We are exactly where we imagined we would be... So for 2012 let's imagine bigger and better things for ourselves and those around us!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Have a Very MERRY Christmas...
May we remember Jesus’ birth, the most significant event in all history, and follow his teachings by doing a little more, with love, to someone, not only during this holiday season but during the season we live in this world.
Gov. Rick Scott and delegation visiting São Paulo a city comprising of 19 million inhabitants
Here are some highlights about the city/state:
 |
| São Paulo |
§ Over 10,000,000 Vehicles in Greater São Paulo
§ It has the largest fleet of helicopters in the world.
§ Urban area: 1,968 km² (760 mi²)
§ 3rd in the world in number of high-rise buildings with 5,644, according to Empori's database.
§ According to Mystery Shopping International, the ninth most luxurious street in the world is located in the city, the Oscar Freire Street.
§ Has the largest hospital complex in Latin America, the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo with 352,000 m2 (3,788,896.47 sq ft).
§ São Paulo is the 6th city with most billionaires in the world, drawn with Mumbai with 21 billionaires.
São Paulo is the 10th richest city in the world, the biggest financial center in Brazil and is expected to be the 6th richest in 2025. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers annual economic growth of the city is 4.2%. The city is also unique among Brazilian cities for its large number of foreign corporations. Many analysts point to São Paulo as an important global city, even though this categorization can be criticized considering its serious problems of social exclusion and spatial segregation. Despite being the most important financial center of the country, São Paulo also presents a high degree of informality in its economy.
In recent survey among the 30 to 60 years professionals, (8.163 million), the age bracket that better defines professional lives in Brazil, 46% have come from other areas of the country or from abroad. Among Brazilians, the group with the highest education level is comprised of migrants from the Southeast, South and Midwest regions of the country.
Agriculture within the state of SP present significant growth as well, preliminary figures from the Agricultural Economics Institute of São Paulo State Agriculture and Supply Secretariat shows that the value of agricultural and forestry production in the state reached R$ 61.45 billion (US$ 33.6 billion) this year, growth of 17.1% over last year.
Some of Brazil's Consumers Future Tendencies..
Brazilians over 60 population has grown about 50% in the past 10 years and is projected that by 2020 the population 60+ will be 30 million.
Health awareness and quality of life is also increasing. In comparison, US had 1,300 SPAs in the early 90' and presently there are over 10,000. In Brazil SPAs were practically unknown 20 years ago and now there are over 1,000, still plenty of growth opportunities.
According to the FGV report, currently 105 million Brazilians belong to the middle class C with a family income in the range of US$ 750 to US$ 3.229 per month, 39.5 million Brazilians became part of the middle class between 2003 and May 2011. (see image with % of population and consumption by location). On recent study showed that while 76% of A, B class opt to shop in supermarkets, 34% of C class and 49% of D and E class opt to alternative purchasing channels where smaller retailers reap the benefit.
These are just some of the new tendencies and how Brazil consumers are changing. Obviously Brazil offers a vast options of opportunities to companies in general.
Health awareness and quality of life is also increasing. In comparison, US had 1,300 SPAs in the early 90' and presently there are over 10,000. In Brazil SPAs were practically unknown 20 years ago and now there are over 1,000, still plenty of growth opportunities.
These are just some of the new tendencies and how Brazil consumers are changing. Obviously Brazil offers a vast options of opportunities to companies in general.
BRAZIL FLORIDA ALLIANCE - join us!!
Governor Rick Scott and JAX Mayor, Alvin Brown are visiting Brazil in October...
Opportunities are like the wind, constantly blowing but unless planning and work has been done to capture it and turn it into energy is just wind, meaningless unless you're the energy receiver or the capitalist on the project.. Brazil Florida Alliance can be a good starting point for Brazil opportunities, go ahead and register for our October Meeting ASAP.. http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2287584226/eivtefrnd Brazil Florida Alliance (BFA) report
October 19th 2011 Meeting Announcement
Nissan Motor planning to invest $1.5 billion to build a factory in Brazil
A Nissan representative in Brazil confirmed plans for a factory in the country producing around 200,000 vehicles annually.
Brazil is a key growth market for the world's biggest automakers, including Italy's Fiat SpA, Germany's Volkswagen AG and U.S.-based General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co.
Nissan and other Asian automakers still lag those big four producers in Latin America's largest economy, but are increasing their presence, including planned factories for Chinese brands Chery and JAC Motors.
A new factory would allow Nissan to ramp up growth in the world's fourth-largest auto market, where it currently shares a plant in Parana with French partner Renault SA.
Nissan sold nearly 37,000 cars and light trucks in Brazil through August this year, compared with nearly 20,000 in the first eight months of 2010, making it the country's No. 12 carmaker by sales, according to dealer association Fenabrave.
