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74 October 2018 | AutoData I n five of the last ten years the Brazilian bus body industry reached an average production volume of 33 thousand units. The best performancewas in 2011, when it hit a record of 35,5 thousand units. The last result within this range occurred in 2013, when 32,7 thousand bus bodieswere produced. Since then, the volumes have decreased dramatically, hitting bottom in 2016 with 14,1 thousand, a decline of 60% in relation to the best moment. The reaction was minimal in 2017, so- mething close to 3.5%, of 14.6 thousand units, which 4.8 thousand won the foreign market - according to the best volume in these ten years, only behind the year of 2008, of 6.6 thousand. Due to this tiny By Roberto Hunoff, from Caxias do Sul, RS Good surprise aboard Bus body market was surprised by the resumption of 2018. Which should continue in 2019. Disclousure/Marcopolo PERSPECTIVES 2019 » BUS BODIES increase, the expectations for 2018 were also timid, especially due to the economic situation in Brazil: a volume projectionwas not even designed. Moreover: no one in good conscience would risk indicating a 40% increase alre- ady consolidated from January to August this year, compared to the same period of last year, with a total of 13 thousand 177 bodies, or 90% of the total volume of 2017. “Wewould never expect a reactionwith this intensity”, recognizes José Antônio Fernandes Martins, president of Fabus, Brazilian National Association of Bus Manu- facturers. “It exceeded every expectation.” Based on the accumulated volumes, the leader now projects production close