Volks foresees selling more in Brazil than in Germany
Valor Econômico
The Brazilian branch of Volkswagen will surpass the German operation and become the second largest market for the maker up to 2014 should it reach a growth rhythm in sales between 4% and 5% a year. The forecast is made by Javier Garcia Sanz, responsible for the region of South America of the German group. Today Brazil is the third place, behind the leader China and the German parent company.
According to Volkswagen's management, Sanz came to Brazil to celebrate the 50 years of the company in the country. Nothing about the new investment plan the Brazilian subsidiary has ready and which depends upon the approval of the international management was said. Also according to the company, the new program, which should include projects for the expansion of the productive capacity and renewal of products, will be announced until the end of November. "Brazil will be the growth base in South America", emphasized Sanz, who visited the plant of the maker in São Bernardo do Campo, in the company of Christian Klingler, responsible for the sales area. The management of the German maker pointed out the intention of investing more in markets with high growth rates, like China, Russia and Brazil.
"In Brazil, we believe we will surpass Fiat next year", affirmed Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen in the country. From January to September, the licensing of cars and commercial light vehicles made by Volkswagen increased more than 12% compared to the same period of 2008, exceeding the average of the Brazilian market, that increased 5% in the period. But, despite selling more passenger cars than the Italian rival, Volks loses to Fiat in the segment of light commercial vehicles. Recently, the German brand launched a new version of the Saveiro pick-up truck, with the intention of reverting this scenario. In order to do so, it will also launch, next year, the medium-size pick-up truck Amarok, which will be produced in the plant of Argentina.
As for the new plans of investment of the company in Brazil, the executives avoided disclosing figures or giving details. "We can only say they will not be (the investments) in a new plant. We will take advantage of what we already have", says Schmall. Besides São Bernardo do Campo, Volks has car plants in Taubaté, in the interior of São Paulo, in São José dos Pinhais, in Paraná; and in Argentina.