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Japanese car maker Toyota is going to build a 20-story skyscraper in Doha, the capital of Qatar, and wants to receive proposals from Brazilian construction companies.
The secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, one of the organization's directors, Mustapha Abdouni, and the Brazilian ambassador in Qatar, Sérgio Caldas Mercador Abi-Sad, had Thursday, December 15, in the Arab country, a meeting about the matter with executives at Al Mukhtar Contracting & Trading Company, which is in charge of commissioning the construction for the Japanese company. The interest in learning about the work of Brazilian companies was initially shown by Toyota executives to ambassador Abi-Sad. According to Alaby, the building will include a shopping center and a Toyota retailer on the ground level and business offices on the other floors. Some of the rooms will be used by the carmaker and some will be rented out. The beginning of construction is scheduled for the first half of next year, and the project should be complete in March 2008. The construction company commissioned will be in charge of planning the building and administering the construction. "There are various Brazilian companies in the sector that are international. They may not have experience in the Middle East, but they have worked all around the world," stated Alaby. The Arab Brazilian Chamber representatives gave to the general manager of Al Mukhtar, Kamal A. Kadoura, and to the organization's civil construction and maintenance manager, Ibrahim Soman, a list with the names of 16 Brazilian construction companies. They also showed the executives a DVD about one of them. Toyota does not have factories in Qatar, but imports cars produced in other countries for sale in the Arab nation. The Japanese carmaker has retailers and offices in Doha, but intends to expand its commercial structure. Qatar is the Arab country that has the largest per capita income in the Middle East, with US$ 40,000, and buys cars of great luxury. "The Qatari market is very good for them," stated ambassador Abi-Sad. The country per capita income should reach US$ 68,000 by 2010. Toyota produces high value cars like the Corolla, Land Cruiser and Sienna. To build the skyscraper, the company is going to evaluate proposals by interested construction companies. But up to now, according to Alaby, there are no candidates for the job, Construction companies in Doha, according to the Brazilian ambassador in Qatar, cannot accept new orders due to the large volume of constructions being executed in Qatar. Toyota is the leader in the Asia market, is the largest retailer of non-American cars in the United States, and the leader in Europe. In Brazil, the company is the leader in the medium sedan sector. In the first half of the company's current fiscal year, from April to September, sales totaled 3.8 million vehicles all around the world. This volume represents an increase of 266,000 vehicles when compared to the first half of the previous year. According to information on the company web site, at the end of March 2006, when the Toyota fiscal year ends, trade will have totaled 8.03 million company vehicles all around the world, presenting an increase of 60,000 vehicles over the previous year. The company has, apart from 12 factories and 11 subsidiaries in Japan, another 51 industrial plants in 26 countries. All around the world, the company employs 264,000 people and sells cars in over 140 countries. Brazilian construction companies interested in offering their services to Toyota Qatar may get in contact with the company Foreign Trade Department, on telephone (+55 11) 3283 4066, so as to obtain further details. Anba - www.anba.com.br
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