Practical notes for operations leaders running — or evaluating — production in Brazil. Written from field experience, not from a textbook.
Brazil is replacing ICMS, ISS, PIS and COFINS with a dual VAT (CBS and IBS) between 2026 and 2033. What it changes operationally for foreign-owned plants.
Tax Reform · UrgentBrazilian NF-e documents must carry CBS and IBS tax information. If validation rejects your invoice, goods cannot ship. An operational readiness checklist.
Tax Reform · SourcingBrazilian sourcing has long been distorted by interstate tax treatment. As the reform moves taxation to destination, supplier and location decisions need revisiting.
OperationsForeign operators often blame culture or training for productivity gaps in Brazilian plants. In our experience the causes are structural and addressable.
OperationsTime zones, reporting cadence and escalation design for foreign-owned plants in Brazil. What works when headquarters is 5,000 kilometres from the shop floor.
SourcingQualifying a Brazilian supplier from abroad on documents alone is guesswork. What to verify physically, and the gaps that only appear during a plant visit.
LeanMost Brazilian plants have already run a lean programme that decayed. The reasons are predictable, and they are about mechanism rather than about culture.
Operational ExcellenceMost mid-size Brazilian plants have no MES and report an OEE that overstates reality. How to build a manual measurement system you can actually trust.
Supply ChainSafety stock sized on European or Asian assumptions produces stockouts in Brazil while excess accumulates elsewhere. How to build coverage policy on observed variability.
OperationsRecurring misreadings that cost foreign-owned plants in Brazil time and credibility, and what to do instead. Written from field experience, not stereotype.