January 2001 - Logging and Sawmilling Journal -

Uruguay's EXPOFORESTA 2000 was a success and organizers are hoping Canadian companies will participate in the next show in 2002.

By Jim Stirling

E XPOFORESTA has taken another step forward in establishing itself as one of South America's leading forest industry showcases, following up on its premiere a year ago with another successful show. The international trade show, held in Paysandu, Uruguay in October, attracted about 130 exhibitors and attendance of 8,000 over four days, an increase of approximately 50 per cent from the inaugural EXPOFORESTA held at Tacuarembo in 1999. The exhibitor/attendance numbers have to be put in the context of the regional economic doldrums. Just as Canada's well-being is tied to the US economy, so is Uruguay's to its neighbours in Brazil where the currency, the Real, has been devalued and Argentina, which is struggling through an economic recession.

EXPOFORESTA are looking to attract Canadian suppliers to the next show in 2002. The Uruguay show features some equipment not seen in Canada, such as the Demuth portable debarker (above).

The rapidly developing forest industry represents, in fact, an island of growth in Uruguay's current fortunes. The all sector show aimed to bring together qualified buyers and sellers of forest industry equipment and services. It featured demonstrations of forest machines like forwarders, seminars with an international perspective, business round tables and guided visits to nearby nurseries and plantations. There were plenty of names and equipment familiar to North Americans like Timberjack, Caterpillar, Hultdins, Loglift, Husqvarna, Liebherr, Stihl, Waratah and Wood Mizer. They were intermixed with equipment less well known in Canadian forests like the Brazilian made Randon trucks and forwarders, Demuth portable debarkers and the new Tec Form forwarders and harvesters manufactured in Spain.

Carlos Pollak (left) and Diego Martinez Prado of EXPOFORESTA are looking to attract Canadian suppliers to the next show in 2002.

EXPOFORESTA combines an interesting synergy. The vision for the show comes from Carlos Pollak, an industrial videomaker with broad international experience. Four years ago, Uruguay's forestry association hired him to compile a video on the industry. "I could see there was a big gap, a necessity, and I talked to them about doing EXPOFORESTA," recalls Pollak. "They say 'yes, no, maybe so'. I just went ahead and did it." He started alone and then teamed up with Diego Martinez Prado of Martinez, Martinez & Associates in Montevideo. Consultants MM&A offer a one stop service centre for relocating companies including accounting, legal, immigration and headhunting functions. "We liked the EXPOFORESTA idea because we would be working on one of the strongest aspects of development for Uruguay," explains Prado. "We provide its management." He and Pollak also enlisted the participation of Alberico Saldivia, travel specialist with Montevideo's Viajes Bueme's.

A learning curve is attached to organizing any forest show and EXPOFORESTA is no exception. "We have to convince key forest industry people we're here for the long term," says Prado. Among the significant organizational tweaks they are adopting is a biennial format with the third EXPOFORESTA slated for October, 2002. The show is also likely to have a permanent home in Paysandu, at an attractive 100yearold rural fair site that has ample room for exhibitor and equipment demonstration expansion. Pollak says he hopes Canadian forest companies and suppliers will participate in EXPOFORESTA2002 and he'd like to set up a separate Canadian pavilion if there is a sufficient number of participants. He's not the only one anxious to forge closer ties between Canada and Uruguay.

Patricia Wilson, commercial agent with the Canadian embassy in Montevideo, attended EXPOFORESTA and says the embassy and Uruguay 21, the country's investment and export promotion agency, offer help and information for potential Canadian investors interested in joint ventures. Wilson says although Uruguayan conditions are different with plantation, not old growth forests Canada has the experience, technological know-how and culture for successful forest management that make the two countries a good fit. She adds that Uruguay's newly elected president Jorge Batlle supports the continuing development of the forest industry and its infrastructure and has been successful in attracting foreign investment in the industry. For further information about EXPOFORESTA, check out their Internet site at

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South American Success.

By Jim Stirling