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Goodbye, Troller: Ford Will End Production of 4×4 Jeeps in September and Declares the End of the Brazilian Brand. About 470 Factory Employees as Well as the Ceará Government Are Caught by Surprise
On last Monday (09/08), the multinational Ford, which halted its vehicle production and left Brazil at the beginning of the year, decided to no longer sell the Troller brand and the production rights of its only model, the utility T4, declaring the end of one of the few and most cherished genuinely Brazilian automotive brands. The news surprised about 470 factory employees as well as the Ceará government, which was following the negotiations, and a businessman from Paraíba whose discussions to take over the production of the 4×4 jeep were advanced.
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The announcement of the end of Troller comes after months of negotiations with companies interested in purchasing the brand. Assets such as facilities, equipment, and tools are still for sale, but the Troller brand and products are no longer on the table.
The automaker had factories in Camaçari (BA) and Taubaté (SP) for Ford cars, and in Horizonte (CE) for Troller brand jeeps. The Ford unit in Horizonte manufactures fiberglass parts, welding, and structural adhesive application using robots; it has machines with the capacity to measure a complete vehicle body; and has an assembly line with verification of the vehicle’s electronic functions.
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In just three hours, a natural stone floor transforms the entrance of the house with an organic effect, immediate drainage, and a sophisticated non-slip finish that doesn’t puddle water, dries quickly, and impresses with the final result.
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‘Interlocking brick’ made of earth arrives in the construction industry with cost reductions of up to 40% on the project.
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Espírito Santo will receive the largest engineering project in its history with the duplication of BR 262, which will have 50 viaducts, 28 bridges, and 2-kilometer tunnels cutting through the most challenging mountainous region of the entire state.
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A project of nearly 9 million reais already has the first kilometer paved in Santa Catarina and promises to completely transform the access between Jaraguá do Sul and Rio dos Cedros in an area where tourism is growing at a rapid pace.
Automaker Suspends Negotiation with Buyers
In a statement released last Tuesday, 10, the Department of Economic Development and Labor of the State of Ceará stated that the company is not fulfilling what was agreed upon in January and was “surprised” by the news of the closing of the Troller factory. According to the department, since January, both the State and Federal Governments have been monitoring the negotiations looking for potential buyers.
The department also said that Ford’s institutional director in Brazil, Rogério Goldfarb, informed the head of Sedet, Maia Júnior, by phone about the suspension of negotiations citing decisions from the American headquarters which had hired a company specialized in mergers and acquisitions for the process.
The department also stated that Ford’s decision is to proceed with the sale of Troller without negotiating the brand and product design, unlike what was announced in January of this year.
“We will continue to firmly seek understanding so that Ford reflects on the fact that this position taken by the headquarters is undesirable for us. The Troller brand is not global; it was created by Cearans. We hope that Ford of America and Brazil do not harm the development of Ceará and the Cearan workers,” said Secretary Maia Júnior.
Troller Was Purchased by Ford in 2007
Founded in 1995 by Brazilian entrepreneurs who also developed the jeep later named T4, Troller was purchased by Ford in 2007. When it announced the end of vehicle production in the country in January, the multinational closed its units in Camaçari (BA) and Taubaté (SP) and said it would keep Troller operational until the last quarter of the year, during which time it would try to sell it.
The government monitored the negotiations and expected that the eventual buyer would maintain vehicle production and the 470 jobs at the plant. There were three interested parties, according to Maia.
Ford Motor Unloads 450 Cars at the Port of ES and Will Bring 30,000 Vehicles to Brazil Produced in Factories Abroad
After stopping vehicle production and closing its factories in Brazil, Ford Motor Company now imports vehicles through the Port of Vitória. Last week, a shipment of 450 cars arrived in the state on the vessel Torrens. The estimate is that approximately 30,000 cars will reach Brazil annually via Espírito Santo.
On May 18, the first vehicles from the American automaker arrived at the port of Vitória. Previously, Ford imported its cars through Baixada Santista and Bahia.
Now, the Port Terminal of Vila Velha (ES) will be the only entry point for Ford in Brazil. According to Log-In Logística, the company responsible for the operation, the complex will receive approximately 28,000 to 30,000 cars from the American company annually.
The delivery was accompanied by Governor Renato Casagrande, who also visited the new vehicle storage and handling yard operated by LogIN TVV within the Port of Vitória.
“We came to monitor and celebrate the importance of importing Ford vehicles in Espírito Santo. In total, around 30,000 vehicles per year will be imported here by the state, which adds to other brands already imported here. This strengthens the economy of Espírito Santo, that of Vila Velha, and also Cariacica. The more capacity to invest, the more ability to create opportunities for the people of Espírito Santo,” he highlighted.
After Volkswagen, Honda, Audi, Volvo, and Renault, Ford Motor Chief Announces the Halt of Combustion Engine Production, Gasoline and Diesel, to Focus on Electric Cars but Does Not Provide a Date
After ceasing vehicle production and leaving the country, Ford Motor’s head in the Americas, Kumar Galhotra, stated that the automaker has full electrification on the radar. This statement aligns with industry giants such as Volkswagen, Honda, Volvo, and Renault, who have also recently announced that they have stopped or will stop the development and production of combustion engines, gasoline, and diesel to invest in manufacturing electric cars.
The American automaker confirmed to the market that while it is still very far from knowing exactly when, Ford will be a completely electric brand in the future and will set aside combustion engines to meet the new carbon emission standards.
Galhotra said: “I can easily see a point where we would say: ‘This is the date we would be fully electric.’” He added: “We are certainly working towards that.”
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