Iveco grows 141% and attracts more truck dealerships
Gazeta Mercantil - 06/09/2008
After Itavema, another large group from the car sector decided to become a truck dealership. That is Viamar, one of the largest General Motors dealerships of the Country, which will open two Iveco truck dealerships. One will be located by Via Dutra, in São José dos Campos, a strategic road axis that connects São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. The other Viamar-Iveco will be located in Mogi das Cruzes, a municipality of the metropolitan region of São Paulo that shelters the headquarters of Julio Simões Transportes e Serviços - simply the largest logistics operator of the Country, with a fleet increased to more than 3 thousand trucks with the recent acquisition of Transportadora Grande ABC. Another large conglomerate of the area of car dealerships, Grupo Itavema, after making its debut in trucks with the Iveco dealership of Ribeirão Preto (SP), will open two other of the same brand in the interior of São Paulo, one in Araraquara and another one in Bauru. Both Viamar and Itavema, besides cars (and now trucks) also sell motorcycles. Viamar is one of the main Yamaha dealerships, whereas the Itavema group sells motorcycles made by Dafra - in addition to the distribution in 62 of its own stores, it is responsible for the manufacturing, in Manaus. Iveco is the brand of trucks that grows the most in the Country. From January to May the sales increased 141.1% compared to the same period of last year. It ended the five months with 7.4% of the market share - the double it had in 2006, when it had 3.2% of the truck business. According to calculations made by Merluzzi, officer of the network, its expansion will involve investments of R$ 400 million (US$ 245.4 million) until 2010 in premises, supplies and operating capital. The investment covers the improvement of the current premises, opening of branch offices and service stations. The truck market in Brazil should get to nearly 120 thousand units this year - 20 thousand more than in 2007. The plants are operating at full steam.