Partner Article

Industry aims to learn from Brazil

WHILE England’s footballers could learn a lot from their Brazilian counterparts, the region’s energy firms may also be looking to march to the samba beat following a new partnership agreement.

Firms in the oil, gas, nuclear and offshore wind sectors will have the opportunity to tap into industry knowledge from companies that employ 600,000 people in Brazil.

Business development body NOF Energy has signed an agreement with the Brazilian organisation Federation of Industries of Rio Grande do Sol (FIERGS).

FIERGS represents 45,000 factories, which directly employ 600,000 people in the Southern state of Brazil.

This new global partner agreement will strengthen business relations between the organisations’ memberships and further expand their international networks.

The two organisations will work closely together to share industry intelligence and economic information that will benefit member companies in addition to organising trade visits between the two markets.

The agreement was signed at an NOF Energy event in Newcastle, which included a presentation by the Brazilian national oil company, Petrobras and which also had support from UK Trade & Investment.

A large delegation from FIERGS with 35 businesspeople visited the UK to meet with NOF Energy members with the aim of forming new business relationships and to grow the links between the two countries.

An NOF Energy trade visit to Brazil is planned for September 2010 when the organisation will lead a delegation of UK companies to the Rio Oil & Gas exhibition in Rio de Janeiro and Suape Port on the Brazilian East Coast.

NOF Energy chairman Neil Kirkbride said: “FIERGS is a very important organisation in the Brazilian energy sector and this agreement will be of real benefit to our members.

“Brazil is a major export market for the UK supply chain and this agreement with encourage improved trading links and industry relationships.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .