Córdoba's Fobos SRL is devoted to the manufacture of dies and injection-molding plastic pieces, and it has carried out its first formal export to the Bolivian market, thanks to its participation in ProCórdoba Agency's Export Development Program (EDP).
This SME with international prospects is participating in the EDP for the rubber & plastics sector, and it met with different clients in the industry at the 2018 Santa Cruz International Trade Fair (Expocruz) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Managing partner Fernando Martini shared his experience and said, "We have been working with ProCórdoba for years now. In 2018, we had the opportunity to take part in ExpoCruz, one of the largest multisectoral fairs in Latin America. Besides, we have participated in different business rounds, and this has allowed us to contact the client for whom we've exported interlocking plastic floor tiles to set up to professional volleyball courts."
"ProCórdoba's tailored work with each SME is crucial. We have received training from a foreign trade expert that visited our premises, learned about our products and, from there, gave us tools that fit our needs," explained Fobos SRL manager. Fernando continued, "All the training we've received from the Agency has enhanced our value and knowledge. Something that stands out in my mind are the inward trade missions. They consist in visits to the company by international operators, so that trust is build with clients: they learn about our structure, the quality of the product, and trust what we can carry out a successful export. On this occasion, we have exported ten pallets of interlocking plastic flooring pieces to Bolivia. In order to carry out the export, we were trained in logistics, coordination and pricing, all of which was a turning point for us," he concluded.
About the Export Development Program for the rubber & plastics sector
This program is aimed at accompanying small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) manufacturing rubber and plastic items in the Province of Córdoba that wish to carry out its first export and become regular exporters.
During 2017, the Technical & Commercial Information Department conducted a study about the sector and the most important potential destination countries for export. With the data gathered, ProCórdoba prepared comprehensive reports that are available at www.procordoba.org
At the center of the program are SMEs wishing to participate, either individually or in groups or five or more companies, which will be trained by an export development consultant.
The consultant is responsible for conducting a diagnosis of the firms' export history and export potential, designing business strategies and improvement actions, defining an internationalization plan, and organizing matters for implementing and following up on the export plan.