Environmental legislation change hits heavy vehicle production

By Décio Costa | 2/7/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

The year started with a new reality for the heavy vehicle segment, with the beginning of the Proconve P8 rules on January 1. The new phase imposed a transition pace at the plants, which used most of the last month of 2022 to fulfill orders and, if possible, provide some units to stock.

Under this activities program exception, truck production in January fell 72.3% compared to December, from 14.6 thousand units to slightly more than four thousand. Compared to the same month last year, when 9.4 thousand trucks were produced, the fall reached 57.3%.

Bus production showed the same behavior. In January, the 782 chassis manufactured represented a 57.9% retraction compared to December (1.8 thousand units) and 41% less than one year ago, when 1.3 thousand chassis were assembled.

“Due to the legislation change, smaller numbers were already expected with a higher impact in the first month of the year, as did happen previously in a similar situation”, explained Gustavo Bonini, Anfavea’s vice president at the sector’s monthly balance presentation on Tuesday, 2/7.

The association leader recalled that to improve production in December, the industry postponed the usual end-of-the-year collective vacations to January, which resulted in lower volumes. “Nonetheless, we can say the year begins under better conditions regarding inputs supply”, he said.

Bonini also recalled that January established an expressive milestone for the Brazilian heavy vehicle industry, with five million trucks produced in the country since the beginning of Anfavea’s registers in 1957.