Marina Sarruf*
marina.sarruf@anba.com.br
São Paulo – Despite the Arab market still not being one of the main destinations for Brazilian ceramic tile industry exports, businessmen in the sector have already identified the potential of the market and are interested in promoting an international architecture and construction forum about Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. "The market in the Middle East is of enormous potential, mainly for high added value products," said to ANBA the superintendent at the Brazilian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers (Anfacer), Antonio Carlos Kieling.
Every month of March, Anfacer promotes Revestir, the Brazilian Tile and Stone Exhibition, in São Paulo (SE Brazil). In 2008 the event should reach its seventh edition. At the fair, the organisation also promotes an international forum, which brings together important speakers to discuss the building sector. In the last edition, in 2007, the forum counted on the presence of engineer Greg Sang, who is responsible for the construction of Burj Dubai, the building in Dubai to be the tallest in the world. "For the next edition we are trying to bring a representative from Jebel Ali Port," stated Kieling.
According to him, the idea is to bring more and more Arabs to the fair and to have them speak to Brazilian producers. Brazilian businessmen in the tile sector have also been participating in the last editions of the Big Five, the largest building sector fair in the Middle East, in Dubai, which included the presence of 10 Brazilian companies in 2007. "The fair was excellent. All companies closed deals," said Kieling. "It is a fair we want to expand our participation in," he added.
According to the executive, acceptance of Brazilian products in the Arab market is excellent, mainly in porcelanato, finishing items, wall tiles and floor tiles. "At the end of the Big 5, all the products being exhibited had been sold. There was even dispute. This had never happened at any other fair," stated Kieling.
According to him, Brazilian sector products are already exported to the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Sales represent around 2% of Brazilian sector exports. "It is necessary to promote Brazil more in the Middle East. They know very little about Brazil," he said. According to the executive, Brazil is an excellent producer of ceramic tiles and has competitive prices. "The Arab market has enormous growth potential," he added.
The Fair
Revestir is the largest fair in the sector in Latin America, as well as bringing together exhibitors in the ceramic tile sector, it also includes granite, marble and other stones; laminates, glass, mosaics and industrial suppliers. In 2007, over 30,000 visitors went to the fair. According to figures by the Anfacer, US$ 120 million was generated in business and for 2008 the forecast is for deals totalling US$ 130 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament
