Asian automakers escape the crisis

While the major automakers face difficulties in the Brazilian market and production cuts with layoffs and suspension of contracts of employment (lay-off), a group of small manufacturers, all Asian brands, has not yet been hit by the current crisis in the automotive sector.
Hyundai, Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi operate their factories without restriction measures. The Honda Rider, who since January has suspended the overtime that performed in the factory of Sumaré (SP), studies resume further work in the coming months.
The suspension of the extra work, an average of two hours a day, is a consequence of the change of the entire line of vehicles. "We are renewing all our products and, therefore, decrease the production of current releases," says Roberto Akiyama, Vice President of Honda Cars of Brazil.
Until September, the Japanese brand will renew the three models currently online and in 2015 will be a new thread. Tomorrow, Honda Launches the new Fit. In July, the Civic restyled and, in September, the new City. At the beginning of next year will start production of small utility called in from Japan and another name Vezel in Brazil.
"Even with the announcement of the new models, current versions follow with strong sales," said Akiyama. In the first quarter, sales of the brand rose 5.6% to 29.2 thousand units, a total market fell 1.7 percent compared to the same period in 2013, adding 775.3 thousand cars and light commercials.
The new Fit comes to Brazil six months after its release in Japan. According to Akiyama, with the Center for research and development in Brazil, inaugurated this year, the company won agility in the process of nationalization of the vehicles. "Before, processes such as adaptation of the car the engine flex and reinforcement of the structure due to the road conditions led to the 8 Brazilian 12 months."
The Center has 300 engineers, that number will reach 500 in two years. Until then, Honda aims to have 90% of regional components in their vehicles, compared to the current average of 70%. The new models as Fit and Civic arrive with 80% local content. Among the items are nationalized system components of the party, which eliminates the cold six pack of gasoline used in the match, before imported from Asia.
The group builds new plant in Itirapina (SP), to be opened in 2015, and designs for this year's high of 3.8% in their sales. The factory of Sumaré, which operates at full capacity of 540 cars a day, in two shifts, will give ten days of layoffs the share of 3.4 thousand employees in July and ten days in December. According to Akiyama, will be made adjustments to the introduction of new models.
The wait queue. The Japanese Toyota also grew 5% to 36.5 thousand units. The recently launched new Corolla has a waiting list of 40 days. The factory of Sumaré (SP) operates at full capacity of 320 units a day and uses the extra work on two Saturdays per month. The Sorocaba (SP) unit, which produces the Etios compact, also works at the same rate of 320 cars per hour, according to a company spokesman.
The Korean Hyundai will give 12 vacation days in July to employees of the factory of Piracicaba (SP), as it did last year. According to the Press and public relations manager, Maurice Jordan, it is hit with employees, and is not intended to reduce production. The plant opened less than two years operates with three shifts and has a capacity of 150 thousand cars a year, but can reach up to 180 thousand with adjustments.
The brand sold 38.1 thousand HB20 units and their derivatives in the first quarter, up 20.2 percent compared with last year. Another Japanese, Mitsubishi, with factory in Catalan (GO), assigns the 8.4% increase in their sales to the arrival of new products, such as the ASX crossover, which went on to be made in the country in the second half of 2013. The factory employs 3.8 thousand people, works in a single shift and no weather forecast charts at the moment.
Ricardo Pazzianotto, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, says that "every carmaker has sizes, different strategies and products for the domestic market and for exports and are impacted in different ways". In times of crisis, brands that operate with limited line and lean structure tend to be less affected than those of large enterprises, with a more varied portfolio.
Among large manufacturers, Volkswagen had 13.5% fall in sales in the first quarter (135.5 thousand units). In December, failed to produce the van and the Gol G4 because of mandatory installation of airbags and ABS brakes. The company recently launched the compact up!, which last week won two-door version, the cheapest of the line.
Fiat's sales fell 2.2% (174.7 million) and those of GM, 3% (136.9 million). Ford fell 0.6% (70.4 thousand) and is another brand that is renewing its entire line and, for a while, did not reduce production. In the second half of the year, Ford will launch the new Ka in hatch and sedan versions. Renault grew 21.7% (51.8 million), but in early 2013 the factory stood for expansion works.