Here's my idea for downtown Jacksonville development... Care to share yours?
Brazilians spent 10 billion dollars overseas in 2010, just in credit card, a 54% increase from previous year. For years now, Brazilians have been flying to Miami and Orlando, sometime over a weekend just to go shopping. In fact, after TAM airlines started their direct service from Brazil to Orlando the malls in the city of Orlando saw a double digit increase during the first quarter of 2011. My suggestion would be to provide a plan with incentives and turn downtown into an attractive shopping area linked to themes of different countries that already connect via JAXPORT, a combination of niche products, brand names and general consumer goods for tourists and local residents wanting to experience different cultures without leaving Jacksonville. Selecting areas around downtown and converting into a free trade for products purchased there and combining with the attractive attraction of a multi-cultural visual experience with stores, restaurants, etc. would bring locals and tourists to the downtown area.What's your opinion?
One In Every Three Cars In Brazil Will Be Imported
According to the National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), the car imports this year will be the largest in the history of the Brazilian automotive industry, the share of imported cars which was 5% in 2005 should reach 23% this year. This index, however, is considered conservative by analysts, who indicate that models made in other countries account for almost one third of the market, the equivalent of one million vehicles - more than the production of Volkswagen, the largest manufacturer in the industry, which was 826 000 units in 2010.In 2010, the country imported 660,000 vehicles (18.8% of sales). In the first half, 390,000 vehicles were imported, 38% more than in 2010. Of this total, only 90,300 were brought in by importers without local factories.
** (JR comments)
Opportunities are abundant not only for exporting vehicles to Brazil but also to export certain parts and accessories for this growing number of imports and there's no better place than Florida for the quick and efficient logistics and deliveries required for competitiveness.
Ocean Carriers - Financial reports and list of who's in Brazil
A.P. Møller-Mærsk B shares are adding 7.1 percent in Copenhagen. Report follows several negative financial reports from carriers. APL, Hanjin Shipping and Hapag-Lloyd all reported losses in the first quarter, and Maersk Line parent A.P. Moller-Maersk warned in reporting stronger first-quarter earnings that it expects a slimmer profit later in the year.Hamburg-Sud, and its Brazilian sister carrier, Alianca, also benefited from a "moderate" recovery in freight rates, which boosted liner shipping revenue 45 percent to just under $5.65 billion. In March the carrier placed a $712 million order with Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries for six 9,600-TEU ships with the first delivery scheduled in May 2013.
NYK reported profit from recurring liner operations of 10.3 billion yen ($116.4 million), compared with a year-earlier loss of 18.6 billion yen for that segment.
MOL container ship revenue jumped 40.8 percent to 146.8 billion yen ($165.9 million). Group-wide net profit was 20.8 billion yen ($235.3 million), compared with a loss of 13 million yen a year earlier. Revenue rose 33.5 percent to 397 billion yen (4.5 billion).
"K" Line had net profit of 15.8 billion yen ($178 million), reversing a loss of 14.9 billion yen in the corresponding period a year earlier. Operating revenue from the company’s container ship segment totaled 112.3 billion yen ($1.27 billion) and operating income was 8.9 billion yen (108.8 million).
Ocean Carries in Brazil with links:
South America is the next retail frontier
Brazil, Uruguay and Chile top China and India for new expansion opportunities.
The region is ready for that next wave of modern retail growth, “It makes sense to invest in brands in those markets because you’re going to have some large percentage of consumers who are young today and who are going to grow with the brand into the long-term.” said Ben-Shabat.
Companies ranging from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world’s largest maker of luxury goods, are flocking to the continent even amid concerns about a credit bubble.
Wal-Mart and France’s Carrefour SA, the world’s second- largest retailer, are “masters of globalization,” having made developing-market expansion a priority, according to the report. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart entered Brazil in 1995 and Chile in 2009 and now operates 484 and 290 stores, respectively, in these countries, the company said in June.
Carrefour has more than 650 retail locations in Brazil, according to its 2010 annual report. Chief Financial Officer Pierre Bouchut with the retailer, based near Paris, said they will continue to pursue growth opportunities in Brazil even after a proposal to merge with Cia. Brasileira de Distribuicao Grupo Pao de Acucar failed in July 2011.
By Anna-Louise Jackson and Anthony Feld - Bloomberg
The region is ready for that next wave of modern retail growth, “It makes sense to invest in brands in those markets because you’re going to have some large percentage of consumers who are young today and who are going to grow with the brand into the long-term.” said Ben-Shabat.
Companies ranging from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world’s largest maker of luxury goods, are flocking to the continent even amid concerns about a credit bubble.
Wal-Mart and France’s Carrefour SA, the world’s second- largest retailer, are “masters of globalization,” having made developing-market expansion a priority, according to the report. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart entered Brazil in 1995 and Chile in 2009 and now operates 484 and 290 stores, respectively, in these countries, the company said in June.
