At the end of May, JAC Motors Brasília SIA, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Brazilian company, SHC Group of Brasil, announced the launch of an electric light-duty truck in Brazil.

Marcopolo SA has taken a controlling shareholding in Metalsur Carrocerías S.R.L., a manufacturer of coach bodies, located in Santa Fe, Argentina by increasing its shareholding in Metalsur, from 25%, which it acquired in 2012 to 70%.

Bespoke builder of highly specialist aluminium containers and bodies for trucks and trailers, Truckvan Indústria e Comércio Ltda plans to invest BRA3m (USD750,000) this year at its factory in Guarulhos to modernize, improve its production efficiency and to raise output.

Randon Implementos, the trailer and specialty equipment division of Randon SA has exported its first tank trailer for USD60,000 to the Ivory Coast for transporting diesel.

Orders for the Scania New Generation Truck, launched last November, already total 8,000 units, Scania Brasil Ltda announced last month with sales growth expectations of up to 20% this year against 2018.

Iveco Brasil Ltda has reinforced its medium-duty Tector truck range with two new models - the 9.190 and the 11.190 - in the nine- and 11-tons gross vehicle weight segments.

Volvo Bus do Brasil Ltda has sold 120 buses to Viação Santa Brígida for operation in Sao Paulo.

Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co Ltd (a 50:50 joint venture between the Dongfeng Motor Group and Volvo Group) is to intensify sales and marketing activities of Dongfeng Trucks in Chile.

The Peruvian market for heavy commercial vehicles from 6 ton and above closed 2018 with the sales of 17,392 vehicles, an increase of 4% compared with 16,613 units in 2017, according to the Automotive Association of Peru.

Trailer and truck body builder, Librelato S.A, last month announced orders for 202 vehicles for delivery this year; 180 units from Fontanella Transport and 22 from Transportadora Peregrina.

Brazil’s largest trailer and components supplier, Randon SA, reported revenues of BRA6.0bn (USD1.54bn) in 2018, a 43.4% rise on revenues of BRA4.2bn.

Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus has sold and shipped 52 Volksbus buses with the new Neobus New Mega body to the public transportation operator in Cuenca; the county’s third largest city.