Newsletter 45 – Businesspeople from Brazil discovered Valle del Cauca’s potential as exporting platform

Colombia and Brazil complement each other greatly in the Latin American market, as the easy access to the Pacific ocean, and the free trade agreements with American countries make great powers out of both countries for international trading. Therefore, the Investment Promotion Agency -Invest Pacific- achieved a mission in Brazil from the 3rd to the 7th of October this year, intended to show the competitive advantages of Colombia and Valle del Cauca.

This mission was led by Invest Pacific in a synergy with Valle del Cauca’s Governor’s Office, through the Department of Economic Development and Competitiveness, in partnership with ProColombia. It aimed to connect companies of electric equipment, packaging, construction materials, and cosmetics, with the opportunities our region offers to expand their operations here. All of this considering that Brazil features a solid industry and a very consolidated business network both local and international, that allows it to expand its operational borders and globalization processes.

“One of the greatest attractions of Valle del Cauca for the manufacturing sector is the great cost-efficiency for the companies’ logistic operations. This Department features the main maritime port of the Colombian Pacific, and the best road infrastructure in the country. Plus, the cost structure in terms of power and utilities is highly competitive”, said the manufacturing sector manager of Invest Pacific, Mauricio Concha.

Brazilian companies’ operations in Valle del Cauca aren’t new. According to Invest Pacific figures, Brazil has invested USD$151 million of US Dollars in the region through 16 projects, between investments and re-investments, that generate 507 employments. Brazilian companies such as Nadir, Bold, Ortobras, Dynatech and Gerdau are success cases on foreign investment in Valle del Cauca.

“Along with the Department of Economic Development and Competitiveness of Valle del Cauca’s Governor’s Office, we’ve been working in partnership with Invest Pacific on consolidating strategic markets, to connect more businesspeople from overseas with the great opportunities our region has to offer to expand their operations here, through new investments that generate social and economic development for the whole Department”, emphasized Pedro Andres Bravo, secretary of Economic Development and Competitiveness at the Governor’s Office of Valle del Cauca.

Throughout the present year, Invest Pacific has conducted other missions in Israel, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Peru to convey the advantages of investing in manufacturing, agribusiness, logistics, food products, and services. All companies seeking to settle in this region of the Colombian Pacific, are provided free of cost assistance.