Perim Comercio de Auto Peças LTDA

Did you know that a ride on a public bus in Brazil always costs the same, whether you go just one stop or all the way to the end of the line? In this Partner Story, we let you take a look at Brazil's transportation system from a slightly different angle. Perim has been a distribution partner of Diesel Technic since 2016 and provides insights into the specifics of the spare parts market of the South American country.

The story of Perim began with a trio of father, son and uncle who were employed in the transportation business and faced the difficulty of finding different spare parts collected in one store. From this came the business idea to create Perim, with the aim of offering their customers the best buying experience. With passion, expertise and the initial vision of making it easier for truck drivers to buy spare parts and thus maintain their vehicles, the success story started in 1979.

Today, Perim, based in São Paulo, is strongly positioned and well-known. Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira, Managing Director of Perim, says about the future plans: "We are currently opening two new branches. One in the city of São Paulo, in the district of Vila Maria, and another in the city of Tubarão, in the state of Santa Catarina. The latter will be our first store outside of São Paulo state and our growth will continue with more location expansions."

What's behind the success? In addition to customer-oriented service, a love of technology and thirst for knowledge play a central role, according to Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira. "We are always looking for news and want to offer what's new on the market right now. In this way, we ensure that our company is not standing still in time and we also pass on our knowledge to our customers where others have already encountered difficulties."

On the road to their success, things have not always been easy. It is also their competitors who motivate the Perim team. Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira describes building a business as a journey that requires a lot of energy, money and time, and sometimes a personal sacrifice. "To say we don't have strong competitors would be like saying we don't have challenges to overcome. We've already had cases where competitors have lowered their prices and profit margins to attract our customers. There was also a case where the competition put up a wall to cover Perim's outdoor advertising. In the end, this motivated us just as much to awaken our creativity."

Customer satisfaction is permanently at the center of Perim's working philosophy. This includes providing customers with a wide range of quality products. With Diesel Technic, Perim has the ideal partner at its side for this. "Offering products with quality and guarantee helps us to increase customer loyalty. Because products that can be relied on are associated with value and credibility. If these points also apply to a complete range, we achieve the goal that Perim has always strived for: Customer satisfaction!"

For the different needs and demands of the customers, either the DT Spare Parts or SIEGEL Automotive product range can be used. Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira is aware of the advantages of both brands and says: "DT Spare Parts is a brand that gives us security and confidence, thus increasing the credibility of the company for customers. SIEGEL Automotive is also an attractive brand for us, as their products went through the Diesel Technic Quality System, but with more interesting prices. By communicating that the brand belongs to Diesel Technic, we achieve better acceptance, but the products do not replace the quality of DT Spare Parts products."

Especially for the Brazilian market it is important to offer many different spare parts. On the roads are brand new trucks as well as older models, some older than 50 years. The most common brands among trucks are Scania, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, MAN/VW, Iveco, Ford and DAF. In addition, buses of the Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volvo brands are widespread. There are also many LCVs to see, although this is a smaller category. The VW, Iveco and Mercedes-Benz brands are mainly represented there. "The average age of commercial vehicles is 11 to 15 years. It should be remembered that Brazil has an enormous territorial extension. Depending on the geographical view, it is possible to see new vehicles more in the south of the country and rather older vehicles in the southeast," explains Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira.

The successful partnership between Perim and Diesel Technic is also characterized by the open feedback culture. With sales, technical and marketing support, the partnership contributes to the business success. "The product brands from Diesel Technic currently represent the largest share of our sales. It is a gateway to the companies we serve," says Carlos Eduardo Ribeiro de Oliveira. "We are in constant growth and we will always keep the partnership with the brand."