Worldwide News Shows Sustainability Careers 中文 Order Online ABOUT US MARKETS PRODUCTS INVESTORS CONTACT Bus magic Marcia Cardoso helps Brazilian bus builders keep the wheels rolling [tweet this] The Dutch have their bicycles. Americans have a love affair with automobiles. In Brazil, you take the bus. More than 2,000 bus companies move passengers around the huge country and there are three large bus manufacturers located there. “We need a lot of buses here,” says Marcia Cardoso, technical service representative for Ashland Performance Materials. “People move a lot with buses, city to city and into the cities, so buses are the major transportation here. “We have a lot of bus production to serve Brazil, but we export a lot, too. Brazilian buses are all around the world,” she adds. Busloads of opportunity That means a lot of Ashland’s unsaturated polyester resin going into parts and panels, in formulations specific to the country. “Brazil, it's a big country. We have different temperatures, humidity, knowledge about the processes, so we need sometimes we try to adapt the products for our reality,” she says. “If you have American resin or European resin, first I understand the performance, and then adapt it for Brazil for the same performance.” In one case, a customer that makes parts for heavy-duty vehicles contacted Ashland, needing to produce a high-quality surface with low waviness. Since the finished surface is a reflection of the smooth surface of the mold, there must be very low shrinkage as the resin cures. “Marcia developed Arotran™ BR 6500 resin based on some current technology that we had, but then she also included some new technology and that gave the product the performance benefits that the customer was looking for,” recalls Rob Seats, technical service director for Ashland Performance Materials, based in Dublin, Ohio. "Many of these transportation applications continue to demand higher surface-quality performance requirements," he adds. “They want the surface of the parts to be like a mirror finish and that provides a lot of opportunity for us, but it is also a difficult thing to attain.” A global advantage Technology transfers and collaboration between Ashland’s global network of laboratories is a distinct advantage for the company and its customers. “The customers tell us a need and I'm the bridge,” says Cardoso. “I make the contacts with the technicians. That’s the difference for Ashland from competitors here in Brazil. The others don't do that; they don't make the tests for the customer.” Her expertise is valued by Brazilian transportation companies, says André Trevizan, South America TGechnology roup Leader for Ashland Performance Materials. “She is an icon in transportation market. The customers respect very well all of Marcia's experience,” Trevizan says. “She contributes for very, very new projects with the bus and truck manufacturers. She contributes a lot in the beginning of the project, to understand the best development of the product. Her importance in Brazil is so high.” When she joined Ashland in 2000, she spent five weeks at the laboratories in Ohio, making sheet molding compound (SMC) and resin transfer molding compound (RTM). Benefits for our customers “I learned a lot – the right way to do things,” she recalls. “When I came back to Brazil and saw the needs of the customers, I could make a comparison of what I could do at the best cost and make the customer happy.” Her expertise has helped make Ashland the leader in RTM resins in Brazil, including having the only Class A version – meaning that it can produce ready-to-paint components. However building strong bonds with a customer depends on more than the product, she points out. “We are selling a lot of things together: The knowledge, the innovation, the technical service, the good relationship,” she says. Success reflected in results “When Marcia gets involved in a project, the customers know that she is going to work very hard to address their issues,” says Seats. “Marcia is very strong in collaboration and communication.” Trevizan endorses that view. “She has a very good background,” he says. “She worked in parts manufacturing before Ashland, in SMC, in RTM. She has had important participation in this market.” After 16 years, the job is still rewarding, too. “I love my job. Sometimes it may be tense, but I love the contact that I have. I learn each day with my customers, with Dublin, with my contacts here,” she says. “This is very important to me – to learn and to teach what I have learned.” Meet Marcia Cardoso Like so many Ashland innovators, Marcia Cardoso knew from an early age that a science career was what she wanted. “I always liked science. When I was in high school, I loved doing experiments and watching science fiction movies,” she recalls. “My first choice was to study physics, but after talking to Dad and visiting the company that he worked for, I decided to study chemistry. He is my advisor and mentor. It was the best life choice I made.” Her father, Ernesto, now retired, was a telegrapher at the time for Hoechst, a German chemical company with operations in São Paulo, where Cardoso grew up. Her mother, Odette, is a retired receptionist. Cardoso was the only child and lives with her parents now. With her parents Ernesto and Odette Lots of experience After earning her university degrees, Cardoso worked 15 years as a chemical engineer, product supervisor and in sales and technical service for several Brazilian composites companies. She always had an eye on Ashland, however. ”I knew Ashland when I started working with composites in mid-1980s,” she says. “Ashland was always a reference for the quality of its products and the technicians’ deep knowledge. When I received the invitation to be part of this company, I had no doubts.” In addition to her pets – Mel the dog, Mina the cat and Paco the parrot – she loves traveling to enjoy nature and is especially fond of São Paulo’s famous Carnival. “It is a passion of generations -- my maternal grandparents participated in the Carnival of São Paulo around the1930s,” she recalls. “In Brazil, Carnival is the most popular festival. What people out of Brazil know are the show, costumes and fun. Hard work brings results “What delights me is the work that is behind the show. The generation of ideas and resources; respect for traditions and old generations; group work without religion, social class or educational level difference,” she explains. “In addition, there is social work with the poorest community. It's unbelievable how many small groups generate a great show.” Another big show is coming up soon, the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but she won’t be there. “I prefer to watch on TV!” she says. “I have no preference for any sport, but I admire the dedication of all athletes.” Spoken like a person who knows the value of dedication. Watching the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Education Bachelor’s in chemistry, Mackenzie University, São Paulo, 1982 Bachelor’s in chemical engineering, Mackenzie University, 1984 Post-graduate work in product development, São Judas Tadeu University, São Paulo, 1988 Memberships ALMACO, the Latin American Composites Association © 2016, Ashland. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Site Map Privacy Global Standards of Business Conduct Suppliers