Brazil - “The market bought in nine months what was sold throughout 2018,” said Luiz Carlos de Moraes, president of ANFAVEA, the National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers based in São Paulo, SP. The association stated analysis of Brazil’s CV market for the first nine months of the year of 74,200 units revealed that the volume was almost the same as the volume sold in the full year in 2018 of 75,900 units. Accumulated sales of 74,200 for January to September 2019 was an increase of some 40.7% over the same period in the previous year. This positive balance growth trend has resulted in ANFAVEA forecasting a final year sales volume of 123,000 commercial vehicles, or growth of some 35.7% over 2018. This volume is made up 103,000 trucks (2018:60,900) and 20,000 buses (2018: 15,000). It will be the first time since 2014 that the Brazilian market exceeds 100,000 units.

ANFAVEA justified this high-level forecast based on two growth factors continuing: strong agribusiness demand in the heavy truck segment (GVW >15t) and a steady market for city buses. This positive forecast is despite a fall in export sales, which it says is mainly as a result of the economic crisis affecting Argentina, its main international client.