Viajante Year II - Issue n째 7 - April 2013
Senior has new interior
First DDs in Mexico Success for over 20 years in road transport, model opens new markets
Paradigm shift Country taking steps to qualify Brazilian urban public transport
Editorial
Julio Soares/Objetiva
Mobility and Competitiveness The Transformation Industry (Manufacturing Industry), to which our segment – bus production – is associated, has been losing participation in the Brazilian GDP at a very alarming rate. In 1965, it represented 16.3% of the GDP. Nowadays, it responds for just 12.4%. The deficit between the export and import of manufactured and semimanufactured goods reached US$ 92 billion in 2011 and, in 2012, is expected to pass the US$ 100 billion mark. How is this possible if, in 2012, the consumption of families and retail grew between 6% and 8%? This debacle is the result of the penetration of products from Asian nations, chiefly China, into our economy. If the Chinese and other Asian nations continue selling more in Brazil it is because they offer products that are cheaper than ours. This is because our products are more expensive, and they are more expensive because we suffer from a complete lack of competitiveness. Among the vectors that affect our competitive power – besides those already documents, such as tax burden, interest rates, social and exchange rate laws – is another that is taking on a predominant role: infrastructure. Let’s take a look at the numbers. In 2002, the fleet of vehicles (all types) totaled 35 million units. According to the Ministry of Cities, in July 2012 the fleet reached 73.3 million units, a growth of 110%. Thus, we ask: How much has infrastructure – that is, streets, avenues, roads, bus lanes, expressways, freeways, etc – increased? Speaking generously, perhaps the increase could total between 10% and 12%. And this leads to veritable chaos in transport, with an increase in congestion, a reduction in commercial velocity, an increase in accidents, growing environmental contamination, and populational stress. Basically, a complete breakdown in mobility. Without mobility, we cannot move with the necessary swiftness and the result of this impact on
the costs of companies and the pockets of users is, simply put, astronomical. Twenty years ago, urban buses in the city of São Paulo transported 1000 passengers per day. Nowadays, it is a struggle to pass 600. According to the Ministry of Cities, in São Paulo people take an average three to four hours to complete the home-work-home trip. In a year, this represents almost a month inside a bus or car. If we examine the value of freight paid by companies to transport their products, from the source of the raw materials to the end users, it is enormous and continues to grow, representing at least 5% to 7% of the invoice. Inefficient and irrational infrastructure like ours makes an impact through an increased consumption of fuel, delays in the delivery and receipt of materials, environmental contamination, accidents, an increase in the price of transport fees, in short, it makes a brutal impact on the final cost of goods and services. This causes our prices to be higher than those from China, because our infrastructure increases our costs and ends up crippling our ability to compete. If we do not have or gain mobility in urban zones and on the roads, we will be increasingly less competitive, and our transformation industry runs the risk of weakening further, due to the massacring attacks from China and other Asian countries. Rational infrastructure means modern mobility and, without mobility, we will never attain an international level of competition. The federal government, through its PAC Mobility (BRL 32.8 bi), PAC Rail/Road (BRL 133 bi), Port Modernization System (BRL 55 bi) plans and other initiatives sure to come, is fully aware of the deficient infrastructure our country presents. These plans are expected to improve our urban and roadway infrastructure and, without doubt, will ensure modern and effective mobility, thus increasing our competitiveness.
José A. Martins
Vice-President of Institutional Relations
Current Situation
Belief in breaking paradigms Qualification of the country’s urban public transport system has begun. This is according to the very optimistic president of the executive board of Associação Nacional das Empresas de Transportes Urbanos – NTU (Brazilian Association of Urban Transport Companies), Otávio Vieira da Cunha Filho. Head of a passenger urban transport firm in Marabá (PA), he is also a member of the managing board of the Associação Nacional de Transportes Públicos – ANTP (Brazilian Association of Public Transport ) and president of Branch 1 of the Passageiros da Confederação Nacional do Transporte –CNT (Passengers of the Brazilian Confederation of Transport). In an interview with Viajante, Cunha makes reference to a positive horizon for the sector in coming years. VJ: What are the leading challenges faced by the urban transport sector in Brazil? Otávio Vieira da Cunha Filho: Without a doubt, the biggest problem in public transport today is traffic congestion in large urban centers. Each day we are forced to make new investments in vehicles and fleets to cater to the same service or make the same offer as 8 or 10 years ago. This results in a constant increase in costs that reflects on the final price of the fee, with users turning away and migrating to individual means of transport. In a sense this is a, let’s say, predatory form of competition against the system, it is a vicious circle that affects the entire logic of public transport. Thus, nowadays, the big villain is traffic congestion. But how did we arrive at this point? We have the issue of economic stability and an increase in the purchasing power of a population whose consumer desires are centered on owning their own vehicle, associated to a federal policy geared towards individual transport in detriment to public transport. The government stated that the automobile industry represents 27% of today’s GDP. Based on this it is difficult to believe that it will implement restrictions regarding the automobile industry as it still depends greatly on it to generate wealth in the country. But, in my opinion, this does not prevent the government from stimulating and prioriti-
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zing collective transport in parallel. VJ: But the government has taken certain measures, such as PAC (Growth Acceleration Program), tax relaxation… Cunha: A few things have been done. Over the past three years, since the launch of PAC, or perhaps a little earlier, federal resources have been made available for investments in infrastructure. Another fact is that these resources were only allocated or made available due to the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games. But, whatever the case, these resources are very welcome in our sector, which lacks more suitable infrastructure to improve the quality of public transport. And I’m not only speaking of buses, but the entire network of multimodal transport. Some reflections of these investments have already begun to appear, such as the inauguration of the Transoeste express bus lane in Rio de Janeiro, which has seen user approval rates of 95%, and other cities that are inaugurating similar projects. Another important fact that took place last year was the Mobility Law, the Mobility Statute, which we consider to be a Brazilian transport code and which defined the priority of public transport as a government policy, and also the roles of each federal entity, obliging cities to draft an urban master plan and an urban mobility plan, prepared in conjunction with organized civil society. VJ: So this law is a huge step forward? Cunha: We believe it was a vitally important regulatory milestone to involve all public entities in an attempt to prioritize public transport and provide mobility solutions in major urban centers, which is not merely restricted to transport, as obviously mobility is a far broader concept. The NTU has gone to great lengths to promote this law, in partnership with the national front of city administration and the Ministry of Cities. What we hope for now, is that this investment of BRL 12.5 billion made available to infrastructure and bus lanes in 25 cities considerably change the panorama of
public transport. The quality of this service is expected to improve greatly, as the bus will gain priority in the guide, will have a commercial speed (between 25 to 30 km/hour, today we operate at 14 km/hour, even less in some cities) and a level of service satisfaction that is still not offered in Brazil. Public transport is expected to improve. It would be great if the government decided not to take discouraging measures at any time. VJ: Would the BRT system, successfully implemented in cities like Bogota, in Colombia, and Johannesburg, in South Africa, be a solution to transport problems in our cities? Cunha: I believe so. We have two branches: the BRT, which is an old, but very positive, idea, with over 140 cities around the world employing this service. And we have another, let’s say, typically Brazilian solution, which include selective lanes for the exclusive use of buses along the sidewalk, monitored electronically, permitting automobiles to only use them when turning right. They exist in Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and a number of other Brazilian cities. It is a low cost solution that significantly increases commercial speed. The mobility crisis is so serious that a bus lane provides a prompt response and a better cost-benefit ratio compared to other transport modes, such as metro railway systems.
billion in intelligence systems. Another strong and old cause backed by the NTU is the unique price of diesel for urban public transport. Fuel represents around 25% of our annual costs. Another issue we’re working on is raising awareness between the corporate class and public authorities with regards to the need to operate bus lanes with a completely different concept to that which has been used until now. We are also discussing the Mobility Statute and a new issue in Brazil, which is the formation of PPPs – Public-Private Partnerships. At the NTU we have created an intelligence center to understand how to structure a PPP, guiding companies to transform possible threats into opportunities. VJ: Does this all signal a very optimistic scenario and future for the sector? Cunha: Yes, I think so. Despite the global crisis, the sector is very aggressive and taking advantage of opportunities. We feel that these investments will result in successful projects that will raise awareness and encourage people to use public transport. I think the next five or six years will be fundamental in obtaining this improvement and in breaking paradigms in terms of service quality, reverting the vicious circle into a virtuous one.
