Balluff’s positive sentiments are shared with companies such as Andritz Hydro, which maintains manufacturing facilities including a model test lab in Brazil as well as an office in São Paulo, and hopes to expand in the country. Commented Mr. Peter Magauer, VP of Global Sales Turbines, “We like to work with Brazil; there are many cultural similarities.”

With a 600-employee R&D facility on the campus of the University of Unisinos in Porto Alegre, German software giant SAP is in the process of increasing its R&D capacity in Brazil. Stressed CFO Mr. Luka Mucic, “We consciously strive to ensure that we are closely embedded with customers and with the political environment in different countries. We want to be viewed as a global player, but with strong local roots as well.”

ZF Group, the German automotive technology company, has also made its mark locally in Brazil since its arrival more than 55 years ago, and is even involved with environmental and social projects such as tree-planting and literacy campaigns – the company provides water vessels to help students and teachers get to school in Brazilian Amazon communities. ZF Group maintains several locations across Brazil. Mr. Rolf Lutz, chairman of the South America region, expressed that with their team of 50 engineers exclusively dedicated to R&D in Brazil “we are able to bring products that help reduce green house gasses and improve the profitability of our customers”.

No company understands the importance of catering to the local market better than Melitta, who has created custom products to coffee drinkers throughout the world. “Wake,” a new ready-to-drink coffee drink in Brazil, was designed by Melitta’s local R&D team for Brazil’s young, on-the-go generation.