Marcopolo

Marcopolo S.A. (B3: POMO3, POMO4) is a Brazilian bus and coach manufacturer founded on 6 August 1949 in the southern Brazilian city of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The company manufactures the bodies for a whole range of coaches, e.g. microbus, intercity and touring coach. Marcopolo produces over half of the bus bodies made in Brazil and exports its coaches to more than 60 countries.

Currently Marcopolo has four plants in Brazil and plants in Argentina, Australia, Colombia, India, Mexico, and South Africa, in addition to the technology that will be transferred to China. In 2008, it announced a joint-venture with Tata Motors to enter the Indian market.[1]  Marcopolo closed its plant in Portugal in September 2009 because of the economic recession. The fleet of buses which were shipped to Barbados to add the Barbados Transport Board's bus fleet were the 40 Mercedes-Benz (OH1621) Marcopolo Torino GV buses in November, 1996, along with 4 of the 40 Mercedes-Benz (OF1621) Marcopolo Torino GV learner buses also in November, 1996; the 50 Mercedes-Benz (OH1420) Marcopolo Torino buses in November, 1999; the 25 Mercedes-Benz (OH1420) Marcopolo Torino buses in November 2003; the 5 Mercedes-Benz Allison Transmissioned Marcopolo Senior Marksell midi buses in November, 2004; and the 65 Mercedes-Benz Allison Transmissioned Marcopolo Torino buses in November, 2006.

History
Marcopolo was founded as Nicola & Cia Ltd, a company then having 8 partners and 15 employees. The production was entirely handmade.

In 1953, Marcopolo starts the production of the first steel structures.