March 26, 2009 On the Road Again

Volume 12 | Issue 2

Rossetti has had a successful run in developing a variety of industrial road vehicles for Brazil’s transportation sector. Lorie Greenspan fi

Rossetti has earned a stellar reputation throughout Brazil for its production of a variety of dump bodies, delivery vans, curtain side bodies, trailers and third axles – all manufactured under strict technical control, providing quality, durability and safety to the transportation market.

The company’s 38 years of experience and continuous technological evolution have resulted in a trustworthy partnership between Rossetti and its customers, which dates to 1967, when Iderol Equipamentos Rodoviários Ltda. was founded by Vasco Antonio Rossetti in the city of Guarulhos, SP, Brazil. Located in a small shed at Av. Carlos Ferreira Endres, 650, Iderol started with the manufacture of third axle kits, and has not stopped growing.

To satisfy the increasing market demand for dump bodies, Iderol adapted to supply this segment and upon doing so, expanded by purchasing a 70,000-square-meter site, fairly close to the downtown. Buildings were erected and as Iderol became a leading manufacturer of bodies throughout Brazil, it started investing in modern machinery and expanding its production lines.

Very soon the product range was extended with the introduction of the delivery van kit, which at that time was solely manufactured by Cargo Van, a foreign company. Iderol made another modernization effort, and became the first 100-percent Brazilian company to manufacture and assemble delivery vans and trailers on chassis.

WIDE RANGE OF BODIES
In the 1980s, the company had more than 1,000 employees, becoming Brazil’s second largest manufacturer of road transportation equipment. Branch offices were opened in Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Minas Gerais, in addition to a network of authorized dealers throughout the national territory. Dump bodies and trailers became the unquestionable market leaders and the other products in the company’s portfolio beat out its competitors.

In order to meet the increasing market demand, Iderol took over Indústria e Mecânica Corso, a major supplier of inputs for the equipment manufactured by Iderol. With this ensured stability, Iderol was able to win the partnership of large assemblers and increase its export sales to the entire South American continent as well as to several regions of Africa and even the Middle East.

In the early 1990s, Iderol faced its first crisis under the so-called “Collor Plan,” but thanks to its credibility, quality and power, managed to keep its sales volume along with its reputation in tact.

MILESTONES
In 1997, the three Rossetti brothers left Iderol to start Rossetti Equipamentos Rodoviários Ltda. in the city of Betim, Minas Gerais to manufacture road transportation equipment. Located on 57,000 square meters, Rossetti rapidly became Brazil’s largest provider of dump bodies and trailers for ore transport.

The year 2001 saw three milestones in Rossetti’s exceptional development: the manufacturing plant for delivery vans and delivery trailers was set up and the company began to manufacture the first of a series of closed vans. Rossetti also launched the first genuinely Brazilian model of concave dump body and also purchased the property it rented and started its second manufacturing plant.

Since then the product range has been expanded, and today features dump B double, dump road train, dump trailers, delivery vans, curtain side bodies and bodies on chassis, third axle kits, military bodies and special equipment, among others.

Rossetti’s qualified engineering department is ready to design the most suitable and reliable products for customers, using all the latest information technology and software acquired through heavy investment. This engineering support has always been essential for the performance of products, so the company continuously updates its operations through training courses and trips abroad in search of state-of-the-art technologies.

With all this experience, responsibility and structure Rossetti commemorates eight years in the marketplace as one of Brazil’s leading enterprises in the field of transportation equipment and a sales leader of dump bodies.

Now maintaining two manufacturing plants (headquarters in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo and a factory in Betim, MG), Rossetti holds 19,500 square meters of built area for the manufacturing and assembling of its entire product range.

FROM DESIGN TO PRODUCTION
Product development starts with studies and simulations carried out on 3-D design software by professionals qualified and experienced in road transportation equipment.

In addition to modern equipment and programs, the engineering department also receives feedback from the after-sales area, contributing to the continuous improvement of the product range.

Raw materials used by Rossetti are purchased from qualified suppliers and undergo a careful quality assessment process. Steel plates come directly from the steelmaking plant and aluminum s also purchased directly from the plant.

The manufacturing process starts with cutting and bending in machines with 6m capacity, as well as CNC and plasma cutting machines that allow Rossetti to fully control the quality of the manufactured parts. For assembling bodies and trailers Rossetti uses in-house design and constructs specific templates, which provide better flexibility and speed to its production lines.

Finishing includes three steps, with shot blasting or phosphate coating (chemical bath), leaving the equipment fully free of impurities and allowing better paint adherence. The second step is the application of zinc chromate base, which improves weather resistance of the equipment, and finally, the product is given a coat of synthetic or polyurethane enamel as requested by the customer.

Before delivery a final check is performed that includes, laser alignment, product general checkup and operational test (electric circuitry, hydraulics, brakes, etc.) ensuring quality performance of the product.

In everything it does Rossetti remains committed to the future as it not only invests in tooling and machinery but in human resources, which enables the company to always produce the highest quality products.

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