São Paulo – Dentistry equipment company Gnatus already sells its products to nine Arab countries and intends to increase its sales in the region even further. Presently, the company, which exports 40% of its production, ships roughly 13% of that total to Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Palestine.
The percentage is equivalent to revenues of approximately US$ 3.66 million, a strong increase over the US$ 1.2 million in revenues from exports to the Arabs obtained in 2006, according to an article published on ANBA. At that time, the company was investing in the Saudi, Lebanese and Egyptian markets.
To Fábio Fonseca, the commercial manager for Domestic Markets, the Arab market holds great promise for Gnatus’ sales to increase. "The company has quite a diversified portfolio, with top lines that are similar to European ones, and cheaper ones too. We have a full line to cater to that market," he says. He explains that the company exports products such as dental equipment, peripheral devices, X-ray, handheld items such as dental drills, for instance, and spare parts, among others.
According to Fonseca, the company has one distributor in each country, and they undergo periodic training in preventive maintenance of exported equipment. "A standard must be maintained when it comes to services," he explains.
The executive is betting on Arab countries that are not clients of the company yet in order for sales to the Middle East and North Africa may grow, but claims that he is unable to forecast how much exports to the Arabs may increase yet. "We are going to do research in order to learn how to work in each market," he says.
Exports to the Arabs started approximately one decade ago. In March this year, the company participated in the Dental Conference & Arab Dental Exhibition, a dental fair held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. According to Fonseca, Gnatus has already reaped the fruits of the event, and should attend at least one other fair or business roundtable in the Arab countries in 2011. "We have signed a deal with a client that we already knew, and prospected a few others whom we are getting to know now."
According to the manager, business with the Arabs takes place often for the company. "A shipment leaves virtually every weekend," he says. "Whenever one country does not buy, another does. There is a regularity. It is an extremely interesting market," he finishes off.
Gnatus was founded in 1976, is based in the city of Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, and employs 550 people. In 2009, it posted revenues of 115 million reals (US$ 64 million), of which 50 million reals (US$ 28 million) were obtained from exports.
Contact
Gnatus
Tel.: +55 16 2102-5046
E-mail: fabio.fonseca@gnatus.com.br
Site: www.gnatus.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
