Project encourages export of medical products
O Estado de S. Paulo
The medical and dental equipment area is gathering forces to increase its exports. A project commenced last week intends to show the path of the international market to the micro and small companies of the State that concentrates 75% of the producers of the sector. The program will guide entrepreneurs on the financing lines and technical fitness for the products, besides promoting meetings with foreign trade companies (trading companies).
According to a survey of the Brazilian Association of Medical, Dental, Hospital and Laboratory Articles and Equipment (Abimo), 47% of the companies of the sector export. Last year, the foreign sales increased 9.9% compared to 2007. "We want to stimulate and prepare the companies that are still out of this market", says Hely Maestrello, executive director of the Abimo, which supports the project, together with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), the Sebrae (Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Enterprises) and commercial associations. Last week, Ribeirão Preto (SP) held the first meeting of the program that will move on to other municipalities of the State within the next months.
A second stage of the sector project will be made in partnership with the Institute of Technological Researches (IPT) and the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) that makes the analyses and registration of the equipment before it gets to the market. The small entrepreneurs will receive information about the technical fitness, design and packing for their products.
According to Maestrello, the national medical and hospital equipment got prominence overseas in the last seven years. In 2002, the exports of the sector amounted to US$ 157 million. Last year, they jumped to US$ 581 million. One program of the Apex has also helped to leverage the sector. Among the projects of the Agency is the subsidy for the payment of stands in international fairs. The experience abroad also promotes the domestic sales, believes the director of the Abimo. "The entrepreneur that goes abroad finds another level of competition, what stimulates the investment and innovation", he believes.