Event in Bogotá brings together machinery and equipment companies and generates US$ 2.35 million in projected business over the next 12 months
DISTRITO CAPITAL, COLOMBIA, October 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The 35th Bogotá International Industrial Fair (FIB 2026), which ran from September 28 to October 2 in Colombia, proved to be a landmark event for Brazilian manufacturers. Participation in the fair’s business program saw a dramatic 143.59% surge in the number of meetings compared to the 2024 edition, with 11 Brazilian machinery and equipment manufacturers engaging in 190 prearranged discussions with potential buyers from across Latin America—up sharply from just 78 meetings two years prior.
This remarkable growth in interactions between Brazilian suppliers and international buyers was the highlight of the FIB 2026 International Business Matchmaking Event. The initiative was organized by Brazil Machinery Solutions, a program developed by ABIMAQ (Brazilian Machinery Builders’ Association) in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency).
According to Patrícia Gomes, Executive Director of Foreign Markets at ABIMAQ, the surge in meetings was achieved with the same number of manufacturers as in the previous edition, indicating a more strategic use of the fair’s diverse, multisectoral environment. “FIB brings together buyers from different production chains, allowing us to pursue several lines of negotiation during a single trade mission and make better use of Brazilian companies’ investment in international participation,” she explains.
The commercial impact was equally significant. The mission recorded US$ 170,000 in deals concluded on the spot, with an additional US$ 2.35 million in projected sales anticipated over the next 12 months. This projection represents a 30.92% increase compared with the previous edition, while the combined value of completed and projected transactions rose by 13.62%, according to the organizers’ survey.
A range of industrial sectors
The delegation’s composition showcased the breadth of Brazil’s industrial capabilities, featuring solutions for automation, pumping, foundry operations, power generation, inspection, weighing, process technologies, and sanitation. This diverse portfolio allowed participants to address a wide spectrum of buyer needs, from factory operations and component supply to the modernization of industrial facilities across various stages of the manufacturing value chain.
Brazilian participation was structured through individualized schedules tailored to each manufacturer’s business profile, with prearranged meetings and support from a dedicated Brazilian Business Center. Gomes emphasized that the suppliers’ specialization was key to focusing discussions on the specific requirements of buyer projects, particularly those involving equipment with stringent operating parameters. “A pumping system, an automation solution and foundry equipment require different assessments. That is why knowledge of the industrial application is essential to bringing manufacturers and customers together,” she notes.
The participating companies were Antares Acoplamentos, Coester Automação, Dynamic Aqua Science, EB Bombas, Flexaseal do Brasil, Microfusão do Brasil, Prensso Máquinas, SEMCO Tecnologia em Processos, STEMAC, Vanasa Multigas and VARPE Brasil. These 11 companies, representing nine industrial segments, took part in the trade mission held during the fair.
While the event took place in the Colombian capital, its reach extended well beyond. The Brazilian matchmaking event also welcomed buyers from Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela, enabling manufacturers to forge connections with companies from other key Latin American markets. This diversity in buyer origins underscored FIB’s international profile, which brought together more than 500 exhibitors from 16 countries and showcased solutions related to advanced manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence applied to production, and energy efficiency.
Matchmaking event sets a new record
This year’s edition of the FIB International Business Matchmaking Event, the third since its inception, achieved the highest number of business meetings since Brazil Machinery Solutions adopted this format. For context, the initiative brought together 12 Brazilian manufacturers for 151 meetings in 2022, followed by 78 meetings in 2024. The model, introduced post-pandemic, replaced traditional exhibition booths in favor of focused, prearranged business meetings.
The matchmaking event’s performance also signals a strengthening of trade relations between Brazil and Colombia in the machinery and equipment sector. In 2025, Colombia became the 10th-largest destination for Brazilian exports in this sector, increasing its share among markets served by Brazilian manufacturers. This close trade relationship is creating new opportunities, particularly in response to Colombian demand for industrial modernization solutions. Furthermore, the positive reception of Brazilian equipment and technologies is helping manufacturers enter other Latin American markets, where Brazilian industry offers technological solutions for a range of production chains.
For Gomes, the matchmaking event’s track record provides crucial insights into regional demand. “Each edition presents a different profile of opportunities. FIB’s track record helps us monitor which segments are finding demand and how we can improve our commercial activities in the markets we serve,” she explains.
ABOUT BRAZIL MACHINERY SOLUTIONS
Brazil Machinery Solutions is an export promotion program for Brazilian machinery and equipment, carried out by ABIMAQ (Brazilian Machinery Builders’ Association) in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency). The program operates as an international business platform, focused on expanding Brazilian companies’ access to strategic markets and positioning Brazil as a global supplier of capital goods with technology, innovation and industrial competitiveness.
ABOUT ABIMAQ
ABIMAQ (Brazilian Machinery Builders’ Association) represents Brazil’s machinery and equipment industry and works to strengthen the sector through institutional engagement, the promotion of technological innovation and the enhancement of industrial competitiveness. The association supports the international expansion of its member companies and the development of solutions aligned with global market demands.
ABOUT APEXBRASIL
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy.
To achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at supporting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business matchmaking events, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion leaders to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand.
The Agency also works in a coordinated way with public and private players to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil with a focus on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country.
Rafaela Tavares Kawasaki
Smartcom
+ +55 41984553810
Why it matters: The record-breaking performance at FIB 2026 signals that Brazil’s strategic shift toward targeted matchmaking events is paying off, delivering more efficient trade missions and stronger commercial ties with Latin American buyers. This model not only boosts immediate export figures but also cements Brazil’s position as a key technology and equipment supplier for the region’s ongoing industrial modernization.
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