VJ: Do you think it will be possible to complete these investments by the 2014 FIFA World Cup? Cunha: I don’t think so. Even the government has thrown the towel in. It has placed so much emphasis on the World Cup PAC, but it has been forced to reformulate its opinion, as these projects take time to mature. There is a lot to do. During the Confederations Cup we are going to monitor the logistics service to present a critical opinion to the authorities as a preventative measure for the World Cup. By 2016, however, for the Olympic Games, many projects will certainly have been concluded. VJ: What are the chief causes that the NTU have been defending? Cunha: A project that is entirely ours is the issue of reducing sector costs. It is an old issue that the government seems to finally have woken up to with the relaxation of the payroll tax. It began in other sectors and shifted to the area of services, and our sector, urban and metropolitan. We have to extol this achievement. It represented around BRL 1 billion in tax waivers from the government/year and we are going to apply these resources in the renovation and expansion of the fleet. The sector is set to invest around BRL 8 billion by 2016, with BRL 6 billion in vehicles (around 9,000 articulated and bi-articulated buses) and BRL 2 Arquivo NTU
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Tourism
Leonid Streliaev
Lago Negro, em Gramado
Storehouse of tradition The cultures of the people of Rio Grande do Sul and especially the German and Italian immigrants are showcased in practically every region of the state, which welcomes 2 million foreign tourists per year. With a vast array of tourism options, Rio Grande do Sul receives some 2 million foreign tourists each year. The proud culture of the Gauchos, as state locals are known, and an appreciation for European colonization, especially Italian and German immigrants, are showcased throughout practically the whole state. Festival, ecotourism, adventure, religious, culinary, cultural, historical and even paleontological tourism – in the heart of the state, in Santa Maria – are among the entertaining possibilities on offer. The Gaucho Highlands, Brazil’s largest wine producing region, is a highlight and welcomes thousands of tourists all year round. Some of Bra-
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zil’s best wine farms are located in the Grape and Wine Region, which integrates cities like Caxias do Sul, Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, Farroupilha and Flores da Cunha, with the landscape alone considered one the region’s most valuable assets. It includes hills, bluffs, valleys and rivers with innumerous options of activities and possibilities for visits. Set amid the cities of Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi and Monte Belo do Sul, Vale dos Vinhedos (Vineyard Valley) represents a historical, cultural and culinary legacy left behind by Italian immigrants that arrived in the region in 1875. The charming landscape is renowned for the varying tones of the four seasons of the year.
Vale dos Vinhedos
Caxias do Sul, the city home to Marcopolo’s headquarters, hosts the National Grape Festival, Brazil’s largest communitarian event, each two years. Still within the Highland Region, the cities of Gramado and Canela are renowned for their traditional Christmas decorations in November and December, for the Black Lake, where visitors can enjoy an outing on peddle boats throughout the year, and the National Cinema Festival, which draws artists from Brazil and abroad. During winter, just like São José dos Ausentes and Cambará do Sul, Gramado and Canela attract tourists due to the low temperatures, which very often drop below zero, offering the chance of snow. The region is also home to the Aparados da Serra National Park and Brazil’s largest canyons, Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza. Gilmar Gomes Vivian Kratz
A journey through the roots of the South To the west of the state, the idea is a trip through time by visiting Missões, where Jesuit priests established the reduction Sete Povos das Missões, in 1609. Visiting Missões is vital to those wanting a deeper understanding of the roots of the south of Brazil and Latin America. The region abounds with cultural heritage sites and reveals 160 years of history. The leading attractions include the Missões Route, with its history, sacred images, museums and buildings that describe the impressive feats of the past; and the Urugugai River Route, bathed by the abundant waters that flow along Brazil’s border, with a myriad of festivals, leisure activities and nature.
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Tourism
Divulgação Prefeitura de Pelotas
Health and Nature In the extreme north of the state, a good tip is Iraí, known as the “city of health”, thanks to its mineral water springs. At Balneário Osvaldo Cruz, the city’s chief tourist point and built in 1935 over a rocky spring, the water bubbles at a temperature of 36.5°C. The Gaucho Highlands also offer thermal water options. In the city of Nova Prata, in the midst of native forest, the Caldas de Prata Thermal Waters Complex offers springs with waters at a temperature of 41°C and which include medicinal and therapeutic properties. Jurassic
Rio Grande do Sul has huge potential for paleontological tourism, with several sites and museums in the Paleoroute Geopark. There is a large area in the center of the state, in Santa Maria, dating back to the Triassic period, some 230 million years ago. The area was once home to Rhynchosaurs, Exaeretodons, Staurikosaurus, Guaibasaurus, Saturnalias, Sacisaurus, Unaysaurus, Thecodonts and many others. In Porto Alegre, the state capital, alongside the Plaza São Rafael, is a team specially prepared to welcome visitors interested in paleontology.
