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South American factories building business

Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, April 13, 2003

Guadalajara, Mexico — Brazilian and other South American exhibitors are building their business in Mexico through participation in Expo Mueble.

Brazilian ready-to-assemble manufacturer Carraro was at the winter show here for the fourth time.

"Right now we're still opening this market, still finding new customers," said Volnei Benini, international trade director for Carraro. "The price preferences of the Mexican market make it a good one for our product, but it has particulars that make it very different from what we're used to."

For one thing, the ready-to-assemble concept is still new for many Mexican consumers, who are used to getting their furniture already assembled.

"For that reason, from 2003, Carraro is starting a new structure for in Mexico to adjust to this market condition," Benini said. "We're starting to ship assembled furniture to clients, and we think that will help us get more market share here."

While tables and chairs and garden furniture will continue to ship KD, bedroom will ship fully assembled.

Zientte, an 18-year-old company that makes leather upholstery in Colombia for finishing in Mexico City, does 30% of its business in Mexico after four years in the market. Eduardo Vergara, vice president, said the U.S. market is next.

"We started in Florida last October with a showroom at the Design Center of the Americas," he said. "We use pretty much the same designs, same measurements in all markets."

He added that a new image for the company has improved its business.

"Two years ago, we switched the name from Gilchrist to Zientte," Vergara said. "Our styles are more modern than before, more contemporary, and we have a Latin not a Scottish name."

Gilchrist was the family name of the company founders, who are descended from immigrants from Scotland.

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