The First International Business Roundtable of the International Dentistry Congress of São Paulo (Ciosp) is going to take place between January 25 and 27 in the city of São Paulo, the largest business center in Brazil, located in the southeast of the country.
Promoted by the Association of the Manufacturers of Medical and Dental Products (Abimo), the meeting is going to count on the participation of 45 Brazilian and 22 international companies, among them importers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
The objective of the event, in partnership with the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex), is to provide incentives to Brazilian products made by companies that produce dentistry products, like chairs, machinery, resin and implants.
“The Arab market is currently very important for the sector,” stated Hely Audrey Maestrello, the executive director of the Abimo.
According to him, the Arab market as a whole has gained in importance as a Brazilian medical and dentistry equipment export destination after 14 companies from Brazil participated in the Arab Health fair, which took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, last year.
“If we repeat the experience that we had at the fair in Dubai, it will be a great success,” stated Maestrello.
The event generated US$ 3.9 million for the Brazilian companies participating.
This year, the director of the Abimo believes that around 40 domestic companies are going to visit Arab Health, and the forecast is to generate US$ 11.5 million in business, an increase of 194.8% with regard to the previous fair.
“We have reached very positive results with the Arab market. It has exceeded all our expectations,” stated Maestrello.
According to him, apart from Brazilian company participation in the fair in Dubai, in February this year the Abimo is going to promote a mission to Saudi Arabia in May.
The mission will include the main Brazilian exporters. Up to the moment, around 15 Brazilian companies are already confirmed.
The mission should take place some days before the Saudi Health Care fair, which is supported by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB).
According to Maestrello, Saudi Arabia is one of the Arab countries that import the largest number of medical and hospital products in Brazil, and that is why the event is being organized there.
With regard to the business roundtable in São Paulo – which will also include importers from South Africa, Australia, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Turkey and Vietnam -, Maestrello believes that it will generate US$ 1.9 million in business and generate over 700 commercial contracts. The event is going to take place at the Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion.
Balance
Maestrello believes that in 2004, the medical, dentistry, hospital and laboratory article and equipment sector exported the equivalent to US$ 250 million. For this year, the Abimo target is to grow 10%, reaching US$ 275 million.
The director of the Abimo stated that the companies in the sector that have partnerships with the Apex had a 42% increase in their exports in the last two years.
For 2005, the partnership between the Abimo and the Apex has been renewed and the forecast is that there should be 41% growth in the number of exporters, increasing the total to 200 companies.
Another sector forecast is the entry in new markets, such as the Chinese, South African, Angolan and Turkish, and consolidation of markets from the Middle East, Russia, India and Mexico. This may increase exports by 22% in the next two years, says the Abimo.
Still according to the association, the dentistry segment is the only one in the sector that generates a surplus and in which, in 2004, foreign sales of the products and equipment rose 15% when compared to 2003, reaching US$ 39.7 million. Of total dentistry sector sales, 21% are turned to the foreign market.
ANBA ”“ Brazil-Arab News Agency