Syrian businessmen have shown interest in forming joint ventures with Brazilian companies on the first days of the Damascus International Fair, which started Saturday, September 2, and finishes on the 12th.
One of these businessmen wants to manufacture beauty products in the Arab country and another plans on setting up a sugar refinery, both in partnership with companies from Brazil. In all nine Brazilian companies are represented at the event, in a stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB).
The contacts were made with the trading company from the southeastern Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro Global Guiders, which is participating for the second time and works exclusively with exports to the Arab countries.
Monday, September 5, the representatives of the company at the fair received the visit of a Syrian businessman interested in the beauty and personal hygiene products of the cosmetics company Leite de Rosas (which means ‘milk of roses’ in Portuguese).
“Their idea is to import the raw material and produce the whole line of products in Syria, since they cannot import the finished product,” stated the international business director at the trading company, Gianni Pandolfi.
The other businessman, in turn, who works with sugar and coffee, is interested in setting up a sugar refinery in Syria in partnership with Dedini, Brazilian company specialized in designing and building complete plants for factories.
According to Pandolfi, the Syrian businessman has already scheduled, for the end of September, in Brazil, a meeting with Dedini. “We will advise the project,” he said.
Dedini has already set more than 700 alcohol distilleries in Brazil and 17 abroad. According to information from the company itself, the plants built by them today respond for 80% of national production of alcohol and more than 30% of world production.
Last year, the Brazilian company Crystalsev also signed an agreement with three Syrian companies (Assaf Invest, Shugar Invest and Shugar Mezzinine) to build a sugar refinery in Homs, industrial center in Syria.
The refinery will supply Syria, Jordan and Lebanon and will have the capacity to produce 400,000 to 500,000 tons per year.
According to Pandolfi, the partnership between Global Guiders and the trading company Rimco International, from Syria, made in March this year, has helped to find new clients.
“We have been visiting many potential clients in the Arab country. This partnership was very lucrative,” he stated.
During the fair, the Brazilian trading company also received the visit of a Syrian importer interested in buying 20 containers of coffee. As well as sugar, coffee and beauty products, Global Guiders also exports leather, natural guaraná, concentrated juice, soy, heart of palm and chicken.
Meetings
The Brazilian entrepreneurs that participated at the fair visited the Syrian Chamber of Commerce. The entity scheduled a luncheon for this Thursday, September 8, for the Brazilian businessmen to meet with Syrian businessmen in the coffee, sugar and cosmetics sectors, amongst others.
According to the marketing manager at the CCAB, Andréa Monteiro, who is participating at the fair, the companies are making about 10 contacts per day. In all, nine companies from Brazil are at the exhibit. Five of them are being represented by the Economic Development and Tourism Business Secretariat of São José do Rio Preto, city in the interior of São Paulo.
As well as Global Guiders, the companies are: sweets factories Doces Cossari and Fábrica de Doces São Rafael, phytotherapy products manufacturer Bionatus, leather articles factory Ambar Leather, soft drinks maker Refrigerantes Poty, cosmetics company Franchel, ironworks and hydraulic equipments company Soprano, and organic tea producers Clarim.
Anba – www.anba.com.br