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Traditional festivals The region of Pelotas, set along the Costa Doce (Sweet Coast) Route, has also been in the local tourism spotlight, especially thanks to the annual Fenadoce festival. The route is unique thanks to the grand monuments and time-honored and traditional buildings. Extending to the central-south and south of the state, it further offers places that align the beauty of beaches and natural landscapes with the rich history and culture of the Gaucho people. It is situated close to the largest lagoon complex in Latin America, composed of Patos, Mangueira and Mirim lagoons. This area is also home to natural reserves that stretch all the way to the southernmost point of Brazil, in the municipality of Chuí. Responsible for attracting tourists from all over Brazil and other countries too, German festivities are hosted in cities that make up the Valley Region, such as Oktoberfest, in Santa Cruz do Sul, in Vale do Rio Pardo, and the National Draught Beer Festival, in Feliz, in Vale do Caí. Rodrigo Assmann
Fernando F. Sucolotti
The World of Marcopolo
After being consolidated as one of the leading suppliers for Colombia’s urban transport system, Marcopolo is working to also become a benchmark in the tourism sector. Over US$ 3 million has been invested so that Superpolo, the company’s manufacturing plant in the country, can initiate production of the Paradiso 1200 G7 and Audace models, part of the assembler’s line of coaches and intercity buses. “Besides Brazil, the plant in Colombia is the only one authorized to manufacture these lines of buses. Some materials are imported from Brazil or Chile, but the entire process is handled here”, states Magnus Cruz, general manager of Superpolo. Located in Bogota, the plant’s production capacity is between 500 and 600 buses per year. As the country’s market cannot absorb the full demand, the vehicles will be exported to countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Costa Rica. “We are also looking at opportunities in Panama.” In the national market, the models will be used to replace old vehicles, as companies are trying to adjust to sector regulations, especially in terms of passenger safety. The buses will also be used for
Divulgação Polomex
Superpolo set to launch new line of tourism buses
school transport. Marcopolo buses hold a 42% share of Colombia’s bus market. When considering only the coach segment, this rate rises to 70%. The goal this year is to add an additional 10 percentage points for this category. This expectation is based on the differential features offered by the models, like modern design, ample interior space, LED lights, ergonomically designed seats and entertainment systems in each seat, among others.
Julio Soares/ Objetiva
Flooding the planet with buses
“Marcopolo is flooding the planet with its buses.” This statement was published in French newspaper Le Monde, in an article by correspondent Nicolas Bourcier. The article shows that the Caxias do Sul-based assembler is among the top three bus manufacturers in the world and is on the list of the 15 most “internationalized” in the country. Marcopolo commercialized its buses in over 60 countries and its after sales network covers almost the entire planet. Of its 20,000 employees, around a third work outside of Brazil.
First model for the Russian market A joint venture signed between Marcolpolo and the Kamaz Group, in 2011, has begun to bear fruit. Last December, the companies presented their first bus model developed for the Russian market. The Bravis is a microbus with Marcopolo bus body and a Kamaz chassis, assembled in the city of Neftekamsk, in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The bus body is exported from the Marcopolo plant in China, without the SKD system, and is coupled to the chassis through a local (Russian) assembly process. The model was unveiled during a visit by Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, to Moscow, at the international forum, with sales set to begin this year. The joint venture was created to sell Marcopolo buses with Kamaz chassis in Russia and countries part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for the transport of passengers.
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Senior microbus photographed in front of the Replica of Caxias do Sul in 1885, at the Festa da Uva Pavilions.
Gelson Melo da Costa
Special Vitor Leite
Abelardo Osuna Morales e Abelardo Filho
Conquering the American continent, from south to north Paradiso Double Decker buses gain more customers and markets Successfully offering medium and long distance road transport for over 20 years in South American countries like Argentina and Uruguay, the Paradiso 1800 Double Decker bus has been winning over more and more customers and, more importantly, new markets. Thanks to its exclusive comfort features, safety and refinement for passengers, toughness, greater transport capacity and lower operational costs for fleet owners, the DDs (as they’re known) have gradually been increasing their presence on the roads of other countries, such as Chile, Peru, Paraguay and, now, Mexico.
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According to Paulo Corso, Marcopolo’s director of commercial operations for the Brazilian market and exports, the production of Paradiso 1800 Double Deckers grows with each new year. “This year we expect to surpass 1000 manufactured units. The majority of these vehicles are aimed at the foreign market, mainly due to the advantages and benefits they offers both for operators and passengers in medium and long distance travel. Leading factors include greater comfort, safety and lower operating costs”, states the executive. According to Corso, the big “turnaround” initiated in 2009, with the launch of the new Marco-
polo Generation 7 coach DDs. “For Generation 7 models, we invested greatly in the development of the vehicle, everything from its design to the overall structure, increasing safety and comfort, while reducing costs, consumption and emissions. Many hours were spent on tests and simulations, such as lateral tipping, to ensure the new buses comply fully with international regulations”, he explains. This success can be measured by the increase in the number of orders and production, which have increased by over 30% in three years. “From the little more than 700 units manufactured in 2009, we expect to leap to over 1,000 by the end of 2013”, states Corso enthusiastically. Mexico, the newest market With the export of 40 Paradiso 1800 DDs to the company Transpais, the world’s largest bus manufacturer is debuting its Double Decker model in Mexico. The new niche has appeared as a possibility not only to increase sales, but more importantly to enter a segment currently dominated by a single company and, in the future, increase its market share. “We are fully able to conquer this market, which is currently services by cars with an outdated design that arrive without seats, paintwork or audio and video systems installed”, states the commercial director of Polomex, Tarcisio Matos. Located in Victória, in the northern state of Tamaulipas, Transpais is a family-run company active in the urban and intercity transport sectors and currently entering the field of tourism transport. Catering to over 500,000 passengers per month, it is a leader in its industry, seen as a benchmark by
other sector companies in the region. Besides this, another fact favors the entrance of Marcopolo’s first DDs into Mexico via Transpais: the company was a pioneer in implementing the model in the country and boasts great results. Founded in 1930 and a Marcopolo customer since 1997, Transpais decided to invest in the model after being attracted by the technology, passenger capacity, quality of the interior and exterior finishes, in addition to the possibility of modifications so as to cater to the specific needs of each customer. According to the company president, Abelardo Osuna Morales, savings are expected to increase by carrying more passengers and, simultaneously, offering a unique experience. “A new level of service, with a high quality bus”, he stated. To Morales, being the first Mexican company to receive Marcopolo DDs reflects the long path which it leads. “Transpais is recognized as a company that is constantly working towards enhancements in technology and services. It has been championing the sale of the product in Mexico since 2008. We have seen the model’s positive results in South America and we are certain that the same is possible for Mexico.” According to the business executive, the purchase also represents a huge achievement: “Finally, buses with this degree of quality and technology are arriving in our country.” The arrival of the DDs has already caught the attention of larger enterprises that are still a little hesitant when it comes to using the new model to cater to the segment. “Some still do not note the advantages of migrating to double decker buses, or have yet to calculate the cost-benefit ratio. These changes represent the breaking of a paradigm”, states Matos.
Expanding presence Based on the business with Transpais, Marcopolo intends to expand the DD market in the country. The strategy includes identifying and promoting the model’s benefits to a broader host of companies. “One simply need to compare the number of people transported by a single Double Decker bus and analyze the expenses on drivers, tires, fuel consumption, etc, when using two vehicles”, assesses Matos. The market has already responded. Marcopolo is negotiating an even larger volume for
Transpais, and a major part of the Mexican medium and long distance road transport market is expected to migrate to the segment in the next five years. This represents a huge opportunity, as the country follows a free competition system, that is, the company that already offers a more attractive product will transport more passengers. And Marcopolo leads the way in this aspect by offer a product with aerodynamic and innovative design, coupled with low operating costs.
