São Paulo – The company Eliane, one of the most well-known brands of ceramic tiles in Brazil, turn its focus back again at the Arab market. The company started business with the region 20 years ago approximately and even had Saudi Arabia as one of its main markets. Some factors, such as the Gulf War, Brazilian economic crisis, dollar appreciation and increased competition, especially from China, kept the company away from the Middle East market temporarily, but business was resumed around two years ago and the estimation is for it to grow.
The information is from regional sales manager at Eliane, Izaltino da Costa. “Until 2000, we were present in these countries (Arabs). In the last few years, we concentrated our sales in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman”, she says. Currently, Eliane exports to 46 countries and these four Arabs are among the big markets, along with United States, Canada, England, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, Panama and Australia.
Last year, representatives of the company visited Saudi Arabia to sign partnerships and get to know better the ceramic business in the region. “The ceramic sector has substantial weight in the Arab market. Eliane already had tradition in the local market and now we are back to bring back this relationship”, said Costa. The recovery of the Eastern economy and the Brazilian exchange rate at competitive levels made the company look to the Arab market again.
According to the regional sales manager, Eliane develops pieces exclusively to the Arab countries and sells them at the local retail market. Costa says that the products required by the local market don’t fit in the Brazilian standard. “The pieces have striking designs, with strong colors and a unique identity, a style with great demand in the local market”, says the manager. The drawings are innovative and the pieces manufactured in large sizes, she adds.
Last year, Eliane produced 35 million square meters of ceramic tiles, between monoporosa (for walls), mono-fire (ceramic manufactured with simultaneous burn of the base and glaze), glazed porcelain, technical porcelain, swimming pool coatings and façade cladding. The products are traded currently in more than 15,000 points of sale in Brazil and are exported to 80 countries.
Last year, the foreign market amounted to 7% of the output and this year the goal is to ship abroad 10% of it. The manufacturing is done in two industrial centers, located in the South and Northeast regions of Brazil. In the South, the company operates five plants, four in Cocal do Sul and one in Criciúma, both cities in Santa Catarina state. In the Northeast there’s one plant, in Camaçari, Bahia. Eliane also operates an international office in São Paulo and a distribution center in the United States. The headquarter is in Cocal do Sul.
The company is 55 years old and was founded by Maximiliano Gaidzinski with the production of tiles. In the 1970s, the company started to also manufacture flooring and was responsible for one fifth of the domestic production of ceramic tiles. The range of products was extended and today Eliane is managed by the third generation of the founding family. As a social action, the company funds a school with technical and traditional high school in Cocal do Sul.
Contact:
Eliane Ceramic Tiles
Website: www.eliane.com
Phone: +55 (48) 3447 7777
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
