Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – Deca, a producer of bathroom metals and ceramics, and part of Duratex group, will be shipping its first container of products to Lebanon today (14). Export to the Lebanese distributor is the result of company participation in the largest civil construction fair in the Arab countries, Big 5, which took place in Dubai in December 2003.
"The fair generated many good contacts. There was an importer from Bahrain, for example, who wanted to buy a container at the fair itself," explained Rodrigo Lanari, responsible for the Deca export area. "As the sanitary ceramic market follows specific norms for each country, we preferred to send samples first," he explained.
According to Lanari, this decision paid off. "We had to modify the sizes of the products. We are now negotiating an order," he completed. "Our main objectives, showing our brand, products, and making contact with new markets, was fulfilled," he guaranteed.
Deca has been interest in the Arab market for a long time. For two years, Deca has been represented in the region by a Brazilian agent who speaks Arabic fluently and visits the Arab countries in the Middle East frequently. The company has also prepared advertising material, such as catalogues and cards in Arabic and English, especially for international fairs such as Big 5.
According to Lanari, Saudi Arabia closed the first order about a year and a half ago. "It was a spot sale. The process is slow, but as the region has good potential markets, we must continue working there until we close contracts that establish regular export," he evaluated.
Lanari explained that since participation in the civil construction fair, the United Arab Emirates is the country where the most requests for project analysis have been made, and Kuwait, also a market for government projects, has great business potential as it may be as a supply centre for the reconstruction of Iraq.
In the second half of this year, Deca should return to the region, probably to participate in fairs again and/or in trade missions. "We are also organizing a visit by an importer/distributor from the United Arab Emirates to Brazil," he explained.
Investment of US$ 400,000
In 2004, Deca plans to increase export participation in division revenue by 50%. To grow in markets like the Middle East, United States, Britain, Canada, Mexico, and Portugal, the company is going to invest US$ 400,000.
Apart from exporting products, Deca has prepared a study to learn what consumers want to see in their bathrooms. New products have been developed involving great company investment.
Another Deca focus to boost export is participation in great fairs. The first in the list was Kitchen and Bath, which took place between April 02 and 04 in Chicago, and is considered the most important fair in the sector in the North American market.
Apart from the products, Deca is investing in hiring employees and representatives to enter the market and establish itself completely.
100% national group
Duratex is a private domestic open capital company, and is controlled by Itaúsa group. On the market for 51 years, Duratex is a leader in the reconstructed wood and sanitary metals sector, and also has a prominent position in the sanitary ceramics market, with brands Deca and Hydra.
The company has 80,000 hectares of its own pine and eucalyptus forest in the southeastern state of São Paulo and in southern Rio Grande do Sul, and its main reserves are ISO 14.001 and Forest Stewardship Council certified.
The company has had shares traded on the São Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa) since 1951, and its head office is in the city of São Paulo, from where it controls operation of ten industrial units in Brazil and two in Argentina.
The company also has business offices in the main Brazilian cities, and in the United States and Europe, where they have two subsidiaries and warehouses for distribution.
Contact
Duratex
www.duratex.com.br
Deca
www.deca.com.br
