Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – Fábrica de Aparelhos Nacionais de Eletro-Medicina (Fanem) exports to 55 countries and discovered the Arab world three years ago. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Syria currently represent 40% of company export. The estimate is to increase trade in 2004 by at least 50%, states Marlene Schmidt Rodrigues, executive director of Fanem.
The company is a leader in the neonatal sector in Brazil, and produces equipment for newly born children, such as incubators and special cribs in the medical line, and chambers and freezers for vaccines in the laboratory line. "We are the face of Brazilian maternities. We are in practically all Brazilian hospitals," says the Fanem executive.
Fanem export started in the 1970s, to Latin America. "The first country was Colombia," says Marlene. Among other countries other than Arab that receive Fanem export are Germany, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Denmark, Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia.
"We had our export boom in 2002", explains the director. This year the company commemorates a 68% increase in international sales. "Of all Brazilian neonatal incubators exported annually, 97% are made by Fanem", she explains.
The neonatal products sold abroad are incubators, intensive care units, digital control, air temperature microprocessors, hospital beds, phototherapy, bilispot, and heat radiating cribs. In the laboratory and research areas are chambers for blood conservation and vaccines, centrifuges, autoclaves and sterilizers.
According to the director, initial contact with the Arab world took place in 2000. "Firstly at the São Paulo hospital fair, and then it was consolidated at the Medica fair in Düsseldorf, Germany," stated Marlene Rodrigues. The Arabs import their entire neonatal line and some of their line of laboratory products.
According to the executive, maintenance and technical service are Fanem strong points. "A proof of this is that we frequently receive groups from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria who come to Brazil exclusively for training," she states.
Arab demands
Marlene also pointed out that Arab clients are "very friendly, but also very demanding." She recognizes, still, that due to these demands, especially in technical quality, the company has been obliged to improve and grow. Nowadays, for example, the company has CE (European Community) specifications, the quality certification demanded in Europe. "With this we have become credible worldwide," she explained. Fanem is also ISO 9001 and Good Manufacturing Practice certified.
For 2004, the company expects growth of at least 50%, and intends to prospect new markets. "We will again participate in the fairs organized by Apex (the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency), and will accompany government missions," she guarantees.
From November 19 to 22, Fanem will be participating in the Medica 2003 fair, in Düsseldorf, Germany. In December, during the Brazilian Week & Trade Exhibition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the president of the Association of the Manufacturers of Medical and Dental Products (Abimo), Djalma Luiz Rodrigues, will represent the company. And, in January 2004, the company will exhibit its products at the sector trade fair in Dubai.
The company
Fanem, is located in Guarulhos, the second largest city in the southeastern state of São Paulo, and was founded in 1924, by Arthur Schmidt. The company, a genuinely Brazilian capital company, is now studying the best place in Europe to set up a subsidiary, to facilitate equipment shipping.
The company generates 250 direct jobs and approximately 100 indirect jobs, and has a team of engineers for product development, technical service, and training in Brazil and abroad.
Contact
Fanem
Phone: (+5511) 6972-5700
www.fanem.com.br
