Headquartered in the city of Gramado, in Rio Grande do Sul, in the Brazilian South, furniture maker Sierra, already exports to over 20 countries. In 2009, the company plans to reach a volume of US$ 6 million in business on the foreign market. "The company forecasts export growth of between 15% and 20% this year," said André Tissot, the company president.
Apart from that, Sierra intends to invest around US$ 2 million in the expansion of its installations and US$ 3 million in technology. The current production is 12,000 units a month and the company generates 520 direct jobs.
Nowadays, the main importers of company products, are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Portugal, England, Scotland, Sweden, the Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria, Angola, Qatar, Greece, Australia, Cape Verde and Russia. The group started exporting in 1999.
The Sierra export cash cow is solid wood furniture, but the company works with 10 lines of products and makes from beds, sofas and tables to luxury lampshades.
They also have the Santoficio line, with finished furniture and sophisticated design, the Clean line, in light clear colors, and Garden, with wooden and rattan furniture for balconies and verandas. The remaining lines are New Casual, New Story, Memory, Textura, Neoclássico, Complemento and Hacienda.
To increase domestic and foreign sales, the company usually participates in sector fairs. "In Brazil we have fairs that are appropriate for product releases, and abroad we participate in fairs in Russia, Spain and the United States," pointed out Tissot.
On the domestic market, the company is present in all states. Apart from the factory, which was established in 1989 as a simple unit, Sierra also has two of its own stores and 60 franchise stores, where around 650 people work.
In the chain establishments only brand products are sold. The retail chain should also be expanded. The group expects to open another eight shops in 2009.
Service
Sierra Móveis
Telephone: (+55 54) 3286-8900
www.sierra.com.br
Anba
