São Paulo – This year’s edition of the Hospitalar fair should stir up business between Arabs and Brazilians. The Brazilian neonatal care equipment manufacturer Fanem established an office in Jordan, in January, to boost its sales in the Arab world. On the other hand, the Egyptian company Euromed is getting set to open an office in São Paulo soon. Up until next Friday (27th), the Hospitalar 2011 will host business roundtables that should lead to greater sales between Brazilians and Arabs at Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo.
According to the vice-chairman of Euromed, Wael Reda Abdou, the company will start operating an office in São Paulo in the next few days. The location has not been defined yet, but he guarantees that it will be in the vicinities of Paulista Avenue. He is taking advantage of the event to meet partners and buyers. “Our target is to sell US$ 50 million per year to Brazil by 2014. Having an office in São Paulo will enable us to work near our buyers and provide better assistance to our clients,” he said.
Euromed posts average annual revenues of US$ 6 million from sales to Brazil, its best buyer out of the 36 countries to which it sells. Before the end of the year, the company should increase the number of products that it places on the Brazilian market from two to ten. Although it is an important buyer, Brazil also poses challenges to Euromed. According to Abdou, the company is adapting a production line to meet the Brazilian needs. “It is worth it, because Brazil is a strong buyer, a major partner of ours,” he says.
While Euromed prepares to arrive in the country, Fanem is expanding its operations in the Arab world. The company based in the municipality of Guarulhos opened an office in Jordan in January. Presently, 80% of revenues of the manufacturer of neonatal care, biosafety and laboratory equipment come from Brazil. The remaining 20% of the Guarulhos-based company’s revenues originate from exports. In this sector, the Arabs account for 35% of the total, and their share is increasing. The company hopes to expand the region’s share even further.
This Tuesday (24th), during the visit of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce’s CEO, Michel Alaby, to the Fanem booth, the company‘s industrial director, Djalma Luiz Rodrigues, stated that the company intends to expand its business in the region. The leading market for Fanem in the Arab world is Iraq, followed by Saudi Arabia and Morocco. “I believe Iraq may grow a lot and we want to contribute to raise the quality of life in the country. Sudan also holds great promise,” he says.
The three professionals at the office in Jordan take turns in sales, assistance and training to operate the equipment made by the Brazilian company. In September, the company is going to inaugurate a plant in Bangalore, India. The production line, however, is going to supply the local market. “Initially, the factory is going to supply the Indian market, but in the future it may come to serve other countries in the region,” says Rodrigues.
The Hospitalar fair will remain open at Expo Center Norte up until Friday (27th). The event is going to include business roundtables. Other companies in the Arab world, such as the Egyptian Pharmaplast, are getting ready to close sales during Hospitalar.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum