São Paulo – Brazilian trading company General Products started exporting auto parts to Egypt this year. Up to the end of the month, the company should ship US$ 90,000 in products to three companies in the Arab country. This should be the second shipment to one of them, which has already doubled its order over the first, which took place in April.
The parts shipped are for heavy vehicles, like Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volkswagen buses and lorries. "We have great expectations with regard to Egypt. It is a market that has vehicles that are very similar to Brazil," said Fabio Toledo, who is responsible for the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. According to him, General Products has been working on the Egyptian market for almost a year.
Contact with importers was made during the last editions of the Automechanika fair, in Germany, and of the Automechanika Middle East, in Dubai. Apart from participation in fairs, Toledo also visited Cairo, in May this year, to meet with potential customers. "They like eye-to-eye contact," said Toledo, who visited both Cairo and Dubai.
The products to be shipped to Egypt were made by over 25 Brazilian factories. Power steering, gearboxes, hoses, turbos, water reservoirs, engines, clutch kits and oil pumps are among the main products exported. "We certainly hope that the coming sales should be greater," said Toledo.
According to the commercial director at General Products, Nicolau Saad Filho, who is a son of Lebanese parents, the first Arab country to which the company exported was the United Arab Emirates, six years ago. To Dubai the products shipped include parts for agricultural machinery and equipment in the building sector. "From Dubai, many parts are reexported to other countries," stated the director.
New Markets
General Products is currently aiming at Jordan, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. "These are potential markets for us, mainly in agricultural equipment," stated Saad.
Still this year, the trading company is going to participate in two international fairs, one in Germany and another in Brazil. In the fair in Germany, many Arab clients have already confirmed their presence. "We believe that new business may arise at any time," said Saad. A client from Dubai has already confirmed presence at the Automec, a fair to take place in October, in São Paulo. "We participate in all editions of the fair and have already been approached by many Arab buyers," stated Saad.
According to him, Brazilian auto parts are present in Iraq through a company in Dubai. Nowadays, the market in the Middle East represents between 13% and 15% of General Products sales. Apart from the Emirates and Egypt, the company also sells to Iran, which is not an Arab country but is in the Middle East. "Participation in the Middle East has been rising and the potential is for even greater growth," stated the director.
The trading company already exports auto parts to 30 countries, being those in South America the main buyers. Now the company is starting to work with auto parts for Volkswagen and Fiat light vehicles.
Headquartered in São Paulo, General Products has over 20 years of experience in foreign trade and also works with the sectors of furniture, decoration and fashion.
Contact
General Products
Tel: (+55 11) 3834-9555
Site: www.generalproducts.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
