10th September 2018
Minister also officially opens Sao Paulo office of Crowley Carbon – a Wicklow-based energy efficiency company
Monaghan-based Combilift celebrates €20M in sales to Brazil
Pat Breen TD, Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, commences a 5-day trade mission to Brazil today, 10th September 2018. The focus of the mission is the promotion of Irish companies as suppliers of innovative technologies, products and services to the Brazilian market.
Speaking on arrival in Brazil Minister Breen said; ‘I am delighted to lead this Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Brazil. Over the next 5 days I will undertake 17 engagements in three cities - Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, that will help to boost Irish exports to what is a very important global market. This is an important initiative to strengthen business relationships between Enterprise Ireland client companies in particular, and key Brazilian partners in key sectors including engineering, medtech, fintech, lifesciences, telecom software and education services’.
Exports to Brazil by Enterprise Ireland client companies alone stood at €42.4M in 2017, representing 21% of all client company exports to the Latin America region as a whole.
Minister Breen’s first engagement is the official opening of Wicklow-based energy efficiency company Crowley Carbon in Sao Paulo today. Crowley Carbon is one of Europe’s fastest growing energy efficiency companies and its decision to open new offices in Sao Paulo reflects the strength of its presence in the Brazil market.
The trade mission programme includes seven meetings between Enterprise Ireland clients and their partner companies including Brazilian household names such as Banco Renner and Uniao Quimica. Monaghan-based Combilift will take the opportunity of Minister Breen’s visit to formally celebrate reaching the milestone of €20M in sales to Brazil. In August the retail giant, Magazine Luiza, became the largest fleet owner of Combilift trucks in Brazil.
During the visit, Minister Breen will also meet with Mr. Santiago Mourăo, Undersecretary General for Trade Promotion, Investment and International Cooperation on Wednesday 12th September.
Minister Breen will also seek to promote Ireland’s strengths as a European innovation leader and world-renowned destination for education and will meet with Mr. Gilberto Kassab, Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication to highlight Ireland’s attractiveness as an innovative business partner with an economy driven by R&D, technology & innovation.
During the mission, at the invitation of the Institute of Technology and Society, at Rio de Janeiro State University, Minister Breen will deliver the keynote address at the ‘Workshop Brasil - Irlanda – A digital future and data protection: digital security and opportunities’.
Education promotion, through the Education in Ireland brand, is an important priority for Enterprise Ireland in Brazil. During a working lunch with the key Brazilian government bodies in Education and Research, Minister Breen will highlight the importance Ireland attaches to building on existing education and research links with Brazil and to developing the strong networks that currently exist between the two countries. Last year, over 16,000 Brazilians studied in Ireland.
During the visit, Minister Breen will visit the Brazilian non-profit organisation Fundação Abrinq which, using €12,000 provided by Irish Aid, will help establish a crèche in Pacaraima to provide pre-primary educational services to young children of Venezuelan families who have sought refuge in Brazil from the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in their country.
Minister Breen will also launch the Irish Business Network Brazil, the objective of which is to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Conor Fahy, Manager High Growth Markets, Enterprise Ireland, who is accompanying Minister Breen to Brazil said: ‘Trade Missions such as this one, co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Government of Ireland, present enormous opportunities to the participating companies. Through positive experiences in developing new business relationships with partners in Brazil, they are also opening doors for Irish companies with global ambition seeking to diversify into new markets’.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Conor O'Donovan
Head of Communications
Enterprise Ireland
Conor O'Donovan
01 727 2912
Grace Labanyi
Corporate Communications
Enterprise Ireland
grace.labanyi@enterprise-ireland.com
01 727 2820
087 3286404
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