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32 April 2018 | AutoData MARKET » TRUCKS with pensions. The new government will have to do this here too”, he explains, ci- ting, as an example, the country where the manufacturer’s headquarters is based. Another point of concern, especially for the vice president of Mercedes-Benz, is the financing. “We need to know if commercial banks are hungry, whether they will be attracted to this segment”, Leoncini says. He estimates that 40% to 50% of the brand’s truck sales are serviced byMerce- des-Benz Bank. The rest is the responsibili- ty of commercial banks. “It is necessary that the participation of the commercial banks grow to meet the demand of the segment. Otherwise the market may get stuck”. According to the executives, who closely monitor the automakers’ banks, liquidity exists but there is also a major restriction on the approval of chips due to delinquency. The good news is that the rate of payment delays is on a downward trajectory: “With delinquency falling cre- dit availability gets bigger and banks are more open to negotiations”, says Alouche, of MAN. EXPORTS The escape valve that reduced the da- mage of the truck industry during the crisis promises to be better taken care of from nowon. The executives of the automakers do not want to repeat the mistake of years ago when they stopped paying attention to foreign markets and had to work hard in recent times to regain the space. In Mercedes-Benz, exports reached only 10% of production in 2012. “In an effort to meet the domestic market, we have closed the door to the outside. Let’s not repeat that mistake. We put the folder under our arm, we open new doors and we will not let it close”, Leoncini says. The actions were successful last year, when 40% of productionwent to other countries. “A 30% to 40% level [of export produc- tion], which is what we have achieved in recent years, is good”, estimates Ramos, of Ford. Alouche, of MAN, considers a he- althy level of 15% to 30%. “Latin American markets, such as Argentina, Chile and Mexico, are demanding many products. Our projection is to grow substantially in exports”, says the company executivewith a plant in Resende, RJ. Volvo’s situation is different. Fedal- to says that upon arriving in Brazil, the company has committed to export 30% of its production every year. “That’s why we always end up looking a lot at export, regardless of the situation of the internal market or the exchange rate. The channel always keeps itself open.” In the boom years of the Brazilian ma- rket, pulled by PSI, the Investment Support Program developed by the government with BNDES support, the brand’s average exports reached close to 20%. Last year, however, hit 45%. “This year we should lower slightly in percentage, but we will maintain the volume of 2017.” DAF’s situation is also different: the factory in Ponta Grossa, PR, still does not export. “Our strategy is focused on the local market. But we have already started the homologation process of our products in some Mercosur markets”, explains Gam- bim. Plans for local operation, however, “It is necessary that the participation of commercial banks grow to meet the demand of the segment” Roberto Leoncini, of Mercedes-Benz Disclousure/MBB “We realized the market motivated at Fenatran. We sell lots of trucks at the event itself.” Oswaldo Ramos, of Ford Trucks Disclousure/Ford Caminhões