The partners will invest R$ 4.88 million on the implementation of the Orchestra Brasil Project, which is expected to promote trade actions during the next 12 months   The goal is that the participating companies increase exports by 11% between 2011 and 2013   The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Furniture Industry Association of Bento Gonçalves (Sindmóveis) signed today (March 27) during a seminar entitled "To export is to innovate”, the new financial and technical cooperation agreement for the promotion of exports of raw materials, components, technology and design services for the furniture industry. The agreement includes investments that total R$ 4.88 million allocated by Apex-Brasil and  Sindmóveis, to conduct a series of trade promotion activities and to position the industry abroad over the period 2012-2013, organized under the Orchestra Brasil Project. The target markets for these initiatives are the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, South Africa, Canada and Turkey. Currently, 70 companies are part of the Orchestra Brasil Project. The goal of the new agreement is that exports of the participating companies grow 11% going from US$ 83 million (2011) to US$ 93 million (2013).  "By renewing this partnership we aim to promote exports and the internationalization of the Brazilian brands, investing on competitive advantages such as innovation, design and sustainability of the products. The sector has the potential to excel ever more in the international trade, and the project should contribute to the positioning and image of the furniture supply chain through initiatives that include the promotion of the designers on the international market”, says Rogério Bellini, business director of Apex -Brasil. The president of Sindmóveis, Cátia Scarton, emphasizes the success of the agreement. "The opportunity to integrate the efforts of the furniture industry suppliers into the Orchestra Brasil Project allowed the access to specific information on foreign markets, optimizing sales strategies and focusing the efforts to exchange experiences with the target markets. As of this year, the addition of services to the Project will enhance the results because our companies and our designers are ready to open more markets outside Brazil. " In addition to the Orchestra Brasil Project, aimed at the suppliers of the furniture industry, Apex-Brasil also supports the furniture manufacturers through the  Brazilian Furniture Project - an agreement with the Association of the Wood and Furniture Industry (Sindimam)  and the Brazilian Furniture Association (Abimóvel), in force until 2013. The growth of exports Member companies of the Orchestra Brasil Project and the Brazilian Furniture Project have been able to increase their exports above the average of Brazilian companies. In the case Orchestra Brazil, the average annual growth of exports of the participating companies between 2006 and 2011 was 10.6%, while the index for the Brazilian companies in the same segment was 6.9%.   In the case of the Brazilian Furniture Project, the overall exports of the Brazilian furniture industry fell between 2006 and 2011 (-7.7%), while the companies participating in the project increased their exports by 11.9%. Actions planned  The new Orchestra Brasil Project includes the following action plans: •         Participation in the main international fairs of the sector (M&M – Colombia, KBS – United States, XYLEXPO – Italy, Tecnomueble – Mexico, IWF – United States, Expoferretera – Mexico, FENAFOR – Peru,  INTERMOB – Turkey, Maison&Object – France); •         Buyer’s Projects (importers come to Brazil to attend ForMóbile – São Paulo and FIMMA – Bento Gonçalves -RS); •         Seller’s Project (Road show of companies of the sector in South America); •         Market research (Turkey and South Africa); •         Promotion of design – partnership with organizations in the fashion segment at events such as the São Paulo Fashion Week, Fashion Rio, Minas Trend Preview, Brazil S/A – Milan (Italy), 100% Design (London); •         Sectoral strategic planning and segmentation of the companies; •         Design training and competitiveness; •         Trade mission to China; •         Showroom in Miami (USA), at Apex-Brasil Business Center. Seminar “To export is to innovate” The seminar "To export is to innovate" is an initiative adopted by Apex-Brasil as of 2012 in various sectoral events throughout Brazil aiming to bring the Agency closer to the entrepreneurs, presenting them with the services offered to make it easier for them to get into or expand their presence in the international market