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Three companies located in the city of Lagoa Vermelha, in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, are going to have a joint stand at the largest furniture fair in the Middle East, Index, which is scheduled for November 28 to December 02 in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The stand of factories Manbel, Divicar and D'Cândida will be in the Brazilian space organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex).
Manbel Móveis has been exporting to a distributor located in Dubai for two years. "From there our furniture, an average of four containers a month, go to Africa," explained the company sales manager, Itamar Silva.
"We are going to Index with the objective of closing new deals and maybe even signing a partnership with another large local distributor who visited our factory in October," anticipated Silva.
According to him, the Arab importer has already lived in Brazil and currently lives in Angola, but he does business with Dubai.
Manbel has been operating for 12 years, the company employs 55 people and has been exporting since 1998. According to the manager, sales grew even after 2002, especially to the markets in Europe, Africa and South America.
Today, between 30% and 40% of the company production, of 12,000 items a month, goes to the foreign market.
Optimistic with the future business opportunities, the company is investing in a new industrial unit that will be operating as from January 2006.
"This will be for another sector, with more accessible furniture, made out of chipboard," explained Silva. The new factory also has a monthly capacity for production of 12,000 items and should generate over 50 direct jobs in Lagoa Vermelha.
The children's bedroom furniture factory Divicar Móveis is going to participate in the event for the first time, attracted by the potential of the event.
"Index is a fair of worldwide fame. We are optimistic because we know that the Arab countries are a good market with high buying power," stated Carlos Alberto Vieira de Carvalho, the company export manager.
Divicar produces around 4,000 products a month and generates 90 direct jobs. The company started selling on the foreign market three years ago, to Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina, the United States, Angola and Spain. Nowadays the company's exports represent just 5% of revenues. The target is to reach 30% in three or four years.
Index will also be the first international fair in which Móveis D'Cândida is going to participate. The company produces dining room furniture in solid wood and plywood.
"Our objective is to prospect the market. We have already made some contacts with the region through the Sebrae Exporter project, but nothing better than direct contact with importers," pointed out the company partner, Paulo César.
The 'SebraExport Móveis' project has been developed by the Rio Grande do Sul Association of Furniture Industries, with the support of the state Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) since 1998. The objective of this project is to stimulate exports by micro and small enterprises.
Established in 2002, D'Cândida employs 54 people and already exports to the United States, Canada, Africa and Chile.
Contact Manbel Móveis – www.manbelmoveis.com.br Divicar Móveis – www.divicar.com.br Móveis D’Cândida – www.dcandida.com.br Anba – www.anba.com.br
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