Global Guiders, a trading company from the southeastern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, is going to formalize a partnership with trading company Rimco International, from Syria.
Rimco, which belongs to Arab businessman Raymond Kalpakji, is going to find a market and distribute in the Arab countries the products represented by Global Guiders.
The agreement was made around two months ago, but will be made official in March, when representatives from the Brazilian company will travel to Syria.
Global Guiders was established two years ago and works exclusively with exports to the Arab countries. The trader represents around 20 companies that produce equipment for industrial kitchens, wood, plastic products, coffee, freezers and refrigerators. This year, it will also start selling banana chips, honey and coconut sweets.
According to the company partner, Crebil Ferman, however, the Global Guiders activities are just beginning.
“In the first year we only dedicated ourselves to researching the market and studying the needs of each country. Last year we participated in a fair in Syria,” he said.
In 2004, Global Guiders, which is a small company, exported around US$ 250,000 in products to Syria. For this year, Ferman hopes to trade at least US$ 300,000 and also enter new countries, such as Algeria and Libya.
The partnership with the Syrian company should also help increase the business with the region.
“The potential of the Arab market is good. I believe that in 2005 our greatest sales will be wood, and I feel that we are going to do good business in this area as we have accessible prices,” he stated.
Ever since it began its activities, Global Guiders has already invested around US$ 37,000 in the promotion of products on the Arab market, including trips, product transport to exhibitions and promotional material.
“This year we are going to invest another US$ 90,000 and in three years we will have invested around US$ 180,000,” stated Ferman.
In 2005, Global Guiders intends to participate in three fairs in the Arab countries: Algiers International Fair, in Algeria in July, Damascus International Fair, in Syria, in September, and Index, of the furniture sector, in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, in November.
“Apart from taking Brazilian products, we are also going to the fairs to find partners,” explained the businessman. Ferman believes that the work with local representatives is very important for a good business performance by the company.
This year, Global Guiders is also going to start importing wines from Chile for sale on the Brazilian market. The first orders, for the value of approximately US$ 110,000, should arrive in the country in the month of April.
Ferman’s other partners at Global Guiders are Gianni Pandolfi, Syrian Siham Hassan and Ali Safatli, also from Syria.
Ferman and Pandolfi are graduated in international relations and Siham is an economist. According to Ferman, Global Guiders is also open to represent new products and companies on the foreign market.
Global Guiders
Tel: (+55 21) 2262-6036
ANBA ”“ Brazil-Arab News Agency