In the context of the stabilization and economic growth that has
followed the Real plan introduced in mid 1994, the latest effort to
curb dramatically high inflation, the Brazilian automotive industry
has continued to grow following a series of policy changes occurred
throughout the 90s.
The industry has "boomed" for two consecutive years, achieving
record production and sales levels. In 1994 production volume
reached 1.5 million units, domestic sales of 1.3 million and 380.000
units exported. And a record volume of 150.000 units of imported
vehicles penetrated the Brazilian market. After more than a decade
of stagnation and with a poor technological and efficiency
performance, this partial success crowns a restructuring process that
has implemented lean manufacturing principles as the new industry
paradigm and a new set of industrial policies that has liberalized the
Brazilian economy and has stimulated the cooperation among the
major stakeholders - government, companies, labor.
This paper will focus on the most recent economic performance and
policy changes in the Brazilian automotive industry, which faces the
formidable challenge of being competitive internationally as new
investments of US$ 10 billion expected until the year 2.000 to raise
the production volume of 2.5 to 3 million
