Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – Ceras Vegetais do Piauí (CVP), a carnauba wax processing industry in northeastern Brazil, exports around 80% of its production to Europe, the United States, China, India, and Syria. In 2002, company revenue was US$ 678,000. Up to the end of 2003, revenue estimates are US$ 1.356 million.
CVP, located in Piripiri, in the northeastern state of Piauí, has monthly production of around 80 kilograms of carnauba wax, and has representatives in the main cities in Brazil. Abroad, thanks to publicity on the internet, and e-mail exchange, the company has managed to make an agreement with a Syrian representative.
Businessman Catarino Barbosa, owner of CVP, says that the company is used to consulting embassies and consulates to locate the main potential markets. "It is very probable that next year we will manage to trade with new customers in many countries," he states.
Syria currently buys 10% of the wax produced by the Piripiri based company. In 2002 US$ 20,000 in the product were imported, and this year the total should be approximately US$ 25,000. "In 2004 we hope to develop business with new customers and do trade of between US$ 100,000 and 150,000 with the Arab countries," says Barbosa.
Carnauba wax may be used in a variety of applications, such as, for example, in the production of polishing wax (floors, shoes, cars), in the paper and packaging industry, in the production of paint, in the cosmetic industry (lipstick, nail varnish), food industry (chewing gum, chocolate, fruit) and also in the pharmaceutical industry, as a container.
"The type 1 wax, the noblest type we produce, is used by Nasa (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – in the USA) for the production of computer chips," comments Barbosa.
Since the beginning of operation, in February 2000, the industry has counted on modern machinery, equipment, and installations. Within its purchase and sales structure, CVP generates around 400 direct, and another 3,000 indirect jobs.
Carnauba palm
Carnauba wax is a natural product extracted from the leaves of the carnauba palm, also called the "Tree of Life". The waxy powder is submitted to different phases of purification, such as sieving, cooking, washing, and air clarification, all depending on the quality of the powder and of the wax to be produced.
Carnauba wax is easily emulsified, and the process needs no special equipment. The palm leaves are renewable every year, meaning that the wax is collected from the cut leaves that would anyway dry up and fall off.
Brazil Citizenship Award for Export
CVP is one of the finalists of the 2003 Brazil Citizenship Award for Export, promoted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian Institute of Citizenship Development, with the support of the Foreign Relations Ministry and the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex).
The award is in homage to export companies that develop projects turned to the community. CVP is developing project "Giving Life", which supports suburban populations that are lacking material possessions, spiritual, and psychological assistance.
One of the great objectives is to end the "vicious circle" of poor people who beg in the streets and trade areas of the city.
The businessman who decides to adhere to this project guarantees a certain amount of money for the purchase of food, clothes, or medicine that will be dished out. The donations are made to a philanthropic entity in Piripiri, which operates through volunteers.
Contact
CVP
Telephone: (+5586) 276. 0152
www.cvpiaui.tripod.com.br
