Santa Catarina Drives Business Growth with Successful Argentina Trade Mission and Innovative Logistics Software

Santa Catarina is making significant strides in boosting business expansion and export opportunities in 2025 through a combination of active international trade missions and cutting-edge technological innovation.

The Federation of Industries of Santa Catarina (Fiesc) recently organized a highly successful business mission to Argentina, exceeding expectations by facilitating 237 meetings between 23 furniture manufacturers from Santa Catarina and 54 potential Argentine buyers. This initiative aimed to assist exporters affected by recent US tariffs. Despite Argentine buyers' initial unfamiliarity with Santa Catarina's furniture offerings, their interest was piqued by the region's logistical advantages and linguistic proximity, positioning Santa Catarina as a competitive alternative to Asian imports for Argentina's furniture needs. Fiesc, backed by the state government and Sebrae/SC, also engaged with the Bank of Patagonia, controlled by Banco do Brasil, to explore financing solutions that would ease transaction processes. Fiesc's president, Gilberto Seleme, and Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello highlighted the mission's importance in expanding bilateral business relations (Source 140526).

Complementing these trade efforts, Santa Catarina's technology sector is advancing rapidly with Emiteaí, a logistics software company founded in 2020. Emiteaí tackles Brazil's logistical challenges by enabling rapid fiscal document issuance, connecting transporters, shippers, and e-commerce businesses to generate mandatory cargo documents in under one minute. Having processed over 480 million fiscal documents—almost 4% of all such documents issued in Brazil over 18 years—and currently serving 123 clients, Emiteaí has demonstrated remarkable growth. The company's net operational revenue soared to 6.9 million reais in 2024, a notable 113% increase from the previous year, earning it a 30th ranking among 177 companies on the EXAME Negócios em Expansão 2025 list. CEO Ewerton Caburon plans to double the client base to 270 by 2026 and launch new products targeting shippers, signaling robust expansion prospects (Source 140525).

Together, these developments underscore Santa Catarina's strategic push to enhance its economic profile through targeted export missions and technological innovation. The synergy between fostering international business relationships and investing in digital solutions is setting the state apart as a hub for growth and export diversification in Brazil's southern region.

"Argentine buyers are ready to do business but were unaware of our potential," noted Maria Teresa Bustamante, president of Fiesc's Foreign Trade Chamber, reflecting the mission's success in opening doors. Emiteaí's CEO emphasized the critical need for agility in logistics: "Our software eliminates bureaucracy in seconds, revolutionizing fiscal document issuance." These efforts highlight Santa Catarina's dynamic approach to modernizing its industrial and export landscape.

As Santa Catarina continues to advance, the upcoming year promises further growth fueled by expanded export reach and innovative technologies streamlining business operations.