Isaura Daniel, special envoy*
isaura.daniel@anba.com.br
Dubai – The Big 5 Show, the Gulf’s largest trade fair for the construction sector, ended yesterday (29th) in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 52 million in business deals for Brazil. Exports of US$ 28 million were closed during the five days of the exhibition. The trade fair should generate another US$ 24 million to the exhibitors in the next twelve months, according to a survey conducted by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) among the 29 companies that were present in the Brazilian stand. Apex-Brasil promoted the national participation along with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
Business volume grew 40% in comparison with the last time that Brazil participated in the fair, last year. "It was the best participation we have ever had in terms of quantity and quality of visitors, stand decoration, layout of the inner premises for the companies, contacts made,” said the president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Antonio Sarkis Jr., who accompanied the fair. A total of 4,800 people visited the Brazilian stand, which was divided into premises for each of the exhibiting brands. In 2006, the stand received 1,200 visitors. The circulation rate grew by 300%.
The project manager at Apex-Brasil, Ricardo Santana, claims that now buyers attending the fair already know the location of the Brazilian stand in the Big 5 Show, and they seek it in every edition. According to Sarkis, the Arab Brazilian Chamber and Apex-Brasil are working to get an 800-square-metre space for Brazil in the 2008 edition of the fair. Brazilian exhibitors at the fair have already signalled their intention of participating again next year, and there are also many other companies interested in exhibiting. There is much competition among the participating countries for space in the Big 5 Show, and it needs to be reserved well in advance.
The Marketing vice president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rubens Hannun, who also attended the fair, states that it is evident that the Brazilian construction industry has become commercially bolder and more aggressive. "Brazil has really made its presence felt at the fair, as a result of the stand’s location, the communication work, featuring banners and also bags bearing the logos of Brazilian companies circulating around the fair,” said Hannun. The president at the Brazilian Association for Dimension Stones Industry (Abirochas), Sergio Azeredo, claims that the great empathy that the Arabs feel for Brazil helps in closing sales. "They feel at home at our stand,” says Azeredo.
According to the president at Abirochas, the Big 5 Show this year was great for the ornamental stones sector. Azeredo states that despite the late arrival of Brazil in the United Arab Emirates market, as companies from countries such as Italy, Spain, India and China are already present in the local market, local importers are using the Brazilian product. “We have a differential, therefore they are adopting our material,” he says. Brazil has approximately 1,000 different colours of granites. “There is a very broad range of choice,” claims Azeredo. In the Emirates, Brazilian granite is featured in prominent locations, such as the floor of Ski Dubai, an artificial ski course inside a shopping centre, and at Dubai International Airport.
The Brazilian participation in the Big 5 Show also counted on support from Abirochas and the Brazilian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers (Anfacer). Almost 200 Brazilians walked around the fair as, in addition to the exhibiting companies’ representatives, businessmen from 19 Brazilian companies on a mission to the Gulf visited the trade show as well. The mission, as well as the fair, ended yesterday. Also yesterday, the group that integrates the mission got to know the Burj Al Arab, the country’s most famous hotel, known for its shape and its luxury. A multi-sector business mission promoted by the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (Fiesc), with support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber is also in the Emirates.
On Wednesday, the Arab Brazilian Chamber promoted in Dubai, at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, a dinner that brought together the Brazilians visiting the emirate, and also Arab businessmen. According to Hannun, this type of meeting is important for the businessmen and businesswomen in the Emirates to notice that Brazil is present in their country. Approximately 200 people attended dinner.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
