• The new Chairman of the Board bets on innovation, design, competitiveness and sustainability to enable agendas. 
  
• The new Brazilian gas law, exports, institutional relations and quality and competitiveness programs are among the priorities.
  
• Brazil is expected to become the third largest global exporter of ceramic tiles in the coming years. 
  

Businessman Benjamin Ferreira Neto (Alfagrês), 59 years old, took office this Wednesday, April 28, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Brazilian Association of Manufacturers of Ceramic Tiles, Sanitary Ware and Related Products- ANFACER. Elected in virtual assembly of the entity, on March 31, he will succeed Manfredo Gouvêa Júnior (Elizabeth) in the position.

Ferreira Neto takes over with the mission to continue the previous management, which even in one of the most serious moments in the country's recent history, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, was able to articulate and open new possibilities for the sector, playing a key role in the approval of the new regulatory framework for natural gas and establishing Anfacer's strategic planning, in partnership with the consulting company EY.

"The health crisis is not over", says the new president, who stresses the importance "of starting fundamental agendas defined by our board, under the brilliant coordination of my predecessor in the presidency, Manfredo Gouvêa Júnior", to overcome the challenges and uncertainties that will remain "at least in the medium term".

Among the priority topics, Ferreira Neto highlights the regulation of the the new Brazilian gas law, the consolidation of the ceramic tile  industry's export vocation, the strengthening of institutional relations in Brazil and abroad and the defense of sectorial policies and programs of quality and competitiveness.

For the new Chairman, the new rules for the production chain of natural gas, sanctioned on April 8 by the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, summarizes well the commitment of Anfacer with agendas capable of generating positive impact not only for the sector, but for the resumption of growth as a whole in the post-pandemic. "We are the 2nd largest industrial consumer of natural gas in the country. The implementation of a free gas market will make possible new investments that will enable the expansion of national production, generating jobs and greater competitiveness in the national and international markets," he says. 

Sector Representativeness

According to Ferreira Neto, Anfacer's articulation with other sectors was fundamental for the approval process of the new framework: "Anfacer worked tirelessly for years to join forces and in permanent dialogue with the public sector and other sector entities.

Brazil is already today one of the main world players in the ceramic tile market, being the third largest producer in the world, the second largest consumer market and the sixth in the export ranking, with sales to more than 110 countries.

The new Chairman defends that the guidelines of the sector continue converging with those of other entities in the construction industry, such as partnerships with The Brazilian Association of the Construction Materials Industry - ABRAMAT, The National Association of Building Material Merchants - ANAMACO, The Paulista Association of Ceramic Coating - ASPACER, The Brazilian Chamber for the Construction Industry - CBIC, Ceramic Center of Brazil - CCB and Union of Ceramic Industries of Criciúma - SINDICERAM. "Our entity, which represents 60 companies, 71 manufacturing units and 137 brands, and generates more than 250 thousand direct and indirect jobs throughout Brazil, will continue working hard with the purpose of contributing to the recovery of the economy, always adding efforts with the public and private sectors, in the search for the best for our country," he affirms.

Another agenda that will help strengthen the ceramic tile industry is to increase its weight in international trade. He hopes that in the next few years, Brazil will be among the three largest exporters of ceramic tiles on the planet. "We already have competence, technology and expertise. What we need now is for this innovative and sustainable agenda to gain traction", he says. 

Board of Directors - Composition 

Businessman Benjamin Ferreira Neto, from the Cerâmica Alfagrês company, has a degree in Civil Engineering from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas). He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Paulista Association of Ceramic Coating (Aspacer) and the Employer's Union of the Construction, Furniture and Ceramics Industries of Santa Gertrudes (Sincer).

In the new administration, Manfredo Gouvêa Júnior, from Elizabeth, César Gomes Júnior, from Portobello, and Darks Cesar Cassotti, from Biancogres, assume the three vice-presidencies of Anfacer. The following Board members also took office on April 28: Ana Lúcia Bastos Mota (Cerbras), Christian Gail (Gail), Eduardo Fior (Carmelo Fior), Gilmar Menegon (Ceusa), Heitor Ribeiro de Almeida Neto (Almeida), Marcelo Izzo (Deca), Maria Esther Paraluppi (Embramaco), Murilo Ghisoni Bortoluzzi (Itagres), Otmar Josef Müller (Eliane), Sérgio Magalhães (Vidro Real) and Sergio Wuaden (Incepa).

Luiz Antonio Ortigosa (Delta), Sergio Melfi (Roca) and Renato Casagrande (Casagrande) make up the Fiscal Board, whose alternates are Valmir Carnevalli (Savane), Marconi Leonardo Pascoali (Angelgres) and Vanderli Vitório Della Coletta (Villagres).

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