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19 AutoData | June 2018 Brazilian truck with German stamp Although today it is not a company of Brazilian currency, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, part of MAN, has its origin fundamentally from Brazil. In 1980 the German headquarters acquired Chrysler Motors of Brazil, which used to manufacture the Dodge trucks, and changed the company’s name adopting the VW brand, until then unknown for trucks. The first VWCO reached the market in 1981, produced in its own old Chrysler unit in São Bernardo do Campo. It was nothing less than a surprise. In July of 1990 the production was transferred to the Ford unit in Ipiranga, period of Autolatina. In 1995 the dream of having its own factory finally came true, with the inauguration of the factory in Resende, RJ. From that, the internationalization of division process has started – the first factory out of Brazil was built in Mexico in Puebla, followed by an SKD operation in Nigeria. Both are controlled from Brazil, which was the headquarters of all commercial vehicles division in Rio for years. The change began in 2012 when MAN, controlled by the VW Group, acquired VWCO. Now both are part of the Volkswagen Truck & Bus, conglomerate that also controls Scania. than one hundred countries with the en- graving Made in Brazil. They are all made in Brusque, SC. According to President Gilberto Heinzelmann, the search for fo- reign customers began in the 1970s: “About five years ago we made the balance steady: on average 50% of our re- venues come from exports and the other half from the domestic market.” INDEPENDENT OF DOLLAR In Brazil the company supplies the original and aftermarket segment, while in the external market is mostly for the aftermarket. The executive highlights that selling to other markets is part of Zen’s strategy despite the dollar’s value. “We made a huge effort when the exchange rate decreased below R$ 2, exporting with very low profitability. But we had the feeling that, although not so financially interesting, exports were stra- tegically important in that period. We can not export only because of the exchange rate.” According to the president the value of dollar in the Brazilian market is not so important for the international customer: “The competition is with the Asians. And that’s the comparison they make.” Heinzelmann says that a stable ex- change scenario, independent of the le- vel, is the best for the companies’ plan- ning: “Today we receive exchange rates for a project that is 24 months ahead, with a three-year contract. The lack of stability is a nightmare, because there is no more room for readjustment with customers, even because Brazil is not very expressive abroad and the Chinese do not impose this type of contractual term.” Anyway Zen now reaps the fruits of its work: bymaintaining shipments even with little or no profit ensured the customers level in the favorable dollar period for the exports, its current situation. Besides that the shipments have guaranteed the production of the company in the last years, not suffering with the crisis of the domestic market. “Nowwe are going to surf in the wave of the resumption of Brazil and increase the exports”, tells the executive highli- ghting that recently the company has closed contract with automakers from Mexico for start-stop engine system. Disclousure/Nike