our first trip to the UAE last January, I visited two trade shows and visited potential clients. I spent over 10 days there,” Reis said.
Soon after the trip to the Arab country, the novel coronavirus pandemic escalated and slowed the negotiations. But the businessman saw it as a moment to work on what he had learned during the mission. “I came back with a lot of homework. Based on the demand we identified, we developed a product focused on these clients. The first client made the purchase and, although the volume was small, it’s very significant for us,” Reis said about the exported devices.
Being in an Arab country was a unique opportunity for the businessman to understand the local needs. “The Arabs are very demanding clients. That is how the ABCC stands out, by preparing us and helping us to have a concern for these clients. They are big companies, so we have a major responsibility that our Brazilian product is sturdy and the meets the international standards,” Reis explained.
Back from his trip, the businessman explained to his research and engineering team what had to be adapted in the models. “For the product to be in the market, it must meet all the standards, including vibration and temperature. Dubai is a very hot city. That is something I thought about when I came back. The product ranged from 48 to 63 degrees. And now we managed to reach a solution,” he said.
Founded in 2002 in the city of Sorocaba, São Paulo, the company started exporting four years ago. At first, focused on the Latin America, Flash had clients in Uruguay, Colombia and Peru. This year, though, the mission to the Gulf made the company broaden its horizons. The company invested in its foreign sale department, which used to feature only Reis, and now has employees focused on the Arab markets and Latin America.
The exports still account for a small share of the company’s sales, just 3%. But the goal is reaching 30% over the next two years, and a target market is Saudi Arabia. Thus, Reis points out he expects the on-site activities and trade shows in the UAE to come back, so that he can make connections in the region. “The UAE holds major international business events, and due the pandemic, it stopped welcoming businesspeople. I intended to have an agent there in the UAE because I need to show the product. This on-site side is important for us,” he stressed.
Watch below a video where Reis explains the company’s operations:
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
