Brazilian company Porto Ferreira, a maker of floor tiles, ceramics and facing, which is participating in the Big 5 Show, the largest civil construction fair in the Middle East, opened new markets in the Arab world.
And it closed deals that will result in the export of 120 containers of material that may cover an area of 230,000 square meters. The contracts were signed at the fair in Dubai, which began on Saturday.
According to the company manager for exports to the Middle East, Carlos de Oliveira, deals were closed with importers from Kuwait, Oman, Yemen and Iran, which is not an Arab country, but is in the Middle East. "The Arab countries are currently one of our main markets," he said.
Porto Ferreira started exporting to the Arabs two years ago and is already present in Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Company products are shipped to 115 countries.
"Our target is to export 30% of production, which totals one million square meters, to the Middle East," said Oliveira. He believes that after the contacts made at the fair, the target may be achieved. "The fair is being very positive," he added.
According to the manager, the company has developed a line exclusively for the Arabs. The difference is in the color, finishing and design of the ceramics. Sales to the Arab world are made directly to construction companies, traders and retailers.
Significant Potential
The demand for floors, facing and ceramics in the Middle East is such that ten companies in the sector are participating in the fair. The companies are members of the Brazilian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers (Anfacer), which is participating in the event for the first time.
"The sector’s exports to the Arabs are still small, but it is a market that has potential to consume the whole of the Brazilian production," stated the superintending director at the organization, Antonio Carlos Kieling.
Brazil has the second greatest consumer market in the sector and is the fourth greatest producer and exporter in the world. "We are heading on being the second greatest producer, losing only to China," stated Kieling.
The Brazilian industry has capacity for production of 651 million square meters per year, and this total may rise to 683 million square meters this year.
Brazilian material may be seen in buildings in the Emirates. Company Mineração Guidoni, from the southeastern Brazilian state of Espírito Santo, which is also participating in this edition of the Big 5, started exporting to Dubai last year and soon closed a contract to export the yellow granite flooring for use in the 56,000 square meters of the Mall of the Emirates.
Anba – www.anba.com.br