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I arrived at the Feria de la Construcción, the bi-annual construction (consumer and trade) show in Uruguay as it opened on its first day. Something I try to avoid, since a lot of stands aren’t quite polished up to receive you then (although this year I was impressed by the general readiness, I must say).

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It isn’t a small show for the size of the Uruguayan market (3.3 million people) but it lacked energy, maybe due to the tougher economic climate the country is facing right now. A lot of well-known names just weren’t there and there were very few brands that really stood out. However, it’s not a bad place for being seen by your clients if you are well-established, for networking, and also a first window to get yourself known if you are just landing in Uruguay. Which is the case of one of the very few British brands I spotted, more on that later.

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If we’re discussing trends, the one thing I keep seeing grow in Uruguay is steel-framing. The other thing is containers used for architectural purposes.

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Uruguay is one of the safest countries in Latin America, but it’s not as safe as it used to be, and everything related to security is growing – including the development of related software, something Uruguay is very good at.

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Solutions for dampness and humidity also repeat themselves at these shows because they are huge problems for us living in Uruguay.

I had the pleasure of walking the show with my (very English) structural engineer husband, who seemed to struggle to get excited about any of the brands or stands, a bit like me. If anything, he was totally wound up by a software company that failed to quote him for a structural analysis software package (aren’t you in a show to inform and sell?!) and even more wound up by these bricks…

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The only country fully present with a national pavilion was Argentina, not surprising due to our trade links.

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How about Brazil? Although there wasn’t a national pavilion as such, Brazilian manufacturers are strong and I could hear a few Brazilians at the show. And that was about it.

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Origin is important and particularly European brands are good at promoting their flags. Like Tassoglas (Sweden) or Hebel (Germany).

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So how about Britain? Very limited presence, but one stand stood out for us, probably one of the most innovative products of the show, too. Concrete Canvas, from Wales, had a small yet perfectly set up stand, with two motivated, professional and knowledgeable reps who, in just minutes, made us both my husband and I fans of their brand. Their company, prontocemento, has been representing Concrete Canvas for just five months, but they have already sold to a major Uruguayan client, Montes del Plata. They also told us about Concrete Canvas’ success in other South American countries. Thumbs up for a great partnership. Evidence that British brands have a lot to offer South American construction. Let’s hope they’re just one of many to come.

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