Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – Amanco Brasil, a producer of PVC pipes and fittings, and the owner of brands Fortilit and Akros, has returned to trading with the Middle East and North Africa. At the beginning of December, the company participated in civil construction fair Big 5, in Dubai, where US$ 50,000 in sales were made to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Daniel Piazera, the company foreign trade coordinator, pointed out that between 1995 and 1997 Amanco Brasil exported to the Emirates, Jordan, and Lebanon. The sales, interrupted for five years, started again after participation in the fair.
"We noticed that although the Arab countries are geographically close to Africa and China, Brazilian products are very well received, as their prices are competitive," he states.
Piazera explains that the Big 5 was also useful for making contact with businessmen in Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and Iraq. "Our perspective is to restart business with the Arab world next year. Company policy is to operate through local distributors in each country," explains the executive.
According to him, after the brand has been reintroduced to the Arab countries, the intention is to sell around US$ 250,000 a year to the region. Morocco and Egypt have already been included in the list of future contacts.
Amanco Brasil exports its products throughout Latin America, including Mexico and the Caribbean, and to the African continent. Company revenue in 2002 was around US$ 150 million. Export revenue is between 5% and 7% of this total.
According to Piazera, the company is developing a new plan to triple export by 2006. He goes on to explain that participation in international trade fairs, the opening of new markets, and the creation of new products for these markets have been include din the company strategy.
The company
Amanco Brasil employs 1,685 people and possesses five factories in Brazil, three in Joinville, in the southern state of Santa Catarina, where their head office is, one in the city of Sumaré, in the southeastern state of São Paulo, and one in the city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in the northeastern state of Pernambuco.
Company main products are Tubosistemas® and sanitary accessories for the skyscraper, infrastructure, and agricultural business.
Focusing on quality and technological innovation, Amanco Brasil has been ISO 9002 certified for its PVC compounds, raw material, and products since 1994, and is the first Brazilian company in the sector to obtain São Paulo State Institute for Technological Research (IPT) certification for skyscraper and sewage fittings and for bathroom equipment.
The company is also ISO 9001 certified in their Quality Management System, and ISO 14001 in their Environmental Management System.
Social Responsibility
Amanco Brasil also supports social projects. Company activities are diversified and turned to areas such as citizenship, social reinsertion, traffic education, quality of life improvement, health, sports, leisure, infant assistance, environmental conscience, and the fight against illiteracy. Around 2,000 people, between adults, children, and adolescents are benefited.
The "Amanco for a better world" program develops partnerships with institutions and communities working on social-environmental projects, and supports 13 social, environmental, and cultural projects.
Contact
www.amanco.com.br
