33 Finding new clients and markets is a constant across any industry. The road implement sector is no exception: while continuing to improve service and refine its range of products and solutions for existing customers, it has also steadily expanded its customer base year after year. One of the most important developments in this regard has taken shape beyond Brazil’s borders. Exports are playing an increasingly central role in the business strategies of implement manufacturers. Through joint and independent trade missions, they are reaching international markets with a broad portfolio – strengthening their presence in established destinations while actively seeking to gain a foothold in new ones. This healthy “habit,” developed in recent years, has become a structural pillar of the sector. “Exports have become a central component of companies’ strategies, rather than merely an alternative in times of crisis,” says José Carlos Spricigo, president of ANFIR. At the same time, they are highly effective in offsetting the limitations and fluctuations of the domestic market. This was evident last year, when the sector’s domestic sales fell by nearly 6%, to 149,200 units – largely as a result of higher borrowing costs and elevated interest rates, which constrained truck sales. However, Spricigo views 2025 as a period of adjustment and adaptation, in which the association’s member companies will need to realign their strategies and pursue alternatives to navigate the current economic turbulence. In this context, the sector’s growing efforts in recent years to expand shipments of implements to international markets have proved especially timely. So much so that exports surged by an impressive 43.5% compared to 2024, with a total of 4,959 units reaching roads and highways abroad. This growth was driven in particular by the recovery of markets in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as – at certain times – by currency depreciation. Another equally significant, if not greater, share can be attributed to the numerous trade missions and business rounds held both domestically and abroad, organized in partnership with ApexBrasil, which have proved instrumental in opening up new business opportunities. International expansion, naturally, remains concentrated in South America. This comes as no surprise, as the logistical proximity and the suitability of Brazilian products to regional conditions facilitate meeting a significant portion of transport operators’ needs in neighboring countries - many of which face ongoing challenges with road infrastructure that is often in need of improvement. In any case, implement manufacturers are increasingly targeting new markets, not least to reduce their reliance on South American markets, which, like their own domestic market, are often exposed to economic volatility. The idea is to spread risk across multiple markets, and the Move Brazil program – a partnership with ApexBrasil aimed at promoting the Brazilian industry abroad – has been accelerating market entry and strengthening companies’ competitiveness overseas, according to the president of ANFIR. Increasingly global Exports are no longer merely an alternative; they have become a solid pillar for road implement manufacturers. EXPORTAÇÕES | EXPORTS | EXPORTACIONES
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