Exporting to Colombia – Challenges, Opportunities and Entry Strategy

Exporting to Colombia - Challenges, Opportunities and Entry Strategy

Colombia is fourth in Latin America’s largest economy, right after Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil. Colombia is the only country in South America that has two coastlines, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Global investors have a vast shipping advantage due to this. Colombia is a promising country for exporting because of its steady economic growth and moderate inflation. There are five primary commercial hubs within the country.
It is a market that offers global businesses great opportunities to expand their business. Let’s now discuss Colombian exporting – the opportunities, challenges, and strategies.

Challenges:

* The existing government framework requires public tenders and open bidding. Bidding could lack transparency or fairness.
* Second, legal services were only allowed for registered companies under Colombian law. International law firms must form a joint venture to provide legal services with a local firm.
* Commercial presence is required for bidding on Colombian government contracts.
* International banking requires that you have a commercial presence in the country. There are restrictions on insurance companies’ ability to offer policies under certain conditions. Insurance policies cannot be considered equivalent to bank guarantees.

Opportunities:

Colombia is a country that offers many opportunities for global businesses, despite all of the difficulties. Let’s look at a few:

* The following services will be required for planned infrastructure projects in Colombia: Logistics, project financing, public works subcontracting, logistics, construction equipment for public roads and airports.

International investors may also be interested in water treatment, water supply, and electric power generation. There is also a great demand for transportation equipment, security items, and defense services.

* The opportunity to invest in the country’s infrastructure and airport services is a huge one.
* The following sectors have always been a focus of trade in Colombia: oil and natural gas, petrochemicals, and renewable energy.
* Other export options include cotton, wheat, and soy products as well as automotive parts, food, beverage processing, and food-processing.
* Medical equipment and packaging equipment are also in high demand.

Entry Strategies

Before getting into the details about how to export Colombia, it is equally important to examine your market entry strategies. Here are some tips:

* A Colombian agent, representative, or distributor would be your best option. To comply with the Colombian Commercial Code, you will need a contract.
* It is essential to establish trusting and professional relationships with contacts.
As a strategy, you can offer exceptional after-sales services.
* Competitive pricing and affordable financing could be critical to your entry compared to other competitors.
* Advertising at trade shows or other events could be a great way to get noticed.
* It is also essential to speak Spanish.