Q&A: Founder of consulting firm HRM INT'L

Paul Rocha has been a familiar figure in South Florida's Brazilian-American community since the 1980s.

Born in Brazil, Rocha is the president and founder of management consulting firm HRM INT'L in Key Biscayne. An engineer-turned-consultant, he advises Brazilian firms on doing business in the United States, helps American firms interested in trade and investment in Brazil and carries out international purchasing for several Brazilian companies.

After receiving a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in Brazil, Rocha came to the United States in 1962. He earned a master's degree and doctorate in industrial engineering at the University of Texas and an MBA in marketing at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Rocha founded a consulting firm in Detroit in 1972. As business with Latin America increased, he moved the company to South Florida in 1984 and renamed it HRM INT'L.

In 1979, he began purchasing industrial products and other items that Brazilian companies needed at home, using his engineering skills to ensure the precise specifications, quality and suitability of the products.

At 70, Rocha remains active as a business consultant, purchasing representative and promoter of better understanding between the U.S. and Brazil. He spoke to The Miami Herald about trade and investment with Brazil.

Q. Brazil is South Florida's No. 1 trade partner, with total trade between Brazil and the Miami Customs District reaching more than $13 billion last year. While trade is down this year, what is your outlook for the future?

A. Total trade with Brazil will be much less than last year, but there is a very good future for Brazilian trade with South Florida as our economies recover. Geography determines trade logistics and South Florida is ideally positioned to handle exports [to Brazil] and imports [from Brazil].

Q. How has the recession affected your business?

A. We are handling 60 percent to 70 percent of what we did last year. We had some big projects that were put on hold -- for example, major equipment purchases. But we started to see a little pickup on the purchasing side in September for petrochemicals and products for agricultural use in Brazil. If the dollar continues to weaken, it will become cheaper for Brazilian companies to import from the U.S.

Q. Do you expect any change in trade policy under a new government next year in Brazil?

A. No. Brazil's trade policies have worked very well.

Q. But isn't U.S. protectionism a long-term concern for Brazil?

A. No government in the U.S. - whether Republican or Democratic -- has paid that much attention to Brazil. It's just another country. They haven't thought about how much Brazil can influence other countries.

Protectionism here only exists when there are powerful lobbies - like agriculture [orange juice, ethanol] and steel. That's why big Brazilian companies. . . invested in their own operations in the U.S. -- so they could gain access to the American market.

Countries are like people: They protect their interests. But overall, the U.S. is very open.

Under the GSP [Generalized System of Preferences], which has been in effect for many years, about 4,800 products from Brazil can enter the U.S. duty-free.

In addition to the big Brazilian companies that have operations here, Brazil has been able to send ethanol to the U.S. market -- via Central America, for example -- and avoid high tariffs. Brazil sells hydrous ethanol [containing water] to El Salvador and Costa Rica, which dehydrates the ethanol and exports it to the U.S. duty-free under trade agreements.