São Paulo – The Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (Fiesc) is going to promote its third building sector trade mission to the United Arab Emirates. This time, the idea is to take 70 companies from 21 states. Yesterday (18), at the launch of the mission, in Florianópolis, ten companies were already registered.
Apart from Fiesc, the mission is also being organized by the National Confederation of Industries (CNI), through the International Business Centres in 21 states, with the support of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). To promote the trip, to take place between November 19th and 29th, the Fiesc promoted yesterday a seminar about business opportunities in the United Arab Emirates.
"Brazil already exports to the Arab nations, but sales are greatly concentrated in the food sector. We must diversify, and the sector of building is one of the most promising," stated the secretary general at the Chamber, Michel Alaby, to around 90 businessmen and representatives of organisations.
According to him, the investment in the building sector in the Arab countries should reach the value of US$ 1.8 trillion in coming years, being that in the countries of the Gulf alone the investment in existing projects totals US$ 1 trillion.
Brazilian exports of building sector products to the Arab countries totalled US$ 379.9 million last year, which represented growth of 21.9% over 2006. Foreign sales to the Arabs over the last four years have been growing above the Brazilian exports of building material to the world as a whole, which last year grew 8.9%. From the countries of the Gulf, the Emirates are the ones that invest most in the sector.
Eyeing this potential, the Brazilian delegation is going to the Arab country seeking business opportunities and transfer of know-how. "We are once again going to visit the construction site of the Burj Dubai, to be the tallest building in the world, at 800 metres, which we have already visited in previous missions. It is impressive," stated the foreign relations director at the Fiesc, Henry Quaresma.
The delegation should also visit the main fair in the building sector in the Middle East, the Big 5 Show, in Dubai, to include a Brazilian stand covering an area of 480 square metres with 37 companies, organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the Apex-Brasil. According to the image and market access coordinator at Apex-Brasil, Juarez Leal, the demand for companies interested in participating in the event was much greater than the space that the organisation has at the fair.
According to Alaby, the businessmen present at the seminar made many questions about the Arab market, mainly with regard to the potential of the Emirates, with regard to wood, furniture, bathroom metals and granite. Registration for participation ends on October 10.
Further information
International Business Centre at Fiesc
Tel. (+55 48) 3231-4662
E-mail: cin@fiescnet.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
