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In order to rank the Colombian construction materials sector highly among the Caribbean countries, PROCOLOMBIA will attend with seven export companies to participate at the most important fair in the Dominican Republic.
The event is Expo Ferreteria 2011 (Expo Hardware 2011), organized by the Dominican Republic Hardware
Workers’ Association (ASODEFE), to be held from June 9th to the 12th in Puerto San Souci.
Colombian companies, first-time participants at the trade show, will exhibit their products before 10 thousand people including engineers, contractors, purchasing managers, marketing managers, architects and investors.
Expo Ferretera gathers the hardware and construction sectors in a single event, and will help provide a space to exchange the latest developments and technologies directly with each company’s representatives.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism’s figures, construction materials exports reached US$258 million in 2010, where ceramics, clay and stone (47,7%), plastics and rubber (17,4%), cement (8,5%), and aluminum (8,5%), were the four most sold products abroad.
During the same year, Venezuela and the United States were the main export destinations, however, the Caribbean market is a strategic one for the sector.
Total construction materials exports to the Caribbean countries in 2010 reached almost US$47 million. The Dominican Republic led purchases with almost US$9 million, followed by Cuba with US$6,2 million and Puerto Rico with almost US$5 million.
PROCOLOMBIA has identified construction export materials opportunities for the Caribbean market in fields like plumbing, bathroom tile, floors, wash sinks, wood panels and decks.
In manufacturing, there are possibilities for specialty bottling and added value products, and others like flexible packaging, lids, foils, micro-corrugated packaging and stretch film.
Also present are auto parts, hospital equipment and articles, tools, electrical materials, agricultural equipment in general, and agro-chemicals.
