AD MAGAZINE 342

42 March 2018 | AutoData MARKET » CONCESSIONAIRES The HMB network, which markets the Hyundai produced in Piracicaba, SP, or the HB20 and Creta lines, has approximately three hundred places of sale controlled by 80 economic groups. The president of Abrahy does not see much room for an increase in the number of houses in 2018 – on the other hand no store has been closed in the last two years. About the relationship with the fac- tory Daniel Kelemen defines it as “very good”. According to him “any change is always discussed. The dialogue is open and always assumes that issues on one side affect the other, regardless of which side it is”. A good example of this friendly bond was Abrahy’s last meeting - the event is held every two years. In 2017 it was based in Cancún, Mexico, and lasted four days, going through a holiday in Brazil, Novem- ber 15: there was not only a 97% adhesion of the network, but for Hyundai Motor Brasil the president of the manufacturer and its sales director participated. He points out that it is “no coincidence” the connection of the good relationship with the factory by the excellent sales numbers of the national Hyundai vehicles - the HB20 hatch, even five years after its launch, ended last year as the vice-leader in the most sold ranking models in the country in 2017, behind only the Chevrolet Onix. Creta was in ninth place, ahead of direct competitors such as Jeep Rene- gade, Nissan Kicks and Ford EcoSport. Alarico Assumpção Jr., from Fenabra- ve, also believes in the importance of this relationship and understands that most networks in the country maintain healthy relationships with their respective brands. “Even during the worst moment of the crisis, most associations have preserved extremely respectful behavior with their factory. Many walked hand in hand, wi- thout any trouble. Of course there are brands that had more difficulties than others and were more affected. But ove- rall, much of it behaved well in terms of relationships”. WRONG AND IMMORAL A classic point regarding the friction of networks with its factories is about the di- rect sales, which, according to Fenabrave, closed 2017 at almost 40% of total sales of automobiles and light commercials. This result was four percentage points higher than in 2016 and eleven points hi- gher than in 2015 and 2014. About this strong increase in the index, the president of Fenabrave argues that “it was not the direct sales that went up but the retail thatwent down” -which, of course, in its understanding, generated a statistical increase in direct sales of the total result. In any case, Assumpção Jr. does not minimize the situation and warns that “Fenabrave is not against direct sale, but against the way it is done: what we consider wrong and immoral is the price practiced. We have a commercial contract that must be respected. We are legitimate children of the factories, and you can not sell a car cheaper to your neighbor than to your own son”. There has been progress, he says, as a process of self-regulation signed jointly with Anfavea and Confaz, the National Council of Finance Policy. According to Fenabrave in sixteen states of the Fle- et Federation that anticipate in twelve months the sale of the vehicle purchased by direct mode must pay the respective taxes for this period. But the association president confirms that there is still work to be done about that, including in the factory-network rela- tions itself. “Brand associations also have their responsibility. Many of them still do not have conventions dealing with this chapter, and should work on the subject. Those who have and make use of it have no problem with that”. Despite this scenario and in all it see- ms to be, respecting Fenabrave’s logic, the trend is to reduce at least statistical direct sales in 2018, considering that re- tail probablywill grow, thus reversing the participation curve of each modality in the the internal market. Disclousure/Abrahy