Isaura Daniel*
São Paulo – Mercedes Imec, a producer of hospital furniture from the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, shipped an order of 122 pieces of hospital room furniture, two motorized surgical beds and three gurneys to Saudi Arabia. The furniture includes motorized beds, bedside tables and meal tables.
This was the second company sale to the country since it started selling to the Arab market, in 2003. Apart from Saudi Arabia, Mercedes also sells to Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco. The four countries receive around 20% of all the company sells abroad.
Mercedes is a traditional Brazilian company in the production of hospital equipment. The company has been on the market for over 60 years and exports products to approximately 20 countries, according to the sales supervisor, Leonardo Milner. Last year, 20% of company production was turned to the foreign market. This year, the percentage should exceed 30%.
The main Mercedes customers outside Brazil are the other Latin American countries, mainly those in the Mercosur, the customs union between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The hospital beds, surgical beds and gurneys are the company products that sell most on the foreign market. According to Milner, the Arab market is promising for hospital products. "We have a good cost/benefit relation for export," he said.
Structure
Mercedes Indústria Mecano Científica – Imec has a production unit in the city of São Paulo. The factory covers an area of 25,000 square metres. At the site they have 120 employees. The company also has 30 representatives in Brazil and abroad.
The technology used was developed by the company itself. Among the products made by the company is a motorized surgical bed that operates by cable remote control. Mercedes also produces a line of high-tech furniture in stainless steel. These are products like tables, benches, pedal garbage cans and bar trolleys, practical products with modern design.
Mercedes – Imec
Telephone: (+55 11) 3901 8130
Site: www.imec.com.br
E-mail: imec@imec.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
