São Paulo – The Secretariat of Trade, Industry, Services and Tourism of the City of Campinas is going to organize a mission of businessmen to attend the Big 5 Show, the Middle East’s leading construction industry trade fair, due November 22nd to 25th in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
The attendance was confirmed this Wednesday (1st) by secretary Rui Rabelo during a meeting at the head offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo. This is the municipality’s first time organizing a group of businessmen to exhibit at a Middle Eastern fair.
According to Rabelo, going to the Big 5 is part of a development-inducing project of the secretariat, and the Middle East is a region that the municipality considers as having "great potential."
The mission to Dubai will be organized in collaboration with the Secretariat of International Cooperation, the Secretariat of Urban Planning and Development of Campinas, the local branch of the São Paulo State Civil Construction Industry Union (Sinduscon), and the local branch of the Centre of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Ciesp).
"We are expecting to attract many businessmen, and hoping that they will regard the fair not only as a business opportunity, but also as a chance of getting to know new cultures and envision new businesses," says Rabelo. "I believe there is a lot that Campinas needs to show, and we are also going in order to present Campinas as a potential investment target for people who seek Brazil to do business," he explains.
In addition to the participation of businessmen, the city will have an institutional presence at the fair, including video screenings, a panel and promotional material.
Rabelo underscores that the metropolitan region of Campinas houses large industries that manufacture floor and wall tiles, bathroom accessories, paint, and also major construction companies. He also highlights the presence of a leading technology hub, including 11 research centres and two universities.
To the secretary, businessmen must have a comprehensive outlook on participating in the Big 5. "It is an opportunity to do business, but also to become aware of the market, to learn what technologies they have, what competitors are doing, what the world is doing in terms of construction."
According to Rabelo, Campinas is undergoing a major real estate expansion, and needs to attract investment into its hotels, especially in the convention centre and trade show segment. "We have great investment and business opportunities in Campinas, and we are attracting heavy construction industry groups from all over the world."
Large enterprises that should be built in the region include two railway transport projects, one linking the centre of Campinas to the airport of Viracopos and another that will connect the cities of São Paulo, Campinas and Rio de Janeiro.
"We are expanding the urban area by approximately 20 million square metres. This expansion will enable heavy investment in logistics, industry, services, and foreign trade. This opportunity for real estate growth will translate into heavy investment for private enterprises. After the expansion of the Viracopos airport, it should probably become the leader in cargo transport in Brazil. That should create a demand for a series of services in the vicinities of Viracopos, and of all the cities that comprise our metropolitan region," the secretary finishes off.
During the meeting at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rui Rabelo spoke to the secretary general of the organization, Michel Alaby, the Foreign Trade manager, Francisca Barros, and the Marketing manager, Andréa Monteiro. The secretary was accompanied by Ali El-Khatib, the coordinator of the Centre for Arab Studies at the University of Campinas.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
