Alexandre Rocha*
São Paulo – A group of Brazilian companies in the furniture sector is forming an export consortium with the objective of promoting the sale of furniture and high decoration objects to the Arab countries. CHM Corp., organized by the Brazilian High-End Furniture Manufacturers Association (Abimad), intends to have its debut at the Index, a fair in the furniture sector to take place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, between November 28th and December 02nd.
"The Arab world is a market that is in great expansion," stated Rafael Molon, who is responsible for the Foreign Relations department at the Abimad, on addressing the choice of the region as a target for the consortium. "The main buyer of Brazilian furniture in the region is the United Arab Emirates, also seen as one of the main gateways for Brazilian products into the Arab world," he said, on justifying participation in Index. "We consider Index the most important fair in the sector in the region," he added.
Last year, Brazilian furniture exports to the Arab countries generated US$ 5.6 million, against US$ 800,000 in 2003, an increase of 600%, as informed by ANBA in March. According to Molon, apart from the Emirates, Brazilian products are also traded in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon and Yemen. Brazilian company participation at the Index is supported by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
The target export public of the companies is made up of retailers who work with fine products for houses, hotels and restaurants. After the Index, the association is going to select five Arab businessmen interested in visiting, free of charge, the International Furniture Fair, to be organized by the Abimad in São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, in February 2006.
According to Molon, apart from himself, consortium director Carlos Moreira, and company representatives are also going to participate in the Index. Up to the current moment seven companies are already members of the group: Niroflex, which makes upholstered leather furniture, Century, of cloth upholstery, Modulaque, also of leather upholstery, Stone Design, which produces furniture for home theatres, dining rooms, counters and centre tables, Formanova Móveis, which makes products for dining rooms, home theatres and complements, Mac Design, which makes outdoor furniture, and Antica, which trades furniture, pictures, vases, lampshades and sculptures.
The export consortium to the Arab countries will be the third created by the Abimad. The other two consortiums formed are Ineo Furniture, to supply North America and the Caribbean markets, and Marketplus, turned to South America.
Based in Palhoça, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, Abimad was created little over two years ago and currently includes 160 factories. "The Abimad policy for the next two years will be the foreign market and we currently see the Arab market as one of the main ones," explained Molon.
Contacts
Abimad
Foreign Relations Department
Rafael Molon
Tel: (+55 48) 3033-1770
E-mail: rafael@abimad.com.br
Site: www.abimad.com.br
About Index
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
Marketing department
Tel: (+55 11) 3283-4066
E-mail: marketing@ccab.org.br
Site: www.ccab.org.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
