São Paulo – From November 3 to 6, the Brazilian plastic products industry will hold a virtual and global meeting to prospect clients from several countries, including nations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). To attract buyers and display the vanguard of Brazilian production, the World Plastic Connection Summit 2021 will promote five specific activities to attract investments.
The event is an initiative by the Think Plastic Brazil program, a partnership between the Brazilian Plastics Institute (INP) and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), with cooperation from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) for promotion in the Arab countries. Through Think Plastic Brazil, Brazilian companies in the sector receive support to internationalize and export.
The summit will be split into five main actions: International Exhibition, in which participating companies will present their products in virtual stands and hold meetings with buyers; International Seminar, with lectures and presentations on trends, target markets, and the processed plastics sector in Brazil; International Award, which will honor innovative actions by companies participating in the project; International Yearbook, to advertise companies in the project; and the Color Trend Guide 2021/2022, in which an unprecedented study will reveal the color trends of Brazilian processed plastics.
According to the manager of Strategy and Project Planning at Think Plastic Brazil, Carlos Moreira, the goal of the summit is generating business, followed by training for companies in the post-pandemic framework, making Brazil a country to set trends in the sector, encourage companies to internationalize and work on the image of the Brazilian product abroad.
“The launch of the color study, for example, arises from the question of why we should always follow Pantone (a global consultancy for the research and trend of colors) if we can have our selection of colors, which comprises our culture, our diversity, and our sustainability? What to do to determine the trends?” says Moreira about one of the summit initiatives to present Brazilian plastic as a differentiated and high-quality product.
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Moreira states there are companies in the sector with high internationalization, including branches outside Brazil. Among them are mainly companies operating in the packaging and agribusiness segment. There is, however, room for more companies to internationalize: of the 198 companies participating in Think Plastic Brazil, about 27% are considered by the project as “experts” in internationalization. Another 35% have a “mature” degree of internationalization, while 38% are beginners in the process of trading to the outside world.
Construction and houseware
And, concerning importers, Moreira claims although there are differences between countries in the consumed products, the Arabs in North Africa and the Middle East have a common interest in civil construction and houseware.
One of the target markets of the Think Plastic Brazil program is the United Arab Emirates, through which companies can trade with other Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait). “We want to attract clients from the Arab world, and we need to show our companies are aligned with sustainability,” stated Moreira, recalling Brazil is at the forefront of the production of renewable plastic from, for example, sugarcane. In addition, he says potential Arab clients are expected in the events of the summit.
Egyptian designer
One of the initiatives to attract clients from the Arab world was the choice of speakers for the summit. One of the guests will be Egyptian designer Karim Rashid, who will present the lecture “The future of design and colors in the new world.” Globally recognized, he uses plastic as one of the raw materials for his work. “He is a spokesman for the Arab world, which facilitates the presentation of our products. Nonetheless, he has global recognition and frequently works with plastic, making his participation strategic,” says Moreira. A crucial part of the dialogue with Arab clients will also be the participation of Milan-based designer Rossana Orlandi, an enthusiast of the use of recycled plastic with a significant presence and influence in the Middle East.
Quick facts:
World Plastic Connection Summit
November 3 to 6, 2021
Learn more on the event website
* Special report by Marcos Carrieri for ANBA
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