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Especial Gelson Mello da Costa
More comfort, better ergonomics and greater safety Launched in the 1990s, Paradiso 1800 DD buses have undergo significant changes in the Generation 7 models and, in 2009, gained exclusive comfort, safety and ergonomic features, in addition to futuristic design, the company’s identity. The new optical set, with LEDs in the direction and position lights – Daytime Running –, increase lighting efficiency and durability and reduce the need for replacement/maintenance. The new panoramic windscreens, larger and curved, increase visibility for drivers and passengers, offering travelers seated in the upper front section the sensation of a “complete view” of the route and landscape. Internally, the main difference is the elevated standard of comfort and safety. The vehicle has new, wider doors, and an unprecedented design for the steps. Safety is guaranteed by the handrails positioned within easier reach and LED lighting that employs presence sensors. Another innovation is the panoramic sun roof in the passenger compartment, with complete indirect LED lighting, creating an ambience of comfort and sophistication. To further increase the comfort, the vehicles have a new 23” front monitor in LED, as well as 15” LED monitors, positioned in the roof throughout the entire com-
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partment, fostering greater visibility from any seat. On the lower deck, indirect LED lighting and the materials used in ceiling offer a sense of amplitude and more space. For passenger comfort, the vehicle was equipped with an advanced natural air renewal system and central isle deck floor finished in wood – fostering greater thermal and acoustic insulation. The toilet facility is more practical, comfortable and spacious. The use of glass and engineering plastic in the doors and dividing walls allowed for an increase in the free area of passengers, as with their well-being. Well-being for driver and assistant With the Paradiso 1800 DD, drivers and assistants also gained special attention. To increase comfort and ergonomics and facilitate driving the vehicle, the cabin was designed with a larger door, complete front panel and easy access to controls, along with an interior finish in materials with “friendlier” textures. The panel, with retractable satellite equipment, incorporates all the instruments, like reverse camera display, internal cameras and multiplex system (all functions for bus equipment combined). It also includes more efficient air outputs and ventilation system. Furthermore, the driver and assistant positions were designed to facilitate access and improve external visibility.
Representative
Leader in Chilean transport A relationship of trust is Epysa Buses’ differentiating feature with regards to its customers With a history that spans 43 years, Epysa is currently one of Chile’s leading companies. Founded in the 1970s by Germán Novion Aguirre with the aim of selling machinery for construction, it became an exclusive Marcopolo representative in Chile in 1976. The partnership was formed when the then manager of exports, Luiz Sesti, who was looking for a consolidated company in the country to operate alongside Marcopolo, interviewed Novion. “A number of companies took part in the selection and all left piles of documents. Germán Novion only handed over one, but he exuded such confidence at the interview that Epysa was chosen”, says Matías Castro Escobar, commercial manager of Epysa Buses. Since then the company has bet on the sale of products and services for transporting cargo and passengers and transformed into Comercial Epysa, which currently combines nothing less than eight other companies headed by the children of the founder, Juan Francisco, Andres and German Novion Verdugo. The group is comprised of Epysa Implementos, Fitrans (financial), Epysa Equipos, Mundo LCV (exclusive Volare representative), Bus Market (sale
and purchase of used buses), Epysa Club, Epysa Perú and Epysa Buses, exclusive representative of Marcopolo and that, for the past three years, has celebrated leadership in the sale of buses for the transport of passengers in the Chilean market. Place achieved thanks to ample cover and service excellence. With 24 branches throughout the country, in 1991, the company expanded from 18 employees to 600. The leap in growth was initiated in 1996, when the tireless work and vision of its directors discovered opportunities caused by the country’s political and economical changes. Over the past five years, however, the group has experienced accelerated development, with new offices opened and an expansion of the area of operation. Maintaining the relationship of trust established over these 37 years is the companies leading goal. As such, Epysa Club was created. It is a marketing channel responsible for publishing the group’s magazine – with six annual issues and 10,000 copies – and organizing between four and five fairs each year. The events bring together between 5,000 and 7,000 customers and potential customers, who accompany the changes and new features in the sector, with both business and leisure activities. Dynamic, in constant transformation and with a vision of the future of its administrators, the company strives to consolidate its smaller branches and the exclusive service offered to its more than 5,000 customers. Divulgação Epysa
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Gastronomy Divulgação Grupo RBS
A cook may be taught, but a man who can roast, is born with the faculty As Ernest Hemingway once said sitting at a mahogany table on the Parisian sidewalk in front of the bistro Boulevard Saint Michel, “it is not the writer’s province to explain it or to run guided tours through the more difficult country of his work.” The spokesperson, George Plimpton, smiled and took note in his black leather notebook. Plimpton then asked him about “the meaning” of certain passages of the unforgettable Robert Cohn, the character in the book “The Sun Also Rises”. They drank and ate the usual: red wine and cucumber sandwiches. Later, Hemingway was once again irked, when his friend wanted to know “what he was writing”. Plimpton, author, reporter, columnist and editor of the unique “Paris Review” magazine, was preparing one of his legendary interviews and noted the
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contrariness of the interviewee: “The occasional waspish tone of the answers is also part of this strong feeling that writing is a private, lonely occupation with no need for witnesses until the final work is done”. Barbecuing – something very different to writing books – is also “a private, lonely occupation, with no need for witnesses until the final work is done”. Anonymus Gourmet, who adores cultivating contrasts and paradoxes, compares the unease of the authors noted by Plimpton with what happens with those responsible for barbecuing, a very special group within the culinary world: for centuries they have considered themselves at a level far superior to cooks. This supposed superiority is thanks to a phrase by Brillat Savarin, precisely the master of all cooks:
Shutterstock
“A cook may be taught, but a man who can roast, is born with the faculty. My brother Ivan is an example of this. During his childhood and adolescence he had trouble preparing instant chocolate with milk. However, one day, when becoming an adult, he was forced to barbecue (the guests has already devoured the starters and the official barbecue specialist had not turned up). Ivan skewered the meat any way he could and confirmed the prophecy of Brillat Savarin, awakening his slumbering vocation: he prepared a magnificent barbecue, and initiated a glorious career as a barbecue specialist. Barbecue specialists, similarly to Hemingway and other artists, do not appreciate having to explain their works. Anonymus always notes the silent irritation (almost always veiled behind a smile) of experienced barbecuers, at bustling barbecue, when they are obliged to politely respond to the reflections of those offering their opinions: Why not leave the pork rib skewer a little higher? My uncle always skewers sausages a little differently… What do you think of seasoned cuts of suckling lamb? For this reason the barbecue became the national dish of Brazil, beating even the famed feijoada (black beans). Preparing feijoada is a private affair, restricted to the limits of a closed kitchen: the cook has no need to explain anything. The task of the barbecuer is right there, viewed by all, offering a press conference about the perfect point for the sausages and the time to turn the skewer of rump cover, besides the usual personal questions, on the favorite football team and details from his recent divorce. Getting back to writers, Anonymus recalls that Saul Bellow, also interviewed for “Paris Review”, complained that, each day, in interviews, lectures, at the corner bar, in the line at the bank, or simply while enjoying the sun o a park bench, there was always “a terrible number of opinions to give: what do you think about this, about that, about Vietnam, about city planning, about expressways, or garbage disposal, or democracy, or Plato, or pop art, or welfare states, or literacy in a ‘mass society’?”. Anonymus Gourmet believes that artists – as is the case of writers and barbecuers – need a certain amount of peace to produce their immortal texts or magnificent barbecues. Using a phrase by Saul Bellow himself: “Art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos”.
By José Antônio Pinheiro Machado Anonymus Gourmet
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Julio Soares/Objetiva
Interview
Constant investments for a notable service The success of one of Argentina’s market leaders in the long distance transport of passengers, Via Bariloche is the fruit of the vision of its founders, brothers Roberto and Rolando Trappa, coupled with the expertise of family-based management, reflecting in a careful operating strategy. In an interview with Viajante, one of the partners, commercial director Marco Trappa, discusses the success of this company, seen as an example by customers. By constantly striving to excel in services to provide its stake holders with increasing better results, the company spared no effort or investments in the most comfortable and modern vehicles on the market. “We are convinced that these are the essential ingredients so that each passenger honors us by once again deciding to
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travel with us”, states Trappa. Furthermore, it offers infrastructure with specialized technical assistance in company-owned repair shops located throughout the country. Of the 460 vehicles part of the Via Bariloche fleet, 20 are G7, the first in Argentina. With 28 fully reclining seats on the top deck and 11 on the lower, the vehicle is equipped with a complete bar, 110V socket, double stairs – with access to the driver cabin –, assistant seat and box. Of the whole fleet, 95% is Marcopolo. VJ: How did Via Bariloche begin? Marco Trappa: In the mid 1970s, Roberto, my dad, and Rolando, my uncle, decided to take on the task of transporting people. The work was initially conducted in Greater Buenos Aires, car-
rying factory workers and students, with a single bus, which was soon the first of a fleet of vehicles, the growth of which has been constant until present.
a vital pillar of our company and no effort was spared in this sense. This policy has allowed us to stand out from the competition and, without doubt, has led our clients to choose us every day.
VJ: What is your focal point and what is the company’s market position? Trappa: Our growth is based on a constant concern to provide our passengers with the best attention and comfort and, above all, a notable service. The sum of all these factors has led us to position ourselves as one of the three leading companies in the Argentine market.
VJ: What is the business outlook for 2013 in the Argentine market? Trappa: We are betting heavily on continuing to be a leading company in Argentina and that is why we selected Marcopolo G7 bus bodies, so as to continue offering the highest quality to our clients.
VJ: What is the company’s reach in terms of service and its structure? Trappa: Today we cover a very vast area, almost 90% of the country’s routes. We now connect cities from Jujuy to Rio Gallegos and from Mendoza to Mar del Plata. Our fleet is comprised of 460 units and 3,000 direct employs, with another large number of indirect employees, too. 95% of our fleet is made up of Marcopolo buses, we have been customers since 1996, and the fleet isn’t more than five years old. VJ: Why choose Marcopolo? Trappa: Initially, it was based on the references from companies in the same field and, soon after, through our own experience. Without doubt, deciding on Marcopolo bus bodied was the best decision our company ever made and, in turn, endorsed by our clients. VJ: Through experience in using the G7 vehicles, what are the major noted differences? Trappa: The innovative lines and comfort details were quickly noted by our clients, with highly satisfied feedback.
VJ: What are the main challenges and goal for the year ahead? Trappa: The main challenge lies in our clients continuing to choose us day after day. Furthermore, this year we are going to inaugurate two strategically located bases with similar features to our headquarters. One will be in Córdoba, measuring 40,000 m2, set for the first half of the year, and the other will be in Mar del Plata, on 25,000 m2, in the second half of the year. VJ: Through your experience in the segment, how do you see the future of passenger transport in Argentina in relation to challenges and new perspectives? Trappa: Competition with Argentina’s airline market, especially on routes over 750 km, make the situation a little difficult. However, this circumstance forces us to double our efforts and investments to remain a leader in the long distance land passenger transport segment.
Marco Trappa, commercial director; Rolando Trappa, president (C); and Sebastián Trappa, vice-president
Via Bariloc Divulgação
VJ: Is investing in this type of enhancement also a differential in terms of competition? Trappa: Certainly, constant investments are
he
VJ: Via Bariloche has a model structure that is in line with Marcopolo standards. In what way does physical installation collaborate in offering service quality? Trappa: This type of structure is fundamental in being able to provide the best service quality to our passengers and, chiefly, provide the best work conditions for our employees. We have always believed firmly in this policy, thus, we planned the company’s constant growth in advance.
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Awards Divulgação JC
Marcopolo is a champion of innovation The culture of innovation that guides Marcopolo’s actions was recognized once again. This time the company received the 2012 Champions of Innovation award, granted by magazine Amanhã, from Porto Alegre, at a ceremony hosted at Hotel Sheraton Porto Alegre, in January. Marcopolo was represented by its corporate design manager, Petras Amaral Santos, who received the distinction from the editorial director of Amanhã magazine, Eugenio Esber. The Champions of Innovation project has been headed by the magazine for nine years, in partnership with consultancy Edusys and technical support from Fundação Dom Cabral, and awards the most innovative companies in the southern region of the country. The 500 largest companies in the south, listed in the Grandes e Líderes ranking, prepared by Amanhã and PwC, were invited to take part in the survey. To reach the results a survey is undertaken with 43 questions that touch on different aspects related to the construction of a creative environment, from organizational culture to the concrete results of new ideas.
Among the most often remembered Marcopolo was also one of the most highlighted and often recalled companies by businesspeople from Rio Grande do Sul in the 2013 edition of the Marcas de Quem Decide (Brands of Those Who Decide) award. The bus manufacturer was awarded in the categories of Major State Brand and Bus Manufacturer, in March, at the Hotel Plaza São Rafael Events Center. To Walter Cruz, manager of strategy and corporate marketing, the achievement showcases the company’s effort in strengthening its image and relationships with it target public.
Memory Acervo Marcopolo
Launched in 1974, the Veneza Expresso bus achieved huge sales success for over a decade. Developed to meet the needs of urban transport in the city of Curitiba, the bus was a special version of the Marcopolo III coach model – launched the same year – and assembled exclusively on a rear-engine chassis. The first with an exclusive design and that introduced the straight roof in the market.
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O futuro do transporte
passa por aqui.
Paradiso 1600 LD
Com uma combinação perfeita entre tecnologia e design inovador, a Marcopolo produz soluções que trazem, em sua concepção, o que há de mais moderno e avançado nos segmentos de ônibus rodoviários e urbanos para aproximar pessoas com conforto e segurança.
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