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19 AutoData | December 2018 “The AutoData Award is very well recognized by the Brazilian automotive industry and we are proud to receive this distinction. We feel very honored and happy.” Carlos Zarlenga, president of General Motors Mercosur A n aggressive plan to modernize General Motors’ factories and vehicles was irresistible to the AutoData Award 2018 voters: the company took the trophy for the OEM of Light Vehicles category. The achievement came from a combination of factors. Last year, GM revealed the destination of R$ 4.5 billion from its total R$ 13 billion investment plan from 2014 to 2020: R$ 1.9 billion for the unit in Joinville, SC, where engines and cylinder heads are produced, R$ 1.4 billion for Gravataí, RS, home of the Onix family, and R$ 1.2 billion for the plant in São Caetano do Sul, SP, the oldest company’s factory in operation in Brazil. Earlier this year the company carried out works during five weeks at these three factories to prepare them for the modernization process, which led to a reduction in the production pace in this period. In addition to Manufacturing 4.0 concepts, the factories will see the renovation of several production processes and equipment, such as the engine and transmission assembly system, the bodywork, the assembly line vehicle transporters, presses, laser welders and plastic injection molding machines. In May, it was the manufacturer’s turn to announce that it will produce no less than twenty new Chevrolet vehicles in Mercosur by 2022, which will add up to ten more new versions and special series. Since 2015, GM has been on top of Brazil’s best-selling models with Onix, a victory that is already assured in this 2018, with almost twice the second place’s number until October, according to Fenabrave sales statistics. In addition to that, General Motors was the first vehicle manufacturer to completely unify its operations in Brazil and Argentina. Thus, General Motors do Brasil and General Motors Argentina have ceased to exist: there is now only General Motors Mercosur, which has reduced the complexity and internal bureaucracy of the companies and even caused a change on the main entrance historic portico of the factory in São Caetano do Sul. According to Carlos Zarlenga, president of GM Mercosur and the Personality of the Year 2018 (see From the Top, page 12), «the AutoData Award is very well recognized by the Brazilian automotive industry and we are proud to receive this distinction. We feel very honored and happy». Left to right, Carlos Zarlenga, Henry Soares, Isabel Faria, Beatriz Matarazzo and Nelson Silveira Rafael Cusato