11/24/2008 14h47
Supressed demand to guarantee market for commercial vehicle
Gazeta Mercantil 11/24/2008
The suppliers of components for the truck industry foresee a smaller impact for the market of commercial vehicles in 2009. "Brazil will suffer with the world crisis, but not to the same extent as the United States and Europe. The Brazilian market still has a great demand to be met", said Roberto Alves, marketing manager of the engine manufacturer MWM International. Alves affirms the orders from its clients still present growth in business in 2009, at a slower pace, though. "Agriculture was registering strong growth this year and, should the harvest for next year be the same as in 2008, will continue putting pressure on the demand for transportation for the agricultural and industrial areas". The forecast of MWM International was that the segment of tractors, which had a 38% expansion until October, would have growth of 15% next year. "We reduced our projections to 5% and 8%, but even though it will be a good growth", commented the marketing manager. "Unlike the automobiles market, in which the sales are motivated by accessible interest rates and long-term contracts, in the segment of trucks and buses the purchasing decision takes into account the behavior of the business in the transport sector, how the clients' activities will be and whether there is cargo to be transported", said Alves. According to Sergio Castioni Veinert, managing officer of BorgWarner, a turbo compressor manufacturer for commercial vehicles, the truck market is good this month, "but we are seeing a critical period in the first quarter of 2009". Veinert's forecast is that next year the truck segment will end with a volume equal to that from 2006 or 2007. "If we get to this volume we will be able to survive".
