São Paulo – The demand for quality machine tools at competitive prices brought Egypt’s Rehab EL-Fattah, the manager of the Cairo-based importing company Chehab Egypt, to Brazil for the International Machine Tool and Industrial Automation Exhibition (Expomafe). The trade show began on Tuesday (9) and will run until Saturday (13) at the São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. The manager believes Brazilian machinery fits both bills.
“I am looking for products that are not Chinese or as expensive as those sold by companies in Europe and the United States. Brazilian product offers quality and good prices,” EL-Fattah told ANBA on Wednesday (10), the first day of matchmaking sessions organized by the Brazil Machinery Solutions project, an undertaking of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) in partnership with the Brazilian Machinery Builders’ Association (Abimaq) to promote the industry abroad. Besides her, seven other buyers from five Arab countries are taking part in the sessions, which are designed to encourage exports.
The Egyptian executive will have at least four meetings scheduled by the session organizers, and she also intends to walk the premises looking for other companies to do business with. “This invitation was a good opportunity to become familiar with the Brazilian industry. We are not familiar with many companies in Brazil. The idea is to find partners and keep in touch after the fair, so as to ascertain the potential that the Egyptian market holds for Brazilian products,” she said.
EL-Fattah is seeking welding machines, welding wire, blades and other machine tools. Chehab Egypt, which she represents, is an importing company that distributes to industrial enterprises across Egypt, but not other countries. “I have had two very productive meetings. I believe that in the future we can do business with those companies,” says the manager.
Although this is his first time in Brazil, EL-Fattah has done business with Brazilian companies in the past; her company stopped trading with Carboox, of Resende, Rio de Janeiro, some eight years ago. “We had to stop due to the economic crisis in Egypt. After that we lost touch,” explains the Egyptian, who now sees a good chance of going back to doing business with Brazilian companies. “Being at this trade show creates good opportunities,” she concludes.
Quick facts
Expomafe – International Machine Tool and Industrial Automation Exhibition
May 9 to 12, 10 am to 7 pm; May 13, 9 am to 5 pm
São Paulo Expo, Rodovia dos Imigrantes, KM 1.5
Find out more: http://www.expomafe.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
