The Brazilian Mercedes-Benz hit a record high for bus sales in Brazil in March. The company sold 1,651 units during the month. The previous record high volume had been recorded in August 1995: 1,635 units. The company holds 60% of the national market, and is the undisputed leader in sales of bus chassis weighing over six tons.

According to the company, factors that contributed to the new record included fleet renewal and expansion in capital cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, all in the Brazilian Southeast plus de southern city of Curitiba and the northeastern city of Recife, as well as in countryside municipalities in the states, aimed at catering to urban and road transportation.

From January until March this year, the company sold 3,376 buses in Brazil. The figure represented a 55% participation in the Brazilian market during the period. Last year, from January to December, Mercedes-Benz had a 53% market participation, with sales of 10,041 units.

Braskem Gets Ipiranga

The leader in the thermoplastic resins segment in Latin America, Brazilian Braskem, announced the conclusion of negotiations which will guarantee the raising of up to US$ 1.2 billion through a bridge loan to finance the acquisition of Ipiranga Group's petrochemical business jointly with Petrobras and the future delisting of Copesul.

These, according to Braskem, are two exceptionally important assets in the company's strategy of growth with value creation and consolidating the petrochemical sector in the south of Brazil.

"The positive market evaluation about the new size of the company, the synergies to be captured and the strategic benefits resulting from the Ipiranga acquisition, combined with the confidence in Braskem's financial strength, proved crucial to the success of the operation," says Carlos Fadigas, Braskem CFO and Investor Relations Director.

According to Fadigas, the company raised the funds in a highly favorable market scenario, with excellent liquidity, guaranteeing attractive borrowing conditions and financial flexibility to Braskem.

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U.S. Bus Fans Note...
written by Ric, April 17, 2007

These buses are constructed as a body on a separate chassis, not like Prevosts, Eagles, and MCIs. Although Mercedes did build integral shells in Brazil years go.

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To Ric !
written by ch.c., April 17, 2007

I dont understand what you mean ! Please clarify what this has to do with U.S. Buses !
Thanks.

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...
written by Ric, April 17, 2007

In England, and in the USA, there is a bus hobby, similar to but smaller than the railroad train hobby. One publication is the National Bus Trader, and they really don´t cover interstate buses that are built on a separate frame, as some British buses are. Some American bus fans may bring up this story with a Google search, and the fact that it is not talking about monoque construction is of interest to them. Whereas Setra, Van Hool, and some other buses made in Europe are of integral construction. If I have offended you with this news, sorry. What is the main manufacturer of buses that you see in Switzerland?

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Well Ric, actually
written by ch.c, April 17, 2007

We don't manufacture buses either because we don't want too. Buses are too predictable; they just roll around north and south doing nothing for our economy. What we prefer is to concentrate our efforts in making a new Swiss knife using super light metals. The new Swiss knife will have 41 appendages from scissors to screwdrivers, from toothpick to bottle opener and even a scratcher for those hard to rich locations on the bottom of the scrotum. A consortium of highly trained Swiss machinists and foreign engineers are currently developing the project. The pocketknives will sell for $ 350 Euros (7.9 billion Swiss Franks) for our citizens or $ 1.75 for all other E.U. countries.

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Ooooops an "Allen Moment"
written by ch.c, April 17, 2007

for those hard to "reach" locations

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Cabra escrotiou comigo, abiscoitado.
written by Ric, April 18, 2007

If the bottom of your scrotum is that hard to reach maybe you should see a doctor.

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