São Paulo – Since 2010, technology by the Rio Grande do Sul-based company Tlantic has been present in the Arab world. A developer of software programs for the retail sector, the company exports software to children’s clothing and apparel stores in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and plans to expand its operations in the Middle East.
Owned by the Portuguese retail group Sonae, Tlantic was founded in Brazil in 2004 to cater to the holding company’s needs in the country, and eventually in other markets too. “We have important software modules at Sonae. Upon entering Saudi Arabia, Sonae brought Tlantic along with it,” says Tlantic chairman Paulo Magalhães. “We are also active in Egypt and Turkey,” says the executive, who was Sonae’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) for 15 years, up until early 2011.
In Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Tlantic’s software programs are used at store chain Ziddy, the Arab-adapted named of a brand originally named Zippy, which was also established in 2004 and sells clothing and apparel for children aged 0 to 14. “Our software does management, maintenance, and store operations,” says Magalhães. There are at least five Ziddy stores in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Tlantic chairman, the company hopes to grow in the Arab world, and that does not include Sonae stores alone. “The Arab market, specially the Middle East, is very interesting because retail is highly developed there, in terms of both international and local brands. We are paying attention to opportunities in the region,” he says. Among the Arab countries, Magalhães singles out the United Arab Emirates as the main target for his company’s software programs.
With regard to the language, Magalhães explains that software by Tlantic is multilingual. “The programs were originally [exported] in English and later on they were adapted to Arabic, based on client communication needs,” the executive explains.
The Tlantic headquarters are located in the Scientific and Technological Park of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), in Porto Alegre. The company has 100 employees and approximately 80% of its production targets the foreign market. In 2011 the company posted 8 million euros in revenues. The company has clients in eight countries: Brazil, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Spain, Ireland and Turkey.
Around 80% of the exported programs go to Sonae group stores. “But that rate tends to decrease in 2012,” says Magalhães, signalling with the company’s intention to diversify its portfolio of clients. “We are doing commercial prospecting,” he says.
In Brazil, Tlantic has clients such as supermarket chains Pão de Açúcar and Extra, cosmetics chain O Boticário, and car rental chains Localiza and Unidas. In addition to the headquarters ni Porto Alegre, Tlantic has offices in Portugal and Spain.
Contact
Tlantic
Telephone: +55 51 3320-1600
Email: info@tlantic.com.br
Website: www.tlantic.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
