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30 April 2018 | AutoData MARKET » TRUCKS “They are trucks with six, seven years of operation. It’s past time to change. Many were waiting for the moment to renew the fleet and now they can not postpone it, even because it begins to devalue the patrimony.” Before the requests, consultations and contacts that help to design the scenario for the next months, the official projection of Anfavea, released at the beginning of the year, was small. 30% GROWTH Bernardo Fedalto, Volvo’s commercial truck director, is already foresees more than 30% in the market slices where the manufacturer competes - heavy and light heavy. “Passado esse primeiro trimestre fica- mos mais otimistas e podemos dizer que teremos um crescimento na faixa dos 30% alto, desde que mantidas as condições atuais.” “After this first trimester we are more optimistic andwe can say that wewill have growth in the 30% range as long as the current conditions are maintained.” Barral, of Scania, also believes in a 30% increase in the heavy-duty segment, as well as Mercedes-Benz’s Leoncini - with the difference that the executive of the company of German origin involves all segments, from light to heavy . “Reaching seventy thousand trucks sold in the year is not much off the curve.” Ramos, of Ford, and Alouche, of MAN still prefer to work with the official Anfavea number - which does not mean they are less optimistic. “We are with a newly laun- ched line and entering a newsegment, the additional volume of which will increase sales”, Alouche explained, projecting sales of the MAN and Volkswagen lines above the market average. Winning the market is also in the plans of Luis Gambim, commercial director of DAF Trucks of Brazil. “In January and Fe- bruarywe registered 224 trucks, 128%more than the same period of 2017. We aim to maintain this average, always growing abo- ve the market and increasing our partici- pation”, says the executive, whose brand also has just entered in another segment, off-road, and extend the road application with a new model. “This allows us to gain even more share in the segment over 40 tons”. STONES ON THE WAY While executives believe that the still- -troubled Brazilian political landscape has finally taken off the economy, the presi- dential election in October is a factor that can make the truck market shake. “We are in an election year, with an unforese- eable political scenario and a sensitive moment of the Brazilian economy that has just emerged from the worst phase of its crisis”, Gambim said. “It is important to maintain the current economic policy”, says Volvo’s Fedalto. He fears the possibility of some radical candi- date, whether right or left, towin the elec- tion and prejudice the economic stability. For the executive ofVolvowhoeverwins the election should be concerned about continuing the reforms of the pension and tax. “Sweden, some years ago, had to deal “Since August 2017 contacts have resumed and requests have begun to arrive” Roberto Barral, of Scania “We registered 128% more license plates in the first two months. We want to keep that average.” Luis Gambim, of DAF Disclousure/Scania Disclousure/DAF