By Anna-Louise Jackson and Anthony Feld - Bloomberg
$15.9 billion injected to bullet train project which now allows foreign companies in this process
Project shall be divided into two stages. The main new development is that the new Invitation to Bid allows the participation of foreign companies in this process.
At a Press Conference in the late afternoon, the General Director of the ANTT, Bernardo Figueiredo, announced that there will be two independent biddings: one for the hiring of the company that will take care of technology and also the operation of the train, and another for the construction of the work project itself.
According to Mr Figueiredo, the first stage should be assigned later this year, while the bidding for the infrastructure shall be left for 2012, so that the civil work may be defined once the choice of the rolling stock has been made.
The financial injection of R$ 20 billion (US$ 12.72 billion) from the BNDES will be maintained, with the possibility of an additional financing line of R$ 5 billion (US$ 3.18 billion) given by the National Treasury, as a subsidy, by reduction of interest.
At a Press Conference in the late afternoon, the General Director of the ANTT, Bernardo Figueiredo, announced that there will be two independent biddings: one for the hiring of the company that will take care of technology and also the operation of the train, and another for the construction of the work project itself.According to Mr Figueiredo, the first stage should be assigned later this year, while the bidding for the infrastructure shall be left for 2012, so that the civil work may be defined once the choice of the rolling stock has been made.
The financial injection of R$ 20 billion (US$ 12.72 billion) from the BNDES will be maintained, with the possibility of an additional financing line of R$ 5 billion (US$ 3.18 billion) given by the National Treasury, as a subsidy, by reduction of interest.
Brazilians growing purchasing power...
39.5 million Brazilians became part of the middle class between 2003 and May 2011, according to a report from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, FGV. "The years 2010 and 2011 have been exceptional," since ten million people have been incorporated to the C bracket of society said Professor Marcelo Neri.According to the FGV report, currently 105 million Brazilians belong to the middle class C with a family income in the range of US$ 750 to US$ 3.229 per month. However another 63.6 million are still in poverty brackets D and E while 22.5 million are described as belonging to the population segments with the highest purchasing power (A and B).
Broadband subscribers in Brazil grew 19.2 percent in 2010 alone,150-fold over the course of ten years..
The number of broadband subscribers in Brazil has grown, reaching 15.5 million accesses at the end of 2010, with an increase 150-fold over the course of ten years.In the annual report from Anatel, the country’s National Telecommunications Agency, they attributed the strong growth to a combination of granting a number of licenses to small and medium-sized companies as well as the swift responses to requests.
With a 19.2 percent growth in 2010 alone, the change of other services to IP delivery also accounted for the rise.
Even though there has been an increase in wireless broadband services as well as cable broadband, ADSL still remains the dominant method for accessing broadband.
According to telecoms.com, the broadband plan in Brazil which consists of state-owned telco Telebras, which operates a ‘national fibre backbone, offering cheap wholesale access to ISPs which can then pass on these savings to lower-income customers. ’ Informa Telecoms & Media hopes that using this plan will aid in driving up subscriptions to 29.4mn by the end of 2015.
Representatives of restaurants Beef 'O' Brady's and Johnny Rockets, were in Brazil with a booth at the Franchising Expo 2011 trade show last week to promote their products and negotiate the rights for the use of their brand in Brazil..
Beef 'O' Brady's - With nearly 30 years in the market, the network differentiates itself with themed restaurants. Created by Jim Mellody, Beef 'O' Brady's has its inspiration in the theme sports environment, in an atmosphere of fun and excitement. The first restaurant opened in 1985, the network builds, currently 217 units in the United States, four of 213 owned and franchised.
The restaurants are filled with TV screens and walls decorated with authentic pieces related to sports. As a final touch, the founder has ensured that the traditional Irish blessing was printed on every menu, wishing luck and happy times to all who visit their establishment. Today, the Beef 'O' Brady's is one of the fastest growing restaurants in the U.S.. Some call it Irish luck. "www.beefobradys.com
Could Yuan Replace the Dollar By 2015??
Big banks around the globe such as HSBC, BBVA, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are all doing road shows in Latin America to encourage the use of the yuan in trade with China.
China is planting the seeds of a powerful international currency that may become this alternative to the dollar. Without any serious fiscal reform in the U.S., the buck is looking more and more like a disaster waiting to happen.
McDonald’s recently became the first foreign non-financial company to sell yuan-denominated bonds in Hong Kong. Wal-Mart has already revealed its intention to do the same.
