GIVI Magazine - Novembre 2014

ENGLISH TEXT GIVI GOES CARIOCA! SINCE 2004, THE BRAND ALSO PRODUCES IN BRAZIL FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET. IT IS A GROWING MARKET, WHICH SEES THE DIRECT PRESENCE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURERS. WE SPOKE WITH RODRIGO HIPÒLITO, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF GIVI DO BRASIL TO LEARN MORE. R odrigo, 31, began working for GIVI do Brasil in 2005 as a sales assistant. In 2007 he was promoted to sales manager, and finally, in 2011, he was appointed General Manager of the Brazilian branch of the GIVI group. Rodrigo, GIVI do Brasil is continuously expanding, not only in sales but also in terms of structures. What are the future plans? “In addition to the new warehouse, which should be ready very soon, we are investing heavily in the production lines, with new machines coming for work related to plastic injection molding and for the machining of metal. One of the main objectives of GdB is to be fully equipped to produce the majority of the mounting kits and cases that even today we import from Italy”. What is the current market like? What are the strongest families of products for GIVI do Brasil and for which bikes? “The current market situation is very unique, and you could read it in two different ways: on the one hand, the overall number of vehicles sold is declining, but at the same time the number and the demand for high-end bikes is increasing, with a significant increase even from month to month. Currently, Triumph, Ducati, BMW, Harley Davidson, MV Agusta, Kawasaki and Suzuki have their production facilities in this area of Brazil, and next year KTM will also. In contrast Honda and Yamaha are established in the north of the country, in the industrial pole of Manaus, where they produce a large number of motorcycles and engines of different sizes and characteristics. The choice of that area in the heart of the Amazon is related to the fact that it is a free zone, with large tax benefits needed to keep production costs low enough to be able to sell in a competitive market such as Brazil. As a result of this strategy, Honda and Yamaha have managed to significantly reduce the prices of their bikes in recent years, with the result that more and more customers now have access to high-quality products”. What does the future of the Brazilian market look like? “Although, as I said before, the total number of vehicles sold is decreasing, Brazilian customers finally have the opportunity to purchase virtually all of the motorcycle models that are currently captions SEE MORE PICTURES 1) RODRIGO HIPÒLITO, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF GIVI DO BRASIL SINCE 2011, BEGAN HIS CAREER WITHIN THE COMPANY IN 2005 AS A SALES ASSISTANT. 2) ONE OF THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF GIVI DO BRASIL IS THE NEW WAREHOUSE, WHICH HOSTS THE CASE INJECTION AND MOULDING AREA. THE TECHNOLOGY, PRODUCTION PROTOCOLS, AND QUALITY CONTROL ARE THE SAME AS THOSE USED IN THE ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS IN FLERO (BRESCIA, ITALY) A GREAT TEAM! GIVI do Brasil is divided into areas. There are the production area, warehouse, sales and administrative offices. The production facility was built a few hundred meters from the GdB headquarters. Inside is the plastic injection molding machinery that produces different models of cases dedicated to the Brazilian market and South America in general. Seven employees work in this area and collaborate with 6 other technicians assigned to the nearby metal-working area. The assembly line has 8 workers while 6 employees are dedicated to the warehouse and shipping. The offices comprise an administrative section, with 5 employees, and a sales office with 4 sales and customer care personnel. available in the major countries of the world. In the past, the interval between the global launch and its availability in Brazil was even 2 years, now we are down to 6 months. This fact alone indicates how the manufacturers have changed their strategy with regard to Brazil, which is now considered one of the main markets, especially for high- end products”. What changes could further improve the Brazilian motorcycle world? “Well, we could start with the driver’s license. The way in which you currently get a license must absolutely be changed. The current system is outdated and does not guarantee any safety standards. Instead of creating a generation of responsible and attentive motorcyclists, individuals with absolutely no experience are able to easily acquire a driver’s license, and immediately operate even a 1,000 cc motorcycle, sporty and fast, with the obvious consequences. A rapid and effective change is urgently needed to reduce motorcycle accidents in Brazil and improve the image that riders of two- wheelers have “earned”! Givi Magazine Novembre 2014 - inside givi  27