What South American Buyers Are Asking for at THE smarter E South America 2026
August 26, 2026 | Expo Center Norte, São Paulo, Brazil
By the end of day two at THE smarter E South America, our booth R3.36 had logged dozens of conversations — and a clear pattern had emerged. Beyond the handshakes and business cards, buyers across Latin America are asking very specific questions about certification, climate, and delivery. Here is what we heard, straight from the expo floor in São Paulo.
Certification tops the list. Buyers repeatedly asked whether our UL and CSA certifications transfer to their North American projects, and how the same units fit Brazilian and regional requirements. The question behind the question is trust: they want a transformer that clears customs and passes inspection the first time. We walked them through our coverage — IEC, UL, CE, CSA, DEKRA and ASTA — and how the same design family can be documented for different markets.
Climate came second, and it surprised no one who has worked in the region. Brazil's heat and humidity push insulation systems hard, so visitors asked about temperature rise limits, tropical treatment, and how a dry type transformer behaves in a coastal warehouse before it even reaches site. We explained our sealed designs and the IP54-rated prefabricated substations on display — 50 kVA to 2.5 MVA, engineered to IEC 62271-202 and IEC 60076 standards — built for exactly these conditions.
Lead times are the third recurring theme. Buyers planning 2027 projects want realistic delivery dates, not optimistic ones. Copper prices and busy factory schedules were on everyone's mind, and our answer was simple: tell us the rating and certification target early, and we will lock a production slot around it. Custom ratings on pad mounted transformers and oil-immersed units were the most requested configurations.
The fastest-growing conversation, though, was about data centers and energy storage. When a CATL engineer stopped by to discuss transformer selection for storage projects, the discussion went straight to no-load loss, impedance, and partial discharge levels. It confirms what we expected: transformer lead time and technical support now matter as much as price in this market.
If one trend sums up this year's show, it is this: South American buyers are moving from price-first decisions to a fuller evaluation of certification, climate suitability, and delivery reliability. We are at booth R3.36 until August 27 — stop by with your questions. Not in São Paulo? Follow the official THE smarter E South America event website or contact us through ryan-transformers.com, and we will send you the same technical guidance, free →
Ryan Electric
Ryan Electric is an Eaton joint venture partner and UL/CSA-certified transformer manufacturer based in Jiangsu, China. We design and build oil-immersed, cast resin, and VPI dry type transformers, pad mounted transformers, and prefabricated substations for clients across North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Visit ryan-transformers.com to learn more.
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