Omar Nasser, from Fiep*
Curitiba – The southern Brazilian state of Paraná is recognized as a great producer of grain, beef, sugar, alcohol and cars. Production of raw material and consumer and agricultural goods from the state of Paraná reach all parts of the world, a fact that the Arabs, large clients of meat packing plants established in the state, have already shown. And a new item entering the export basket, prefabricated wooden houses.
Located in the Industrial City of Curitiba, since 1997, Casas Paraná has sold, on average, US$ 300,000 a year, to Angola alone. The first sales to the African country were of low-income kits, for 85-square-metre houses, turned to low-income families, which make up the largest part of the country population.
The beginning was not easy, recalls Derli Leonardecz, the company administrative manager. Due to the contract signed with the government of the African country, the company had to supply the brickwork and foundations. Water was also expensive. An 80-litre drum of water cost, on average, US$ 200. Revenues generated by the deal totalled US$ 1.5 million, but when expenses were calculated, the profit was small.
The largest profit came later. "The sale opened doors," revealed the executive. Trade contacts with the Angolans started expanding opportunities and Casas Paraná also started selling luxury kits. In this case, the houses may cover an area of up to 400 square metres, with high standard material. The houses became popular among the Angolan elite, which started ordering the houses to install at the coast, as holiday homes.
Casas Paraná found in Angola an important market niche. A backwards country, due to 40 years of civil wars, Angola, which is rich in oil, has great need for expansion and modernization of its infrastructure. Apart from highways, railways, energy, waterworks and sewage, the population needs food and housing. That was where Casas Paraná came in. The company is now prospecting new markets, and, in the meantime, developed product export know-how that may be considered innovative in foreign trade.
Established in 1991, Casas Paraná has annual revenues of around US$ 1 million. The company produces prefabricated wooden houses ranging from low-income to high-income standards, and makes a total of nine models. They also work on personalized projects, as well as producing dollhouses. Other markets supplied by the company are Central America and Europe, where the main clients are in Spain and Portugal.
Casas Paraná
Phone: (+55 41) 3373 9779
e-mail: info@casasparana.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
