One of the things that surprises me the most every time I am in the assembly of a fair in Brazil is the absence of painters. The process of painting stands is considered messy and cumbersome, so the most common alternative is to cover walls, facades and other elements of the stand with what they call napa.

It is a kind of synthetic leather with a multitude of possibilities in terms of colors and finishes, and with which practically everything is wrapped. You could say that here in Brazil they upholster their stands.

Although some analysts claim that the country I am in is losing steam and that if things continue this way, in ten years it will lose economic leadership in Latin America to Mexico, the truth is that for the moment the Brazilian economy (the seventh in the world in terms of GDP) and especially some of its sectors continue to grow year after year.

This growing pace over the past few years has carried over to the Brazilian market for trade fairs and business events, which also continues to grow at a parallel rate. The country’s main exhibition, trade fair and convention centers are practically at full capacity throughout the year.

Given the enormous size of Brazil, both national and international companies know that trade fairs are a fundamental and profitable tool for business in the country, as well as for their commercial promotion.

We have come to Sao Paulo to set up a stand that we are carrying out with a local partner. Our client has had the audacity (or should we say the wisdom?) to attend a fair in Brazil dedicated to the construction sector. Rarely have we seen an exhibitor so satisfied with the outcome of a trade show. However, his European mentality has made him ask us not to cover his stand for the time being.