There’s no doubt that one of the most traditional industries in Brazil’s economy is the automotive sector—more specifically, vehicle manufacturing plants. Brazil has a long tradition in this area: the first automakers arrived in the early decades of the 20th century, and the market has grown strongly ever since.

In the second article of our series on professional uniforms in major Brazilian industries, you’ll learn about the power, challenges, and differentiators of vehicle manufacturing plants—a true engine of development for the country. Keep reading!

Brazil’s automotive market and vehicle manufacturing plants

As discussed at the beginning of this article, Brazil’s automotive industry history is closely tied to Brazilian economic development. Official records show the first car arrived in Brazil in 1891, imported from Paris to the city of Santos by inventor Santos Dumont.

From then on, automobiles were a constant presence in the country’s history. The first automotive factories were established in the early 20th century—Ford in 1919, followed by General Motors in 1926.

Alongside this movement, the inauguration of the first paved highway in the country also happened at that time: Rio–Petrópolis. This was followed by a strong political push to road transport as Brazil’s main transportation mode, which further boosted the domestic automobile market.

Among other factors, this scenario helped the automotive industry develop into one of the country’s main industries. Today, in economic terms, data indicate that the automotive segment accounts for no less than 22% of Brazil’s industrial GDP. The sector’s relevance is also impressive internationally: according to Época Negócios, Brazil is among the 10 largest vehicle producers in the world.

Moreover, the outlook for the future is promising. The forecast is that more than R$ 20 billion will be invested in automakers across the country through 2023. This movement is driven both by the strong dollar, which reduces investment costs in Brazil, and optimism about the market’s future.

Details of professional uniforms in vehicle manufacturing plants

Now that you know some history behind one of Brazil’s most traditional industries, let’s look at the needs and challenges of the professionals who keep this engine running. Each stage of work on the assembly line has unique requirements and characteristics. That’s why the ideal uniform also varies depending on each worker’s function.

Below are some of the main uniform functions in this industry:

• Uniforms as a self-esteem element for the team: for some time, some of Brazil’s main automakers have adopted uniforms as standard clothing to boost employee self-esteem and productivity. These are just some of the benefits a properly uniformed team can bring—read more about it here;
• Protective clothing: for workers who access the factory floor, fluorescent vests with reflective strips are used as an essential part of the uniform for safety and accident prevention. In addition, welders receive a set made with 100% cotton fabric to ensure thermal comfort and safety during their activities;
• Antistatic fabrics: in the vehicle painting process, another special care is adopting uniforms made with antistatic fabrics, with carbon filament. This prevents small particles that often stick to our clothes from being transferred to the car and damaging the paint;
• General recommendations for production line uniforms: there are also general specifications for professionals who have direct contact with cars on the assembly line. Shirts cannot have pockets, because pocket contents might fall during assembly. Pants buttons should be on the inside to avoid scratching the car. The same care applies to belts, which should be made only of canvas and Velcro to prevent accidental scratches.

As we can see, professional uniforms for automakers must be carefully designed and developed—both to ensure employee safety and to preserve production line quality and optimize factory processes.

Discover the ideal uniforms for your company

As Brazil’s largest uniform manufacturer, Ideal Work is proud to support the automotive sector by supplying uniquely high-quality professional uniforms that meet the many required functions for workers at different vehicle plants across the country.

You can also join this champion team building Brazil’s future and rely on Ideal Work’s expertise for your uniform solution!

We offer an exclusive service for the creation of customized uniforms. We work side by side with our clients to understand their needs, learn the roles, and study the real situations in which each garment will be used.

Click here to get in touch and learn how Ideal Work can help develop the best uniform for each area of your company.