São Paulo – The 21st edition of Saudi Build, a trade fair for the building industry that starts today (4th) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, counts on the participation of seven Brazilian companies. The Brazilian pavilion is organized by company Conceito Brazil with support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and of the Brazilian embassy in Riyadh. This is the first time that the event features a Brazilian pavilion.
Conceito Brazil represents the Riyadh Exhibitions Company, which organizes trade fairs, and established the partnership this year. Aside from the Saudi Build, Conceito Brazil is going to promote Saudi Agro-Food, for the food industry. According to data supplied by the Arab Brazilian Chamber, construction is one of the strongest non-oil industries in the Saudi economy, and employs 14.7% of the country’s labour force.
Several public and private projects are underway in the country, according to the fair’s website, among them electric power, with investment of US$ 123 billion; roads, with US$ 5 billion; water, with US$ 93 billion; schools and universities, with US$ 2 billion; hospitals, with US$ 5 billion; and housing, with US$ 6 billion. In addition to those, the site also mentions trade-, tourism- and industry-related projects.
The Brazilian companies that are going to promote their products to the Saudis are: Braminas, of marbles and granites; Cejatel, of ceramics and wood; Sudati, of plywood; Cláudio Vogel, of roof tiles; WK Comercial, wood; Casagrande, of facing; DXB, a trading company, and the Non-Ferrous Metal Artefact Union of the State of São Paulo (Siamfesp).
Last year’s edition had 473 exhibitors and 14,300 visitors from several countries. On the sidelines of the fair, the secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber. Michel Alaby, and the Brazilian businessmen are going to attend meetings at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (Sagia). They are also going to visit Panda, the country’s largest supermarket chain.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
