São Paulo to receive new Brembo brakes plant
Valor Econômico - 07/11/2008
Taking advantage of the investment trend of the car makers in the State of São Paulo, Brembo, the Italian manufacturer of brake systems is studying where near the capital it will set up its second unit in the country. The investment planned by the Italian group ranges from R$ 60 million (US$ 37.5 million) to R$ 100 million (US$ 62.5 million) and the company intends to start the production already in July next year. Brembo has been in Brazil since 2002, when it inaugurated its first plant in Betim (MG), at first with the purpose of meeting Fiat's needs. Nonetheless, according to Brembo's president in the country Gianfranco Panizzoli, the company currently has 44% of the market of new national vehicles, working with the main car makers besides Fiat. Operating with three shifts in the Betim plant, Brembo will end the year with a production of 5.6 million units, an increase of 27.3% compared to the total of 2007. According to Panizzoli, the new unit will be installed to meet the need of the national market only, which may reach 3.5 million vehicles next year. The city to be chosen by Brembo to host the second plant of the company has to be within 150 kilometers of distance from the state of São Paulo's capital. Daniel de Oliveira, commercial officer of the Italian company, explains that the requirement is part of the logistics planning outlined to serve the makers. "We are supplying from Betim, but it does not make sense to increase production there, since most of the makers are in São Paulo". The officer also emphasizes that most of the suppliers of inputs, such as steel industries, are also installed in the region.