Dubai – The trade delegation to the Middle East promoted this week by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) ended on Thursday (21) in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, with deals closed or practically closed with the participating companies. The trip of the delegation had the support of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
Adami S/A, a maker of wooden products, closed the sale of two containers of kits for doors, in a total of 900 units. The contact was made in Dubai, but the client is a distributor from Lebanon, according to Clemente Távora, who is in charge of the company’s commercial division. The kits include doors, door jambs and finishing.
The company operates strongly in foreign trade, with 70% participation in exports in sales and among its main markets are the United States, Europe, Canada and South Korea. Participation in the delegation, however, was the first investment in the Middle East. “It was very positive,” said Távora, who said he was surprised with the result.
Apart from the order made, the Adami representative is returning to Brazil with at least two contacts that may result in business in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and another five in Dubai. The delegation visited the two cities. To him, it is worth insisting in the market in the region. “We have spare capacity at the factory,” he said, that is, other orders may be supplied.
Another company with a successful experience in the first visit to the Middle East was Somopar, a furniture factory in Paraná. “We made six contacts with practically concrete business,” said Luiz Fernando Gasparoto, export manager.
The company is not a traditional exporter and decided to start in its operation in the foreign market in the region. “We are seeking the market in the Middle East to have margin for necessary judgement, while other companies seek other continents, like Latin America, Europe and Africa,” said Gasparoto.
The idea is to try to avoid competition with other Brazilian companies, and the manager stated that he does not fear dispute with other countries, including China. “We have a competitive price with our production scale,” he pointed out. The company’s main focus is on the supply of planned furniture for building projects.
Marc Olivier Dotto, who is responsible for the foreign trade area at Astra, a maker of bathroom products, also made contacts with building sector representatives. “They are entrepreneurs in projects who need items for bathrooms, some are interested in more popular, cheaper, products for construction sites,” he said.
The factory already sells to the Emirates, where it has two importers “who buy much”, but still aims to expand its client portfolio. “We have made good contacts that may generate results,” said Dotto.
*Translated by Mark Ament
