Grupo Caoa Explained

Grupo Caoa
Foundation:1979
Founder:Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade
Location:São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Area Served:Brazil
Key People:Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade Filho (president)
Industry:Automotive

Grupo Caoa is a Brazilian automotive company that was established in 1979. It is the distributor of the Subaru, Hyundai and Chery brands in Brazil.[1] [2] It has two of its own factories in Brazil, one in the Agroindustrial District of Anápolis, where Hyundai[3] [4] and Chery models are assembled, as well as another in Jacareí, resulting from the acquisition of 50.7% of the company's Brazilian operations of Chery, in September 2017, forming Caoa Chery.[5]

Caoa stands for the name of its founder, Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade.

History

Dr. Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade of Paraíba purchased a Ford Landau in 1979, at a dealership called Vepel, in the city of Campina Grande in Paraíba,[6] but the dealership went bankrupt before delivering the vehicle. As compensation for the undelivered car, Carlos kept the dealership. Six years later, Grupo Caoa – a name formed from the initials of its founder – reached the level of the largest Ford dealer in all of Latin America. The company's expansion in the automotive sector took place in 1992, when Brazil opened its doors to importing vehicles. In the following years, Caoa became an official importer of other brands[7] such as Renault.[8]

In 1998, Caoa began representing Subaru, the automotive division of Subaru Corporation.[9] In 1999, Hyundai also transferred its representation to Caoa in Brazil, after passing through the hands of two other distributors. In 2001, Hyundai became the leading brand in the import market and the Tucson became the best-selling SUV.[10] In 2007, Grupo Caoa opened Caoa Montadora de Veículos, which was the result of an initial investment of R$1.2 billion, built in the Agroindustrial District of Anápolis.[11] This resulted in earning Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade the title of "Entrepreneur of the Year in Industry" by Istoé magazine.[12]

In 2010, the Anápolis factory was recognized as a "Company for Good" by IstoÉ Dinheiro magazine, for its program of reusing waste from vehicle production and participation in reforestation in the Central-West region.[13] In the last quarter of 2013, the Anápolis factory, which already produced the Tucson, the HR and the HD78, underwent a new investment cycle to begin production of the ix35. The investment of R$ 600 million guaranteed improvements in the assembly line with the inclusion of 10 robots, responsible for around 50% of the welding work.[14] In May 2014, the 10,000th ix35 left the Caoa assembly line, and Grupo Caoa celebrated its 35th year.[15] In 2017, Hyundai Caoa ranked first in the vehicle after-sales satisfaction survey, according to J.D. Power, which interviewed more than 3,700 owners who purchased new cars in the last 12 months in the country.[16] In November of the same year, Caoa acquired 50.7% of the Brazilian operations of Chinese manufacturer Chery, becoming responsible for manufacturing and distributing the brand in Brazil.[5]

Controversy

False advertising

In 2011, the group was reported to the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG) for possibly carrying out misleading advertising, such as declaring the model year of the Subaru Forester, safety and engine of the Hyundai ix35 and the power of the Veloster, Elantra and other models.[17] [18]

Corruption allegations

In 2015, Grupo Caoa, together with other automakers, was investigated for lobbying allegations for the approval of Provisional Measure 471 of 2009, under the government of then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which granted tax benefits to automotive companies.[19]

In 2016, Grupo Caoa was accused of paying bribes to the former Minister of the Civil House and Finance Antonio Palocci, in 2010, in exchange for his work in approving Provisional Measure 512 of that year,[20] and to the governor of Minas Gerais, Fernando Pimentel, in exchange for tax benefits.[21] In November 2017, the Federal Public Ministry expanded investigations into Caoa's relations with Palocci, after it was found that Palocci's consulting company Projeto signed several contracts with Grupo Caoa.[22]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Entrevista com Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade. Jornal Estado de Goiás. Flávio Mobaroli e Marcos Vieira. 2007-01-11. 14 June 2010.
  2. Web site: Ford pensa pequeno. André Vieira e László Varga. IstoÉ. 2009-01-13. 14 June 2010.
  3. Web site: Hyundai Genesis Coupé no Brasil: Grupo Caoa estuda lançar o esportivo por R$ 110 mil. 11 April 2009. 14 June 2010. 15 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090515005835/http://carplace.virgula.uol.com.br/hyundai-genesis-coupe-no-brasil-grupo-caoa-estuda-lancar-o-esportivo-por-r-110-mil/. dead.
  4. Web site: Hyundai prioriza expansão de fábrica no Brasil antes de novos produtos. Rodrigo. Mora. 15 January 2014. G1. pt.
  5. Web site: CAOA compra a operação brasileira da Chery . Quatro Rodas . 20 November 2017 . 21 November 2017.
  6. Web site: CAOA - Nossa história . Grupo Caoa . 2 September 2019.
  7. Web site: Capitães da Indústria - Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade . Folha de S.Paulo . 16 December 2007 . 21 November 2017.
  8. Web site: Caoa, o construtor de marcas. 17 November 2017. Istoé. pt.
  9. Web site: Caoa completa 35 anos de atuação no mercado . Automotive Business . 30 May 2014 . 21 November 2017.
  10. Web site: Hyundai e grupo Caoa seguem firmes na parceria . Revista Auto Esporte . 26 June 2012 . 21 November 2017.
  11. Web site: Hyundai inaugura fábrica em Goiás em fevereiro . CNM/CUT . 29 November 2006 . 21 November 2017.
  12. Web site: Investidor - Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Andrade . IstoÉ Dinheiro . 12 December 2007 . 21 November 2017.
  13. Web site: 50 Empresas do Bem (1ª a 10ª) . IstoÉ Dinheiro . 19 March 2010 . 21 November 2017.
  14. Web site: Hyundai Caoa inicia produção do ix35 no país . Exame . 8 November 2013 . 21 November 2017.
  15. Web site: Hyundai CAOA comemora produção de 10 mil ix35 em Anápolis . Motor 1 . 5 June 2014 . 21 November 2017.
  16. Web site: Hyundai CAOA lidera pesquisa de satisfação da J.D. Power . Quatro Rodas . 31 May 2017 . 21 November 2017.
  17. Web site: Ministério Público de Minas Gerais investiga Hyundai por possíveis propagandas enganosas. Notícias Automotivas. 2011-10-31. 6 November 2011. 2012-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20121031090947/http://www.noticiasautomotivas.com.br/ministerio-publico-de-minas-gerais-investiga-hyundai-por-possiveis-propagandas-enganosas/. dead.
  18. Web site: CAOA tenta enganar mais uma vez os consumidores. Notícias Automotivas. 2011-09-20. 15 November 2011.
  19. Web site: Gilberto Carvalho fez lobby para montadoras no governo Lula . Época . 26 October 2015 . 21 November 2017.
  20. Web site: Palocci é alvo no DF de duas novas apurações por enriquecimento ilícito . G1 . 27 September 2016 . 21 November 2017.
  21. Web site: Empresário diz que Pimentel recebeu R$ 10 milhões em propina . Jornal Nacional . 23 May 2016 . 21 November 2017.
  22. Web site: Ministério Público aprofunda investigação sobre relações de Palocci com a empresa Caoa . Época . 4 September 2017 . 22 November 2017.