São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex) will bring construction industry consultants from the Arab countries for meetings with Brazilian companies in the next edition of Expo Revestir, a trade show due March 6 to 9, 2012 in São Paulo. Expo Revestir is the leading ceramic tile show in Latin America.
The professionals are architects and representatives of design firms who provide consulting to works in the Arab countries. Most of the time, they decide on what type of material will be used in constructions, such as for instance where the ceramics will come from. “They are decision makers, not order takers,” explains Karina Cassapula, the Marketing coordinator at the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
According to Karina, the meeting does not focus on immediate deals; rather, it is meant to showcase the building materials made in Brazil to these professionals, so they may refer these materials to the works they are involved with. “We want to raise their awareness and show the quality of Brazilian products,” she says.
Ten consultants will be selected from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Oman. Contact with these professionals was made during the Big 5, the leading construction fair in the Middle East, held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, in November.
The meetings may be attended by Brazilian companies in the following industries: ceramic tiles, bathroom metals, laminate flooring, glasses and stones, such as granite and marble. Activities will span four days, including visits and previously scheduled meetings during Expo Revestir, as well as visits to factories and the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
In addition to the business meetings, the organizations involved will take part in Projeto Imagem (Image Project), by which two journalists specializing in construction, one from the Emirates and another from Qatar, will get to know the Brazilian market.
From January to November 2011, Brazilian ceramic tile exports to the Arab countries reached US$ 4.08 million. The main importers were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Arab and Brazilian enterprises interested in attending the meetings during Expo Revestir should contact the Arab Brazilian Chamber up until February 15th, by email at infobiz@ccab.org.br, or telephone at +55 11 3147-4130, with Ana Paula Paura.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
