Those who travel the Brazilian roads and watch the trucks have certainly come across transport vehicles. Currently, more than 1,000 trucks with this brand cross the country every day, carrying cargo that require special care, such as liquids, fuels, chemicals and gases. In total, they travel more than 70 million kilometers per year, ensuring the supply and safe logistics for some of the largest industries in the country.
Cavalinho is one of the main carriers in Brazil. Headquartered in Vacaria (RS), branches in Cubatão, Paulínia and Jundiaí, São Paulo, Duque de Caxias (RJ), Nova Lima (MG) and Camaçari (BA), as well as support bases in other states and in Mercosur countries, employs 2,400 people, including 1,500 drivers. The company has a modern fleet, with an average age of three years, and is a reference in safety, technological innovation and commitment to sustainability.
The carrier was born from Ivanor Guilherme Ossani’s work and entrepreneurial vision, who began acting as a trucker in 1958. Born in Lagoa Vermelha, Rio Grande do Sul, he followed a common trajectory in the transportation sector: he worked hard, then a second vehicle to operate with a hired driver and grew, until the company was founded in 1974, then with the name of Transportes Ossani. In the 1980s, he adopted the new name and, with 15 trucks, stopped driving to focus on business management.
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At first, the company operated only with the so -called mechanical horses, towing trailers of other carriers, origin of the name Cavalinho. Paulo Ossani, son of Ivanor and current CEO of the company, grew up accompanying his father’s work. “My truck story begins literally the day I was born. My father went to pick me up at the truck maternity,” he recalls. Since he was a child, he had been with his father on trips during school holidays, closely observing the entire operation.
Still in the 1980s, the company made the decision to specialize in the transportation of bulk chemicals, a segment that requires high safety and efficiency standards. “We identified that carrying dangerous products required a high degree of responsibility, and that was the way we chose to follow,” says Paulo.
Company growth
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In the 1990s, it began offering full service, with horse and trailer, but still as outsourced. For this, it invested in the purchase of specific trailers for each type of cargo transported. In 1999, the company faced its worst moment, with the sudden and premature death of Ivanor, the victim of a heart attack at age 61.
At the time, the carrier had a fleet of 120 trucks. With the death of his father, Paul gathered the sisters to discuss the future of the company. “We couldn’t have 119 trucks. We needed to keep 120 or even increase. My father would never admit to see the company shrink,” he says. Ivanor’s philosophy, never giving up what was conquered, guided the children in conducting business. Determined to honor this legacy, rolled up the sleeves and still working to expand the carrier, ensuring continuity and growth.
From the 2000s, the horse began to act directly with large shippers, without depending on the intermediation of other carriers. And growth accelerated. “We always had annual growth above two digits,” says the CEO. The company specializes in the transport of chemical liquid, lubricants, fuels, beverages, gases and air gases, serving large shippers throughout Brazil and Mercosur. Among its main clients are giants of the chemical industry, such as Solvay, Raízen, Braskem, Oxiteno, Petronas, Ipiranga, White Martins, BASF and Ultragaz, as well as FEMSA (Coca-Cola).
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The company invests in technology to ensure safety and efficiency, with a fleet equipped with advanced telemetry, fatigue cameras and journey management systems. “Our Operational Control Center monitors 24 hours a day trips, ensuring that each kilometer is safe and efficiently traveled,” explains Paulo.
Drivers’ training is also a priority. In 2003, the company created Centronor, a driver training center that has trained over 16,000 professionals. “Training drivers is not just to teach how to drive, it is educating so that they are aware of the importance of their role in safety and transportation efficiency,” the CEO emphasizes. In addition, the company implements strict protocols for risk management and predictive analysis to optimize operations.
Sustainability in transportation
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One of the main highlights of the company is environmental responsibility. CEO da Cavalinho recognizes the impact of road transport on pollutant emissions and sees the need to act in this regard. “The truck is a great polluting potential. We know this and take responsibility to seek solutions to reduce and compensate for this impact,” he says.
From 2010, the carrier began an analysis process about its carbon footprint, seeking to understand the amount of emissions thrown into the atmosphere and ways to mitigate this impact. The first step was to perform an emission inventory. During this survey, the main polluting sources were identified, especially fuel consumption, followed by the use of inputs such as oil, grease, tires and lubricants. Based on these data, the company has begun to adopt measures to reduce resource consumption and optimize its energy efficiency.
Given the growing global concern with sustainability, Cavalinho decided to go beyond the simple reduction of emissions and started to invest in environmental compensation. As part of this strategy, he acquired two permanent preservation areas (APPs) in the Amazon, totaling 41,500 hectares of native forest. In these regions, in addition to environmental preservation, Cavalinho supports a local community of approximately 200 people, offering financial support, infrastructure and monitoring of quality of life.
Today, the company neutralizes 100% of its carbon emissions and still maintains an excess reserve of about 70%, ensuring a margin for future expansions and consolidating its commitment to more sustainable transportation.
The company also has less polluting natural and biomethane -powered trucks, and adopts other environmental conservation measures, such as the use of reuse water cleaning. “The energy transition still has challenges, but we believe it will be a competitive differential. In the future, the consumer will demand products that respect the environment,” projects the CEO.
Cavalinho’s growth has always been based on a cautious financial strategy. Unlike many carriers who operate with high indebtedness, the company opted for a safer model. “Our financial management is balanced, and this guarantees our long -term sustainability”, reinforces Paulo, who is a client of. Since the beginning of 2023, and has used the investment platform as a strategic partner for short -term cash management. “Our goal is to maintain the consistency and quality in our operations. That’s how we grow and that’s how we will continue our trajectory,” concludes the CEO.
