São Paulo – Two Brazilian companies, Fanem and Impol, are ready to sell more in the health product market in Syria. Together with another three factories of products and equipment for the medical and hospital sector, they are going to participate in Healthcare, a fair in the area to take place in Damascus, the capital of the Arab country, from April 15th to 18th. Participation in the fair is promoted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty).
Fanem, which makes from neonatal incubators to surgical breathers, should participate in the fair aiming at expanding sales to the region. “Syria is one of the countries to which we do not sell much,” explained the export manager at Fanem, José Flosi. The Arab market is the second main buyer of company products in the world, losing only to Latin America. Another reason for participation in the fair in Damascus is that Fanem hired a distributor for its products in the country one year ago.
Fanem has been in operation for 85 years and has been exporting for 25 years. With a factory in Guarulhos and offices in São Paulo, the company makes products that reach 90 countries. Exports answer to 30% of production. The Syrians have been clients for three years. According to Flosi, the Arab market is excellent in the area. He says that restriction to purchases by the United States and Europe, for political reasons, caused the demand to be turned to Brazil. At Healthcare, the company should show equipment that is available at the distributor’s showroom.
Impol, a maker of implants and orthopaedic prosthetics, should participate in the fair hoping to open the market. While participating in the Arabhealth, a fair in the health sector in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The company noticed the demand in Syria, explained the export manager at Impol, Margarete Nacajune. The company has only made sporadic sales to the Arab market, to countries like Egypt, the Emirates, Morocco and Jordan. The Impol objective, with participation in Arab fairs, also in Syria, is to establish distributors.
Impol was established in 1977 and was born as an importer. Around 25 years ago, however, the company purchased a factory in Brazil and started supplying the Brazilian and South American markets with national produce. It has an industrial unit in Diadema, in the state of São Paulo, and 60 employees. The Latin American market, according Margarete, is the main market for the company. “The Arab market needs more development,” she said. But Impol is investing in that. The company exports 40% of produce, but plans to reach 70% between 2011 and 2013.
Apart from Fanem and Impol, companies Ibramed, União Química and Takaoka are going to participate in the Healthcare. The Arab Brazilian Chamber should be represented at the fair by secretary general Michel Alaby, in the company of Foreign Trade assistant Nádia Abdallah and Marketing assistant Filipe Ferraz. Apart from participating in the fair, there should also be other activities in the sidelines, like a visit to the Ministry of Health and to the Syrian Medication Company.
*Translated by Mark Ament
