Introduces Spanish machinery to the investor

Promotion of the sector abroad is one of the main functions being entrusted by the associates to the Export Department of SERCOBE. This covers an institutional and general information aspect as much as the promotion of specific business opportunities, although in this case with a subsidiary character with regard to the own activity of the companies.

This activity by the Export Department of SERCOBE is mainly carried out in emerging and developing countries. It is considered that in the frame of the European Union and other developed countries the width and clearness of the market does not make direct commercial activity of SERCOBE necessary. Nevertheless institutional promotion and information on the sector are also maintained within this frame.

Actions of the Export Department of SERCOBE in the developing world are essentially scoped to offset the lack of a continued presence by our associates. This aspect is covered by the Department, particularly in narrow markets, logistically difficult, where commercial and investment decisions are punctual, and usually requiring a long maturity and definition process. This makes the permanent presence of the companies harder to be fully justified, while that of the Association is supported in order to cover the markets with a more general scope and a wider range of sectors.

Selects the appropriate manufacturer and assists in the preparation of the bid

Trough our own offices and the network of Agents and Representatives, the Export Department detects and trails particular business opportunities. It selects in each case the most adequate Associate for following the projects and it provides to them a detailed definition of the project. It collaborates in preparing technical proposals and commercial solutions defending these offers together with the Spanish companies involved, both in direct negotiations and in international tenders.

Export Department of SERCOBE, is then acting with a subsidiary role, providing its own knowledge of the markets and local conditions, while companies are in last term sovereign in their decisions.

Arranges financial facilities

One of the functions most actively developed by the Export Department, also representing a promotional tool, is analyse, performance and presentation of financial solutions for those projects being undertaken jointly with its associates. Experience achieved in these decades enables the Export Department of SERCOBE for obtaining the best terms in the market, optimising the financial solution and giving the necessary steps for its implementation.

The size of the capital goods sector in Spain has reached and maintained production figures exceeding 30,000 million euros a year. It has become, at the same time, a sector clearly oriented abroad, as 60% of the capital goods and industrial facilities produced, 20,000 million euros yearly, are exported. Exports envisage mainly the European Union and North America, about 70%; Latin America ranks second with 10% of exports while other important amounts are devoted to Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, which is also becoming an increasing market.

Supervises the implementation of the project

As an additional activity, the Export Department participates also in building-up international consortia, mainly European, and acting in the name and on behalf of SERCOBE associates in those projects that, given their size, should be better undertaken from more than one country. In these cases, the Project Management unit of the Department has a very active role in performing the contracts.

In developing these commercial functions for export promotion, permanent contacts are kept with the State Secretary of Commerce in the Spanish Ministry of Economy, with the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX), Official Institute of Credit (ICO), Spanish Export Credit Assurance Company (CESCE), financial institutions and banks.

As far as promotional instruments most used are concerned, and considering financial conditioning generally implicated in these projects, we may refer to organising Technical Meetings both in Spain and abroad. They are focused to present sectors or technologies developed by our companies. In this line we can also mention the organisation of trips to enable foreign investors visiting facilities in operation in Spain, participating in international forums, conferences and in general all those industrial or commercial promotions assuring the presence of the Spanish companies in the international market.