Interview with Pilar Navarro, Director of the Construmat exhibition

Directly sell products is difficult because this type of article does not leave, but that you can establish important business relationships, either through joint ventures or other forms of collaboration. For example, from the recruitment of a Spanish architect who prescribed by Spanish products to develop products that conform to the needs of the Brazilian plaintiff.

In a very short space of time, Brazil has rehabilitated more than 2 million homes in addition to dealing with a large volume of infrastructure for the modernisation of a country that will host two major events, such as the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Rio Olympics. As the great platform for building, Construmat can offer all kinds of solutions. From prefabricated housing with modules that can reach ten heights up to construction processes to deal with a large volume of public works.

Own organizers of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro have so made it public. In fact, the President of the Organizing Committee, Carlos Nuzman, said that Barcelona is its model to follow. The brand image of Barcelona, its importance as capital of architecture and construction, which is reflected in Construmat, every two years is a very important guarantee that, in this sense, has to know take advantage.

The tariff issue is a very important subject in what refers to commercial contacts with Brazil. In order to answer questions and explain the best way to enter a country which, on the other hand, only has a free port, we have organised a schedule of technical sessions to advise companies interested in working in and with Brazil. To this end, we have the collaboration of Icex and various Brazilian sectoral associations who will be present at Construmat. In addition, the Association of promoters builders Spain (APCE), which already has spent time working in Brazil, will organize a day which will explain what his reality there.

After Construmat 2009, we started to work closely with exhibitors and visitors to know what were their needs. The answer was unanimous: out of the crisis, had to go for internationalization. And after a process of analysis, we can see that projects move where there is need of construction. And it is clear that this is happening in emerging countries that, on the other hand, do not have enough structure to deal with high rates of construction. In this sense, Brazil is almost a priority. In addition to their related projects with the World Cup or the Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, as a tourist country that it is, is interested in developing environmentally friendly tourism projects with the environment. We have also established agreements with Morocco, Peru, Mexico, Chile and Argentina, among other countries, which have great potential.

With Brazilian associations (Asbea, Sinduscon, Sinaenco, CBCS, CBIC or Ficons), have been agreed promotional activities, contact and wheels of business, among other actions. In Morocco, we have reached agreements of collaboration with the collective of architects and developers to attend Construmat as preferential visitors. With the collective of distribution of European countries, we have reached an agreement to create the day of the Distributor that aims to facilitate direct commercial contact between supply and demand. And in Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, we have closed inverse missions with collective of architects and developers.

The proximity and the enormous potential of growth in these countries make them a good opportunity of business for our companies. At the moment, the political instability of the area advised to act very cautiously, but when it stabilizes, will again offer bright prospects. Prior to the outbreak of the conflict, we have carried out specific action plans with professional groups of Morocco, which are of interest to the sector.

It is clear that the way of building is very different in the countries of the North than in our immediate environment, both by conditioning environmental and for cultural issues. However, the sector has demonstrated its capacity to cross borders and even get to the countries of Eastern Europe.

It depends on the circumstances of each country. For example, in Spain, the public works sector remains necessary for socio-economic development. And that doesn't happen perhaps in Germany, for example. But yes, perhaps, in Portugal or Poland.

On the side of the distribution, we have made special emphasis on Italy, France and Portugal, that its professionals find it cheaper, including logistical costs, buy at Spain. With regard to the recruitment of exhibitors, we have acted in Germany, action which is explained by the weight of its industry. We have also jumped on continent and we went to attract buyers of high profile in the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

Reforms and modernization of housing and projects for the rehabilitation of neighborhoods and cities should be players in the sector in the coming years, as was evident at the first Congress of rehabilitation and sustainability who, born under the auspices of Construmat held last summer in Barcelona. With the objective of promoting rehabilitation within the framework of the Hall, three actions has been designed: the Agora, which will be hosting a series of conferences; the laboratory, where companies will display their products and the route, which will give visibility to all exhibitors of rehabilitation through a signposted route.

Currently, all building that already meets criteria of energy efficiency could be considered sustainable. Projects of Felipe Pich-Aguilera, among other architects of the first line, are examples of sustainability. In Barcelona, District 22 @ is an area in which there are many buildings with innovative and sustainable solutions.

Our optimism is based on wanting to attract that everything that happens inside the Spanish construction market can be seen here. For this reason, we have reached agreements with generators of projects at the national level, we have opened the doors to the internationalization and we are bringing together professionals do, with one voice, they feel their demands to authorities to help such an important sector in the generation of wealth and employment.

But who says that Barcelona is expensive? Barcelona is a city with a lot to offer and does so at reasonable prices. However, we have reached agreements with the major transport operators (Iberia, Spanair and Renfe) to offer significant discounts to those who want to visit the lounge. We have also established partnerships with hotel associations to facilitate a 'pack' of 199 euros which includes travel of return more night hotel for any visitor from any Spanish city. We have designed a range of package for exhibitors at a price sealed

It is true that, until now, the sector has been linked very directly with the new building. But if rehabilitation is configured as an alternative to weight, we believe that it is one of the sectors that benefit can be seen. The implementation of the various 'Plan Renove' is in that direction. Also think that it is a very versatile and sector with a great capacity for adaptation measures that implement the different public administrations for the revival of consumption.

On the occasion of the international year of forests, we have entered into contact with PEFC Spain, Association awarded the label which guarantees the sustainable management of the 1.288.000 hectares of forests certified by the Association, to participate in Construmat.

We study again to organize the day of timber for what we are in talks with the Confederation Española of entrepreneurs of the wood (Confemadera), promoters of the project 'Build with wood'. In addition, under the auspices of the Spanish Federation of the pavement of wood (FEPM) and the Catalan Association of industrialists of the parquet (Acip), we welcome the second edition of the national competition of parquet flooring installers, which takes place the first day of the show. These two entities have been organized, in addition, an area of demonstrations and other exhibition to disseminate the advantages of this type of pavement.

It is difficult to foresee the future and more in a situation like the present, but it is true that it seems to have a significant potential for growth. Anyway, it has yet to produce a major trend change in the final consumer. However, the use of wood in other phases of the construction process is more widespread as, for example, floors or roofs.

The project 'Build with wood' is an outreach tool, developed by employers in the sector, which gets highlighted the need for further development of the applications of the wood in accordance with Spanish legislation. At the moment, working with wood, basically, in the initial work of the construction process, such as foundations or slabs.

Undoubtedly the weight that has the construction sector in any economy. In Spain, a unique time in which the sector has been a spectacular growth, he has lived to become the main engine of the economy. That has now passed. Now, we are witnessing a process of adaptation of the sector to the current socio-economic reality. We believe that the companies with more muscle, on the other hand, they need financing and to be open to the internationalization will be.

As a great platform for Spanish construction that is, Construmat is trying to key actors unify their criteria and join in a single voice for the interests of a sector which cannot be abandoned to their fate.

It is evident that investment in public works should not be a very sharp slowdown as our country still needs of infrastructure necessary for our socio-economic development. We believe that you should think broadly and invest in the long term. And another key is to open the tap of the funding in order for cash in circulation so that the companies back to work again.

We want to promote our website as a permanent space for the presentation of novelties of our exhibitors and want to link the Construmat brand to everything related to the sector as, for example, we have already done with the first Congress of rehabilitation and sustainability of the month of June.