São Paulo – Saudi company Nomas Trading, which distributes medical-hospital equipment, is currently in the city of São Paulo seeking new suppliers, aiming to increase its imports from Brazil by approximately 10% in three years. The company is one among 20 international buyers participating in the business roundtables promoted by the Brazilian Association of the Manufacturers of Medical and Dental Products (Abimo), in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), at the Hospitalar trade fair, at Expo Center Norte, São Paulo.
“I have noticed that many companies possess cutting-edge technology in the sector. Some have quality products. I believe that I should close some deals,” said the sales and marketing manager of the company, Mohammed S. Daqqa, who is looking for surgical tables, sinks, surgical instruments, incubators, refrigerators, hospital furniture, surgical lighting systems, among other accessories and equipment.
According to Daqqa, the company imports around US$ 30 million a year in medical-hospital equipment. Its main suppliers include Alsa, from Italy; Albyn, from the United Kingdom; Belimed, from Switzerland; Bitmos, from Germany; MAC Medical, from the United States; and Fanem, from Brazil. “We have represented Fanem for 10 years now,” said the manager.
Another Arab company attending the roundtables is Ebn Sina Medical, from Qatar, which imports equipment, medication, and medical-hospital accessories. According to the company’s general manager, Amina Bader, it does not import from Brazil yet, and came to the country to become familiar with the products. “We are the number one distributors in Qatar,” said Amina. “So far, the contacts were promising. We are expecting to close some good deals,” she added.
The Qatari company, which operates in the country since 1971, opened a branch in Bahrain this year and plans on expanding to other Gulf countries. In order to achieve its goal, it wants new brands and products. Another company willing to start importing from Brazil is the Lebanese Kettaneh, which operates in various sectors. In the medical-hospital segment, the manager of the medical division, Pierre Ayoub, is seeking disposable materials such as catheters, gloves and syringes, among others.
“We distribute to hospitals, chemists and practices in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan,” said Ayoub. Distribution outside of Lebanon is carried out by the company’s branches in each country. The company’s leading supplier markets are Europe, the United States and China. “The Brazilians are very pleasant. I believe that closing deals will be easy,” he added.
The Brazilians
Among the Brazilian companies that met with Arab buyers was Fabinject, a maker of accessories for dermatology and aesthetic treatments. The company, based in the city of Taubaté, in the interior of the state of de São Paulo, does not export yet, and is now starting to aim for the foreign market. Another Brazilian company eyeing the Arab market is KW, in the electronic technology sector. The company already exports to the Arab countries, but wants to expand its sales.
In the case of the Brazilian Olidef, a manufacturer of equipment for neonatology, such as incubators and heated cradles, the export assistant Ana Carolina Meda believes that the Arab market is good alternative for making up for sales lost in markets affected by the crisis. In the foreign market for six years now, Olidef already exports 35% of its production to several countries, among them Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan.
“The meetings were very positive. We have accessible pricing and a higher quality product than the one offered by the Chinese market,” said Ana Carolina, who is seeking a large distributor in Saudi Arabia. “It is a good buyer country, one that values quality,” she added.
According to the executive director of Abimo, Hely Maestrello, this coming closer of Arabs and Brazilians at the fair is very important. “They are unaware of the technological potential of Brazil,” he stated. “Our goal, upon bringing them to these meetings, is to change the image that they have of Brazil,” he added.
Maestrello also thinks that the Arab market is a good alternative for Brazilian companies to export to. “Besides, the Arabs have much empathy for the Brazilians,” he said.
On the other hand, some Arab businessmen believe that Brazilians interested in exporting are still unprepared. “Many of the companies are not ready to export yet. They do not speak good English, they have no catalogues or product packages in more than one language,” said the marketing and sales manager of Arab Supply, Mohamed Shamsul Alam, from Saudi Arabia.
Daqqa, also from Saudi Arabia, asserted that the Brazilian products have similar prices to those of European products, but do not enjoy the same fame. “Brazil needs to either work harder on that aspect or seek cheaper raw material,” he said.
According to Alam, Brazil needs to further promote its products abroad. “I was very impressed with the Brazilian quality and technology. I had no idea that Brazil was this advanced,” said the manager of Arab Supply.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
