After a hiatus without face-to-face events, the Brazilian stone sector closed deals summing more than US$ 38 million in direct business during the four days of the 2022 edition of Coverings, the largest fair of the coverings segment in the United States and North America, held from April 5th to 8th in Las Vegas. A total of 73 companies participating, the Brazilian Pavilion was organized by It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, a sectoral project for support and development of the sector’s exports, managed by the Brazilian Center of Natural Stones Exporters (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).
“The stone sector had, in this edition, its best participation since 2015. In addition to the more than US$ 38 million in direct business generated, entrepreneurs pointed out an expectation of almost US$ 132 million in commercial transactions over the next 12 months. Considering the average per company this was the fair that generated the most results for the Brazilian sector since then,” said the president of Centrorochas, Tales Machado.
The pause in the sector’s presence at Coverings was due to the postponement of the 2020 edition, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, the sector participated in an institutional way. “As the restrictions for Brazilians to travel to the United States were still high last year, still reflecting the health issue, the presence of businessmen and their sales teams was not feasible. So, we opted for an institutional participation. Only representatives of the companies that live in the region were present and this was essential, because this is one of the most important world fairs for our segment”, Tales recalled.
The resumption of the Brazilian participation in the fair took place with a record of total area, 32,000 sqft (3,456 m²). According to Coverings’ sales director, Tim Fearney, the growth of Brazil’s space was impressive. “The Brazilian stone pavilion was one of the largest at our fair and it is growing. We are very pleased. The growth we saw this year, especially in such difficult and challenging times, was really impressive. The branding was very well done and we were very happy with all the participation of the sector. The space was beautiful, the products are beautiful, and all of this is very important for Coverings as a whole”, he declared.
The large presence of Brazilian companies, of different exporting maturity, was remembered by the industry and services manager of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Maria Paula Velloso, during the opening of the event. “We signed this agreement with Centrorochas not long ago. To be here and see 73 Brazilian exhibitors showing the best they have in their main market makes us very honored. A great effort was made both in bringing companies that had never participated in an international fair and in inviting large companies that were outside the pavilion to be together in the Brazilian area. This shows the moment of union and strength of the segment and of the national product in the world market”, she stated.
The president of Centrorochas, Tales Machado, remembered that this is the first time that an entity of the segment, formed by the businessmen themselves, organizes the Brazilian participation in an international event. “The sector is living a historical moment. In the first year of the agreement with ApexBrasil we broke the all-time exports record of US$ 1.34 billion (total exports from Brazil in 2021), we broke the record of total area in the main fair held in the home of our main client, the United States, and now we are celebrating the results of the business done and generated in the event”, he celebrated.
About It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone
It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone is an export incentive program developed by the Brazilian Center of Natural Stone Exporters (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The program aims to stimulate and increase the exports of Brazilian natural stones, through a set of strategic actions for internationalization with promotional activities, strengthening the image and development of the sector in the world market.
About Centrorochas
The Brazilian Center of Natural Stone Exporters is present in all the national demands to increase the competitiveness of the natural stone sector. The entity acts directly supporting the procedures related to the presence of Brazilian entrepreneurs abroad, combining commercial and operational activities related to the development and evolution of Brazilian companies.
About ApexBrasil
ApexBrasil works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. In order to achieve these objectives, the Agency carries out diversified trade promotion actions aiming at promoting exports and enhancing the value of Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, supporting the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion leaders to be introduced to the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand.
