Made in Brazil   

Despite the cautious scenario for the automotive sector in Brazil, the auto parts industry is optimistic about the prospects in 2023. Official data from Brazil indicate that the net revenue of the automotive components industry had an increase of 8.5% compared to 2021. For 2023, the estimate is a growth of 6.1%. In this sense, how important is the Group’s global positioning as a strategy to expand exports? 

In addition to continuous investments in innovation and in the ESG agenda, the internationalization is a priority for Randoncorp for the next years. The goal of expanding our geographical participation is to bring even more resilience to business, thus reducing the volatility of different markets. We have already brought mobility solutions to five continents. Along with the international expansion, our strategy is to maintain a diversified and robust business model, relying on synergies and integration among units as a mechanism for sustainable and continuous growth. 

Randoncorp has recently announced that it will expand, until the end of the year, the production of 100% electric trailers. In auto parts, Suspensys seems to collaborate directly in this strategy with the recent opening of a unit for the production of electric axles and batteries, the first one in South America, designed for trailers, semi-trailers, trucks, buses and agricultural equipment. What are the next investments planned and the plans regarding  sustainable mobility? 

This unprecedented project demonstrates the strategic role of a Brazilian company in the development of new technologies and represents the path towards the internationalization of our company. Randoncorp is currently the eighth largest company in the world in its sector and our goal is to end 2023 among the six major players worldwide. In April, we opened Suspensys E-Mobility, an unprecedented undertaking in Latin America in the segment of electrified products for transportation. This is an e-plant that has inserted us into a new segment: assembly and production of batteries. Through its own projects, the unit is able to supply light vehicles, commercial vehicles, agricultural implements, and other industrial applications, with various manufacturing possibilities and appropriate destination for the components produced. The plant also absorbs the manufacturing of e-Sys, an innovative electric auxiliary traction system developed and marketed by the company. We are very proud of this project, which is 100% an accomplishment of our Brazilian engineering, with national resources, both from the material point of view and from the multidisciplinary teams of professionals involved. 

What does the company expect to achieve with the Lean Transformation? What are the possible impacts of this journey on Suspensys’ results and on the group as a whole? 

Within its growth strategy, Suspensys has strongly invested in the excellence of its operations and in a robust transformation of its processes. This is how Suspensys’ Lean Journey was created, which is divided into 3 pillars. 

• Strategy: Innovation in production processes (Master Plan, Smart Manufacturing, Detailing of operational projects, Value Engineering) 
• Execution: principles of Lean Manufacturing (Production at synchronized pace, Maximum value stream, Disturbance-free processes, Structured problem solving, Competitiveness) 
• Sustainment: Leadership, People and Team Development (Operational maturity management, Cooperation and synergy in best practices, Continuous improvement culture, HSE)

As Randoncorp, we are immersed in a phase of transformation and expansion. To achieve our goals and be successful in our growth strategies, we seek to reflect internally what the market already perceives more clearly. 

Innovation is part of our history and is materialized in our products and in the transformation of our culture.In this context, Lean Transformation is necessary and strategic to enhance the consistency of our processes. We are implementing a series of improvement initiatives and, for this, we associate ourselves with the competence of partners who have the same bold vision. Staufen has been very relevant in this process, helping us to enhance operational quality and excellence. 

For a transformation to happen, the leadership must be prepared to support their teams, motivating people and driving the change. As COO of the group, how do you see the role of top management in the development of the leaderships that will support the expansion projects of RandonCorp? 

At Randoncorp, we encourage a diverse and inclusive environment for our employees, customers, communities and partners, always reinforcing one of our principles: valued and respected people. Within the context of important changes faced by the company, our teams follow up the challenges that arise with dynamism and engagement. There is a collective effort of our leaderships to value and highlight the protagonism of our employees. After all, positive results are possible thanks to the efforts of everyone who is part of Randoncorp.