The Hemisphere: The Joint Venture

In 1952 Toledo's Jeep-making Willys Motors surveyed the Brazilian market and with its distributors in Brazil organized Willys-Overland do Brasil, capitalized at $250,000, more than 50% from the U.S. mother firm, the rest from Brazilians. Now Willys do Brasil is South America's biggest carmaker (110,000 units scheduled for 1960), has a capitalization of $34 million, 55% owned by Brazilians, 35% by Willys of U.S., 10% by French investors. Half of its 6,000 Brazilian workers own shares, 95% of the Jeep parts are locally made, and Brazilians proudly call the product o Jipe...

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