Geovana Pagel
São Paulo -Comil business with the Arab countries has already generated 200 new jobs this year. In July, as previously informed by ANBA, the Brazilian bus and bus body maker, based in the city of Erechim, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, won a tender for the sale of 273 buses to Taseco, the largest bus operator in the region, with offices in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Now, while working on supplying the Saudi order, the company awaits the result of three new tenders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. "We are betting on these countries to continue increasing sales on the Arab market," stated Comil export manager, Aderbal Marchi. According to him, there is also a possibility of future negotiations with Syria and Tunisia.
Last Tuesday (10), Kareem Al-Saihati, general manager of Taseco, visited Comil to evaluate bus prototypes developed especially for the Arab market. The vehicles have a water reservoir for the Muslim pilgrims to wash their hands and feed before praying.
"The result of this visit was excellent. Al-Saihati evaluated and approved both prototypes. He said he liked the result very much, and stated that we will certainly do more business in coming years," commemorated Marchi.
Apart from visiting the factory, the Saudi businessman participated in a reception at Erechim city hall, and had lunch at the house of one of the Comil owners. "He (Al-Saihati) stated that he was very pleased as he saw that Brazilians, like the Arabs, give great value to family," explained Marchi.
Taseco purchased 200 units of highway model Campione 3.45, with a Volkswagen 17.260-EOT chassis (in Volkswagen nomenclature, "E" means electronic, and "OT" means rear-engine vehicles), and 73 Svelto urban buses on the same chassis.
The urban buses will circle around Meca and the highway buses will transport people during the pilgrimage to the sacred city. The order will be delivered in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of November.
Export
Between 2001 and 2003 Comil export rose 180%. The foreign market is currently responsible for 40% of company revenues. Last year, 499 units were exported.
With entry in the Middle East, the estimate is that export may rise even more. In the first half of this year, the company has already sold the same as it sold in the whole of 2003.
Twenty-five countries are currently included in the list of Comil clients, and the company already exports to South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Profile
The company head office, in the city of Erechim, includes a 30,000 square metre industrial park, on a 120,000 square metre plot of land, and the company hires 1,500 people.
Established in 1986, Comil Bodies and Buses Ltd. is currently one of the main producers of buses and bodies in the country. The company produces highway buses, inter-municipal buses, urban buses, microbuses, and minibuses.
Contact
Tel: (+55 11) 3849-1466
e-mail: comil.aderbal@uol.com.br
Site: www.comilonibus.com.br
