Boosting the growth of the Cuban economy from the optimal use of the productive capacities of the industry to substitute imports is an essential objective of this VI Business Fair, which is already in its second week of session at Expocuba.
Focused on this purpose, this edition has become a dynamic meeting, exchange, conciliation and demand space for the iron and steel industry with other actors in the economy, given its condition of support for the development of vital sectors such as agrifood, transportation , housing, and others; Also, with the intention of increasing the presence of the productions of this industry in other areas where it is still insufficient and where imported items can be substituted, such as Tourism and Commerce.
Thus, due to its importance at this fair, Hall 22 has received the visit of members of the Council of Ministers and the Central Committee of the PCC.
Jorge Cuevas Ramos, Head of the Economic Department of the Central Committee of the PCC together with other officials from the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) and the Ministry of Industries (MINDUS) was at the GESIME exhibition and exchanged with group executives. He was interested in learning about the fulfillment of the 2019 economic plan, the participation of GESIME companies in the works of the Mariel Special Development Zone, and about the use of the productive capacities that the industry has today in order to substitute imports .
Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, Minister of Transport, also made a tour of the exhibition. He focused his attention on the state of the production of bolts and nuts, in that sense he emphasized the production of nuts for sleepers, and of auto parts, especially the basic range of cars that exist today in the country. He was also interested in the status of Diana bus production, with a plan of 500 for 2019, the provision of bicycles and electric tricycles for the e-commerce sales scheme. He also inquired about the progress of the low-power car and internal combustion tricycles project, likewise, showed interest in vehicle repair services and the import substitution program for aviation, specifically associated with the production and repair of airport trolleys.
Various business meetings have also been held. Among the most significant was the work meeting with AZUMAT to boost the national production of agricultural implements, spare parts for combined pipes, refractory bricks and others. Also notable for its importance, the meeting with executives from the housing sector, in whose plan there was an increase compared to 2019, which implied an increase in the resources to supply them by 12%. From this, it was identified to replace the importation of galvanized pipes and fittings with PAD pipes and fittings, as well as the production of cold-formed profiles at the METUNAS Company.
On the other hand, a conference program has been deployed at this event. “The Industry for the 500th Anniversary of Havana” was the first, with the participation of companies from OSDE, MINDUS and CAP HABANA, where the activities, services and productions of GESIME were exhibited in support of the 500th anniversary of the city . Likewise, the topic “Presence and possibilities of GESIME in MINTUR” was developed with the participation of ITH SA. and the companies whose productions are related to this sector, within this framework, GESIME exposed a range of its products that could substitute imports to this branch of the economy, also illustrating the foreign exchange savings that the country would obtain through the national industry, starting from of an analysis of the import levels of ITH SA. from 2016-2018.
The conference “Work and perspectives of GESIME in the Mariel Special Development Zone” was given, with the participation of colleagues from the OHH and ZED Mariel, where the experiences in insertion in this market were discussed.
Likewise, with the aim of promoting the commercialization of GESIME productions in the tourism sector and in the TRD Caribe and CIMEX network of stores, a presentation was held in which the products that these sectors currently import and which GESIME exhibited were exposed. it has the ability to produce. Among them: cutlery, stainless steel gastronomic furniture, warehouse shelves, swimming pool circulation pumps, small and large-scale aluminum kitchen fixtures, lace, electric welded and chain link meshes, plastic electrical pipes and electrical cables.
In the case of the TRD and CIMEX stores, it was also shown that the GESIME product range is insufficient; However, the potential of acquiring with the national industry various items that these companies sell today in their facilities and that are mostly imported was recognized. Among them, aimed at the construction market, the following were identified: hydraulic pipes, masonry buckets, construction wagons, shovels, carpentry (PVV, galvanized, lacquered aluminum), chain link, staples, lace, hoes, hammer and screws . For transportation: electric bicycles, hydraulic jacks, spark plugs, filters, seat covers. And other productions such as: induction utensils, cutlery, machetes, cables and electric wires.
In this way, he closed this GESIME conference and summarizes the sense of work at this fair: We are called to meet, to analyze how we can incorporate our products by import substitution and increase the productive capacities of the national industry.