Chemical Suppliers in South America

The South American premiere of Quimtec ’98 in February this year, with 171 exhibitors and 4000 trade visitors, has clearly shown that this International Trade Fair for Chemical Equipment and Process Engineering is an exhibition with considerable future potential on the Latin American market. The Mercosul customs union, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, and Chile and Bolivia, its partner countries, are especially hungry for new products, technologies and services from the process industry – primarily from the core countries of the European Union and the USA. In Brazil alone, the industry intends to invest about US$ 15 billion by the year 2000. In Argentina, the figure is around US$ 4 billion for the same period. By the turn of the century the market of the customs union will represent an investment volume of approximately US$ 29 billion. European and American manufacturers therefore have good opportunities for growth on this attractive market.

Six months before the Trade Fair opens, 120 inquiries and many confirmed registrations from Europe and the USA are signs that the second Quimtec is likely to be a popular event. Furthermore, the USA, France and Germany have reserved 1,300 square meters of exhibition space for their national pavil-ions at Quimtec. One of the reasons for this increased interest is the trade fair structure, which has been improved since the premiere. The São Paulo location at the modern Expo Center Norte now offers an ideal environment for the trade fair. Fair dates outside the holiday season also contribute to the added interest in Quimtec. The goal of the organisers is to meet the international requirements of all sectors participating in the fair and to thus double the number of trade visitors.

Quimtec ’99, like the first event, is sponsored by the Process Machinery and Equipment Division (VtMA) of the German Machinery and Plant Manufacturers‘ Associa-tion (VDMA). In addition, all the major Brazilian associations have confirmed their full support: Abiquim, the Association of the Chemical Industry, ABIMAQ, the Mechanical Engineering Association, Abeq, the Association of Chemical Engineers, Sinproquim, another Association of the Chemical Industry and last but not least Fiesp, the largest national industrial association with its Trade Point. In addition to the VDMA, the Association of the German Precision Mechanical and Optical Industry will be taking part for the first time. France will be represented by Gific, the French Trade Association of Chemical Suppliers. Furthermore the French and German Ministries of Economics have included Quimtec in their government-financed subsidy programmes.

Abiquim, the Brazilian Association of the Chemical Industry, will hold a three-day Congress on the exhibition grounds on the topic of Equipment and Automation in the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry. A Contact and Cooperation Exchange will be organised parallel to these events, to facilitate the search for business partners in South America and promote the establishment or expansion of networks between South America and the other exhibiting countries.

Laboratory and analytical technology, mechanical and thermal process engineering, pumps and compressors, valves and fittings, bio/environmental technology, measurement and process control technology, packaging technology for chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well as planning, supply, construction and commissioning of plants will be exhibited and presented at Quimtec ’99.

The trade visitors invited to attend are owners, business managers, buyers, engineers and technicians from the industrial, planning and import trade sectors of the chemical and petrochemical, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, foodstuffs, mineral oil, power generation and plastics branches.

ISC

Fax: ++49/221/821-2092

Further information cpp-235

The significance of South America for German manufacturers of process engineering plants and components has been growing continuously since the mid-1990s. The isolationist policy of the large Brazilian, Argentinian and Chilean markets is a thing of the past; the debt crisis has been overcome. The return to democracy, with more market and less government, has triggered off a considerable growth impetus in Latin America, from which the German process engineering industry can profit as well. As the largest national economy in Latin America, Brazil is also the most important sales market. However, the other countries are of great interest for our sector as well. Because we are convinced that the South American market is of interest to many of our members, we also actively participated in the original planning of the trade fair for chemical equipment and process engineering. In our estimation Quimtec offers good opportunities for making initial contacts with potential customers and becoming more familiar with the market.