Wolfsburg, Germany, 27th June 2012 – The South American automotive market is developing positively, with both an increase in wealth and a strong interest in sustainable mobility resulting in changes to the supply structure and offering automotive manufacturers and supplier companies the prospect of new opportunities. Leading Argentinian, Brazilian and German speakers from the fields of business, technology and politics will be gathering at the International Automotive Congress on 9th October 2012 to discuss the current trends and challenges involved in the South American automotive market. This specialist event will kick off the International Suppliers Fair (IZB), which will yet again be a hotspot for automotive suppliers all over the world from 10th to 12th October 2012 in Wolfsburg. This year’s IZB partner countries Argentina and Brazil will also take centre stage at the International Automotive Congress, which will be welcoming Thomas Schmall, the President and CEO of Volkswagen do Brasil, and Emilio Saenz, the CEO of Volkswagen Argentina, as the event patrons. You can register for this event at www.izb-kongress.com/en/anmeldung.
“The evolving car market in South America offers the global automotive industry new potential for growth and sustainability. The International Automotive Congress can provide practical support and assistance by comprehensively analysing the South American market and exploring its specific characteristics in order to make statements concerning current demands and requirements, strategic approaches and future-oriented solutions”, emphasises Schmall.
By focusing on Argentina and Brazil, the congress will be looking at the two most important South American automotive markets of the present day. Both countries are currently profiting from increased incomes that are significantly changing the consumer behaviour of their residents and making automobility an affordable option for more and more people. In 2011, Brazil alone recorded domestic sales of over 3.6 million vehicles and now has the potential to become the world’s third-largest passenger car market behind China and the USA by 2015. The automotive manufacturing industry in Argentina also benefited from the increased demand from its neighbours in Brazil, recording an increase in sales figures of 13 percent in 2011.
The congress will begin with a keynote speech by Thomas Schmall on the topic of "Production Growth and Cost Competitiveness", in which he will tell participants about the positive business development of Volkswagen AG in the South American automotive market. This will be followed by a strategic positioning session in which Emilio Saenz will discuss the general significance of South America as a production location for the global automotive industry.
The topics of sustainability, innovations and technologies will form another focus of the event, with Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, a Member of the Board and the Head of Development of the Volkswagen Brand, joining speakers from the Brazilian Association of Autoparts Manufacturers, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen do Brazil to report on sustainable automotive manufacturing in the South American market.
The congress programme for the afternoon will revolve around changes, opportunities and strategies and will feature an examination of market strategies and the opportunities and risks involved in mutual partnerships by representatives of leading South American and German supplier companies and from Volkswagen.