weekly_edition_846

13 9.3 to 9.8.2018 AutoData News Agency Weekly Edition is produced by AutoData Editora Ltda Translation: Allex Chies. Graphic Project/Art: Romeu Bassi Neto. Associated Team: Bruno de Oliveira, Leandro Alves, Márcio Stéfani. Responsible Journalist: Vicente Alessi, filho MS SJPESP 4 874. Editorial agreements: Tiempo Motor (Argentina) and Flash de Motor (Venezuela). The copying and/or distribution without previous permission are strictly forbidden. Dunlop works in the segment of tires for commercial vehicles with imported products. The R$ 487 million invested since 2016 aim to increase the tire production for the light segment, which will jump from 15 thousand to 18 thousand units/day, and the beginning of the manufacture of heavy tires. As the demand for this segment increased a lot in 2018 the additional investment value was approved. “We will expand before the opening. Our view is to serve the Brazilian market with tires produced in Brazil. Regardless of the moment, Japan sees great potential in the Brazilian market.” According to Alonso, the decision was made before the increase of dollar: “It was not a decisive factor. The logistics of importing tires for commercial vehicles is complicated by itself and we would not be able to supply the demand only with the local production”. The whole Dunlop’s plan for the heavy vehicles is focused on the aftermarket. Alonso said that the supply for automakers requires homologation and, despite being in the company’s plans, it should not happen in the short term. In the light sector, however, the company entered the OEM segment two years ago and has customers like FCA, Toyota and Volkswagen. At first, the factory in Paraná, considered one of the most modern plants of Grupo Sumitomo, will produce the tire SP 320, for road use. A model for buses should come next, followed by the other items in the portfolio. Fifty employees will be hired to work on the second phase of the expansion. The factory has 1,2 thousand workers today, including those of the first stage, who have already been through training in other group units in Thailand and Japan.