Although the ‘BRIC’ countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) can be grouped together in terms of economic development, it is important to understand the different geo-economical situation of the four nations.

It is important to highlight China’s incredible growth rate in the last two decades, but it is also important to highlight the tremendous challenges facing Brazil; to feed and to educate hundreds of millions of people. India deals with problems presented by its political situation – more open although not totally democratic – and finally Russia, one of the super powers of last century, faces a lot of controversy regarding its political situation which can generate a climate of mistrust, and can have a detrimental effect on the capital invested there.

Despite these differences, a continent-sized country with less than one fifth of the population of its ‘competitors’ seeking new investments, has some advantages over those strong secular countries.

Production

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Brazil was listed at number four in car production this year with more than 2 million units, behind China with 8 million, the United States with 7.6 million and Japan with 3.5 million. Trucks are included in this figure, with 10 per cent or 200,000 units in Brazil. This results in increased infrastructure construction. This positive economic development bodes well for forward thinking companies smart enough to invest this burgeoning region.

Positive indicators include:

  • $1.8 trillion reais ($US1.1 trillion) of GNP, means that every investment plan means billions of dollars.
  • Infrastructure (transport only) will take 1 per cent of GNP per year till 2023.
  • Sewer investments, for a country that collects only 40 per cent and treats less than 20 per cent, means a lot of potential opportunities.
  • Sewer rehabilitation in state capitals require a huge investment of $20 billion Reais ($US11.9 billion) till 2023.
  • Fibre optic and broadband in Brazil means thousands of kilometres of buried cables
  • Hundreds of thousands of kilometres of cast iron and asbestos cement pipelines still supply potable water in the old downtown of huge cities across Brazil.
  • Scheduled international events increase all prospects (Soccer 2014 and Olympic Games 2016) and everybody knows what that means.
  • Billions of dollars worth of investments in energy projects, including plans by one of the world’s largest oil companies to build more than 7,000 km of oil and gas pipelines.

There’s no excuse for not coming to Brazil, a democratic country with a solid economic position, strong reserves (more than $R200 billion), low inflation and a very attractive interest rate for your investment beyond the huge and previewed investment in infrastructure.

ABRATT promoted the fourth edition of Brazilian Trenchless Technology Congress and the second No-Dig Latin America from July 21 to 22, 2010 in São Paulo city. Participants and exhibitors at these conferences had the same good feeling about Brazil’s opportunities for the next 20 years.

The Congress had 400 participants and the No-Dig Show had almost 600 visitors. With more than 1,000 participants overall, the attendance at these events was considered extremely good.

The 2012 No-Dig International Conference is sure to be another successful event and we look forward to receiving you there.