MARCOPOLO STRENGTHENS ITS OPERATIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET WITH PARTICIPATION IN BUSWORLD 2023

 At a fair in Europe, a Brazilian manufacturer presents innovations for the global mobility market

Marcopolo, the main developer of mobility solutions in Brazil and positioned among the largest in the world, strengthens its presence in the international market with participation in Busworld Europe, one of the most important events in the bus industry on the planet. Held between October 7 and 12 in Brussels, Belgium, the event brings together manufacturers, suppliers, transport and service operators.

In a 500 m² booth, the brand, which already operates in much of the global market, will exhibit two major projects: the Marcopolo G8, the company’s new generation of road vehicles, and a model powered by a hydrogen cell. The strategy is to highlight the company’s advances in the mobility segment and present competitive advantages, such as the union of recognized Brazilian design with global technology, and the high standard of quality and sophistication of the products, a result of the expertise acquired in operations in countries such as South Africa, Argentina, Australia, China, Colombia and Mexico, in addition to Brazil.

“Being present at Busworld Europe is fundamental, because we can present the most advanced mobility solutions for passenger transport, while at the same time strengthen the relationship with our customers and partners around the world who traditionally visit the fair”, says André Armaganijan, CEO of Marcopolo.

In addition to the marketing expertise acquired over 74 years of operation – more than 60 years with a presence in the international market, operating in more than one hundred countries – Marcopolo continuously invests in innovation, technology, optimization of manufacturing and engineering management in all its plants. With this, the company became much more flexible and efficient, able to develop and produce road and urban bus models for any demand.

The strategy is reinforced by the company’s numbers, which, in the first half of 2023, recorded a consolidated net revenue of R$ 3 billion, an increase of 43.3% compared to 2H22. Of this total, R$ 378.4 million came from exports from Brazil and R$ 770.3 million from the company’s international operations. In addition, in the first six months of 2023, 1,105 units were invoiced abroad, an increase of 16.1% compared to the same period of the previous year, materializing the brand’s global strength.

Innovations for the public

To reinforce concepts such as the high standard of quality and sophistication, in addition to the commitment to the future of mobility, the company will present for the first time in Europe a Double Decker Marcopolo Geração 8 road model, one of the sales successes in 2022, in Brazil and abroad, with more than a thousand units sold in the two years following the launch.

Another highlight is the hydrogen cell-powered vehicle, developed from the body of the Audace 1050 model bus, produced at the China unit. Sinosynergy provides the core part of fuel cell technology, including the membranes and Fuel Cell drive. Allenbus is responsible for the vehicle’s fuel cell chassis.

“The demand for sustainable and renewable fuel vehicles is already a reality in the biggest markets of the world. We conducted hydrogen cell vehicle development projects in different countries around the world, with a solution developed in Brazil, in addition to models produced with partners in Asia and Australia, in addition to supplying more than 700 hybrid and electric models, with chassis made by our partners, which are in operation in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Australia, China, Chile and Argentina”, says Armaganijan.

Marcopolo’s portfolio also includes urban models, mini buses, Volare brand vehicles and road vehicles, as well as electromobility solutions, such as the 100% electric Attivi Integral bus, with its own chassis and which already participates in a demonstration program in Brazilian cities such as São Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Angra dos Reis, among others, in addition to hybrid models.

Global player in transportation solutions

Marcopolo has expanded its business worldwide and, through partnerships, innovation and technology, aims to offer mobility solutions that can be applied in different markets. In this context, Marcopolo’s competitive advantages are its high production capacity, flexibility and customization of products, according to the needs of customers and the markets where it operates. “This strategy is highlighted by our positioning of bringing people together through mobility solutions that ensure safety, comfort and access to innovation and technology”, emphasizes the company’s CEO.

In South America, the company is a leader in the segment and has operations in Colombia, in the Greater Bogotá area, with Superpolo, a joint venture with Grupo Fanalca, where it is responsible for supplying vehicles to renew the fleet of the Transmilenio BRT system. Last year, 1,031 were produced in the region. In Argentina, Metalsur’s factory in the Province of Santa Fé produced 642 units in 2022, between urban and road.

In North America, the company has a factory in Monterrey, Mexico, since 2000, where small vehicles, conventional urban buses and short, medium and long range buses are produced. This year, the manufacturer presented, in partnership with Model 1, two mini bus models for the North American charter segment, the Grand Executive and Grand Shuttle. They are the first vehicles of this size and are produced at the Monterrey unit.

In Australia, Marcopolo owns the Volgren brand, the leader in the manufacture of complete buses to serve the Oceania market and responsible for supplying approximately 60% of the buses used in the country. Headquartered in Melbourne, with three factories in Australia, Volgren produced 325 units in 2022, up 18.2% from 2021, when it produced 275 units.

In China, Marcopolo has been present since 2001. Initially, through a technology transfer agreement for the local production of bus bodies and, since 2005, with the opening of an office for the development of new suppliers and global sourcing and the production of disassembled bus parts, components and bodies, as well as the production of buses in PKD for export to different countries in Asia, Africa and Oceania.

South Africa, on the other hand, is considered by the company as a traditional market, where our presence is reinforced through Masa. When comparing the first half of 2023 with the same period last year, the operation increased the number of units recorded in net revenue by 76.7%, reaching 159 buses.