After two years of absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Expocomer and Expologística 2022 trade fairs were held in Panama last week. The double event was officially inaugurated by Laurentino Cortizo, President of the Republic of Panama.
Expocomer held in parallel to the fair a Business Round with the participation of more than 150 international buyers, among them executives of supermarket chains from the United States.
“Expocomer is a great platform for doing business, trade relations, training, learning about the best market trends, and knowing what is the state of the economy of Panama and the region,” said Jose Ramon Icaza, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Industry and Agriculture of Panama, during the inauguration of the international event held at the newly opened Panama Convention Center.
The President of the Chamber of Commerce highlighted that three events were held, Expocomer, Expologística, and Expoturismo.
“This environment allows us to understand how supplies are being accommodated, where the focus of the economies is in this 2022 so that Panama can take advantage of trade through our companies and take those opportunities that they have worldwide. Expocomer is the showcase of world trade,” said Icaza.
Expocomer presented agricultural products, textile clothing and accessories, and the electronics category with medical devices and supplies.
At Expologística, exhibitors presented trends in supply chains and everything that represents the logistics platform and companies that can offer cargo transportation services for products to or from Panama.
Nearly 100 exhibiting companies participated in the trade show to strengthen the country’s connection as a logistics “hub of operations” in the region by presenting the latest technological trends in the market and facilitating the updating of professional knowledge on the development of the industry.
The event for logistics professionals was inaugurated by the Minister of Investment Facilitation, José Alejandro Rojas,
Expocomer and Expologística Photo Gallery
“The purpose is for the industry to maintain the growth and dynamism that have characterized it, both for its competitiveness and the economic development of the Panamanian logistics sector, a fundamental axis of our development as a country and of the region,” said the President of the Panama Chamber of Commerce.
Icaza noted that Expologística Panama returned with multiple features. One of them is that the fair was extended for two more days in a new venue. It was also held in parallel with Expocomer, complementing the commercial offer with logistics services available to exhibitors and buyers from more than 30 countries gathered in the “showcase of world trade.”
Dr. Eduardo Ortega-Barría, national secretary of SENACYT, said: “The logistics sector must anticipate, adapt and prepare to respond to emergencies and mitigate potential impacts for the population and business continuity to guarantee the country’s competitiveness.”
For his part, Juan José Dutari, President of the Organizing Committee of Expologística Panamá 2022, noted that “this exhibition promotes the growth of the logistics industry in the country and the region while allowing participants to establish business contacts with representatives of maritime services companies, ports, freight forwarders, ports, customs, consolidators, transportation, technology, warehouses, shipping companies, among others.”
In addition to Expocomer and Expologística, where companies presented the latest technology and innovation trends, the specialized congress on logistics services was held, offering the latest trends, challenges, and business opportunities for the logistics sector as a strategy for economic reactivation in the region.
The main topics addressed at the congress were:
- Radar of Trends in the Logistics Sector;
- Role of Technological Infrastructure to support E-commerce;
- Strategies for improving the competitiveness of companies in the logistics sector;
- Cybersecurity in the supply chain;
- Role of the Colon Free Zone in regional trade;
- Agro logistics as a strategy for economic reactivation in the region.
Julio Ibáñez, President of the Hispanic Retail Chamber of Commerce and columnist for Abasto Media, participated in the congress.
Ibáñez presented the conference “Commitment to Supply Chain Security: Impact of the Pandemic on U.S. Hispanic Supermarkets. He explained COVID-19’s before and after reality in Latino supermarkets and why they need to increase their commitment to incorporating logistics professionals in their departments.