Andigrafica to hold a Business Match-making Forum for the first time

Printers of advertising, commercial and publishing material, plus newspapers, magazines, packaging and labeling will have the chance to extend their business portfolio abroad during the X version of the International Graphic Communications Industry Fair (Andigrafica 2011), to be held in Corferias from June 21st to June 25th.

With support from the Colombian Graphic Communications Association (Andigraf) and Corferias, PROCOLOMBIA will hold a Business Matchmaking Forum this coming June 22nd with 37 local industry exporters and 15 international buyers from Costa Rica, Mexico, the United States, Ecuador, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

"There are high expectations around this event, as this is Andigrafica’s first business matchmaking forum", said Fabio Caicedo Gomez, International Sales Manager for Panamericana. "We export books, magazines and catalogues, but we are now opening a new folding box unit. The plan is to open new business paths, and this encounter will be a cornerstone for us", he added.

“Very cool! We are very enthusiastic about this; it’s about time! We are going to do important business with other countries and extend our client base. Excellent”, said Sergio Marin, Corporate and Communications Account Executive, Legis.

On the other hand, buyers will come looking for strategic partners for joint manufacturing and to spot new suppliers. “My company is dedicated to providing services and distributing books. Therefore we need allies in the areas of printing and editorial design", explained Guillermo Cote, General Manager for Ediciones Unidas del Caribe, Dominican Republic.

Visitors may also attend the Fair; 25 thousand guests and 300 exhibitors are expected and this year’s novelty will be the promotion of the Color Management Center (Centro de Gestion de Color) and environmental aspects, with a zone especially dedicated to sustainable and eco-efficient solutions for the industry.

Furthermore, participants will learn about the latest advancements and world trends in the field of graphic communications.

As part of its activity of finding opportunities, PROCOLOMBIA discovered that the local graphic industry exporters have great possibilities to sell their products in the Brazilian, Ecuadorian and Mexican markets.

The migration to digital and the more demanding consumers are some of the largest challenges the industry has to face, thus Colombian exporters have to frame their strategy within the diversification of the markets and innovation of their products.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism’s figures, the sector’s exports in Colombia in 2010 reached US$ 255 million, ranking number two in Latin America in graphic communications exports, after Mexico.

Books were the number one export item in the country, reaching US$ 98 million, followed by notebooks with US $30 million, and paper and cardboard packaging with US $ 28 million.