São Paulo – It was after a technical visit by a group of executives of department store chain El Corte Inglés, from Spain, in June this year, that businessman and artisan Sérgio Luiz Ramos closed his first export contract. Heading Artesanato Santo Antônio since 1985, when the space was opened in São João Del Rei, Minas Gerais, the entrepreneur has dedicated himself to manual work for 30 years. And he says he learnt it all at home.
“My parents were artisans, but they worked in a more informal style,” explained Ramos. Artesanato Santo Antônio produces items for decoration from raw material like ceramics and metal. There are vases, sculptures, buckets, watering cans and other items of the sort. What are the most sold items? “Vases are the most sold,” he said.
Brand products, made by a group of 13 people, and by Ramos, are currently traded throughout Brazil. They are also sold at the Graal convenience store and petrol station chain.
The foreign market, in turn, entered the Artesanato Santo Antônio plans after the Mãos de Minas project, for support to the activities of artisans in the state. “That was how the Spanish from El Corte Inglés came to know our work,” said Ramos. “We always sent material to fairs and participated in events for promotion”.
The export contract was signed after a group of company executives visited São João Del Rei. “They came, analysed the product, photographed it all and then placed orders,” he explained. Thus, in January 2012, 7,300 items will leave Minas Gerais heading to Cervantes.
In future, within the company’s production limit, new markets are welcome. Including the Arab nations. “We know that these countries are good buyers,” explained Ramos. “We need to check what items may satisfy clients there.”
According to the artisan and businessman, the points that called the highest attention among the Artesanato Santo Antônio products were the colour of the products and, of course, the creativity of the Minas Gerais at the service of manual produce. “The creations come from our reality in the state, influenced by the Baroque style of Minas,” he said.
Contact
Artesanato Santo Antônio
Telephone: (+55 32) 3371-4621
Site/Blog: http://artesanatosergio.blogspot.com
*Translated by Mark Ament