* One more reason why strengthening relationships with Latin American countries is so important!
iPhone-maker Foxconn ponders big Brazil move
IPhone maker Foxconn Technology Group is considering investing $12 billion in Brazil, a move that could help Apple Inc and other tech companies expand in the world's eighth largest economy.Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff said on Tuesday her government is studying Foxconn's investment plan, the latest move by the manufacturer to expand its manufacturing operations beyond the booming southern Chinese city of Shenzhen
Rising labour costs have forced many companies to set up operations in cheaper parts of China , but a Foxconn move into Brazil
Tech companies are keen to sell to Brazilian consumers hungry for high-end electronics, but gadgets are often priced out of the market because of high production costs and import tariffs. Apple's cheapest iPad, for example, retails for about $860 in Brazil , versus $400 in the United States
"It makes a lot of sense," said Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek, citing "punitive" import taxes. "If you're trying to serve Latin America, Brazil
"I don't think Foxconn is building this without a big marquee customer."
A deal would hand Brazil
"You've got an ample range of investments that go from $300 to $400 million to $12 billion over 5 to 6 years in the case of Foxconn," Rousseff told reporters, speaking of discussions her government was having with various technology companies.
"They're proposing a partnership. They came to us and said we want to invest in Brazil ," she said during a visit to Beijing
Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that also controls Hon Hai, manufactures most of Apple's products -- including the latest hit gadget, the iPad -- at its Shenzhen factories.
China's largest private employer made headlines last year after a string of worker suicides blamed on harsh living conditions and unrelenting pressures. [ID:nTOE69005X]
"We've been talking to them for three months," said Aloizio Mercadante , Brazil
TABLETS FOR THE MASSES
Rousseff herself has identified tablet computers as a relatively cheap way to promote Internet access for Brazil
According to media reports, Apple CEO Steve Jobs last year slammed the country's tariff barriers.
"We can't even export our products because of Brazil Rio de Janeiro
But as one of the fastest-growing BRIC countries, it has long been viewed as an attractive consumer market, one which some -- like Apple -- have had difficulty breaking into because of steep tariff barriers. Foxconn's move would help clients expand into local markets while potentially also offering a base for export to neighboring regions.
To get around hefty tax burdens, electronics vendors have increasingly set up local manufacturing, partly also to hitch a ride on attractive tax benefits. Almost all locally assembled electronic goods are produced near the Amazon city of Manaus
The Brazilian government and Foxconn are now negotiating a range of details, including the location of facilities, financing, taxes, broadband infrastructure and logistics.
Mercadante also told reporters Foxconn is planning to begin assembling Apple's iPad tablet PC at its plants in the South American country by the end of November.
Besides Foxconn, other Taiwanese companies that operate factories in Brazil
Foxconn's last major investment outside of Shenzhen was in October, when it announced a $2 billion plant in Chengdu , in China 's Sichuan China
Brazil Mission Opportunity for 2011
You're welcome to join us on May 2011 trip to Brazil, as we begin the Manufacturing Innovative Solutions Interchange process. A good opportunity to get closer to those involved with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics and visit Brazilian Manufactures. (see fliers - links bellow)
Brazil Mission - May-2011 PART 1
Brazil Mission - May-2011 PART 2
For more details, costs and information pls send email to jr@sis4biz.com
Cruise Business Grows in Brazil
Brazilians are traveling more on cruise ships. From 2004 to 2010 the number of cruise passengers grew by 400%, from 140.000 to 720.000 people. Brazil market already holds the world's fifth position in the cruise industry.Cruise ships do not require deep water as the new container ships do and in so many ways the cruise industry provides ports and cities with excellent profitability in revenues and job growth. Brazil as well as Florida have several ports, some in a better position for containers, others for bulk and others for cruise. It's important for leaders to understand and direct investments appropriately, towards ports based on their adequate niche markets.
Curitiba has the largest bus in the world in length
Mayor Luciano Ducci launched on Sunday, March 27, the new model bus biarticulated. Blue, powered by soy based fuel and with 28 meters, is the largest bus in the world in length. The governor Beto Richa, attended the event at Barigui Park. "It's a modern bus , comfortable and environmentally friendly, ensuring better quality in public transportation to the citizens of Curitiba," said Luciano Ducci. "This month we are receiving 97 new buses to renew the fleet. Yet this year, the city will receive 544 brand new buses, which will represent 29% renewal of the operating fleet."
Produced by Volvo, with Neobus body, the new buses have blue glasses with tinted film, blowers and fans to keep the internal temperature more pleasant, ergonomic seats with upholstery, light signal to indicate the opening of doors, which especially benefits people with difficulty in hearing, and platelets in Braille indicating the name of the line placed in the arms and backs of the seats reserved for disabled, elderly and pregnant women.
The project, technically known as B 100 (100% biofuel), was implemented on a trial basis in August 2009, with six of the Green Line bus, which meant a 50% reduction in smoke emission. From now on all Ligeirões run exclusively with fuel from soybeans.
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