Omar Nasser, from Fiep*
Curitiba – The heavy truck industry from the state of Paraná is discovering a new market: the Arab countries. In 2004, Volvo Brazil, located in the city of Curitiba, capital of the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, sold 72 trucks of their FH and FM models to Saudi Arabia. The importer was Zahid Tractor. The vehicles will be used for general cargo and fuel transport. The company did not reveal the total value of this deal.
These figures were supplied exclusively to ANBA. Further information regarding the performance of the Volvo subsidiary will be announced in February 2005.
According to company sources, Saudi interest is not restricted to trucks. In the month of September last year, the company, located in the Industrial City of Curitiba, was visited by seven customers from Saudi Arabia. "Apart from the truck assembly line, they also showed interest in visiting the bus factory," stated a source connected to the company.
With 1,800 employees, Volvo Brazil answers to one quarter of the domestic truck market (over 16 tonnes). In 2003, the sector had trade of 17,856 units, of which Volvo was responsible for 4,391. Sales generated revenues of approximately US$ 641 million. Of all the trucks produced, 767 were exported.
In 2003, the company also sold 322 semi-heavy trucks (2% of the domestic market) and 195 buses (a 9% market share). The Curitiba unit is one of the seventeen the company has worldwide (nine of their own industrial plants, and eight built in joint-ventures).
*Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná
