Inmetro - Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) was created in December, 1973, to support Brazilian enterprises, to increase their productivity and the quality of goods and services.

The purpose of the initiative between Fiat, FPT Industrial and Inmetro is promoting technical and scientific cooperation in the exchange of technical information and conduction of joint programs to support research and development of Fuels and Lubricants, Materials and Nanotechnology, Services Delivery and Learning. Over R$ 4 million will be invested to carry out researches. The agreement is an evolution of the intent letter executed in February.

Among the programs to be developed through this partnership are the application of straight vegetable oil (SVO) as fuel for diesel cycle engines and researching new technologies for integral cutting fluids are used in the machining process of transmission gears.

In addition, the agreement also provides for the characterization of a commercial vehicle equipped with engine running on biodiesel B30; the elimination of phosphate in C513 transmission components, reducing the risk of environmental impacts on the production process; reduction of time required to obtain the degraded catalyst, by means of physical and chemical characterization of this component; and the study of alternatives to reduce internal friction in the Fire family engines. The agreement also sets forth courses for Fiat Powertrain and FPT Industrial engineers provided by Inmetro, besides technical visits. The engineers involved in the project are going to use Inmetro laboratories and equipment.

The ceremony for entering into the term was held on at the Fiat Automóveis plant, in Betim. The event was attended by the Minister of Economic Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Fernando Pimentel, besides the executive officers Belini, Paolo Ferrero, director of Powertrain Engineering at Fiat/Chrysler Latin America, Giuseppe Mosca, associate director of Human Resources at Fiat/Chrysler in Latin America, Romeu Daroda, Inmetro project coordinator.

During the ceremony of execution of the agreement, Minister Pimentel said: "We need to incorporate more and more scientific knowledge to production. This is what the present agreement represents: the ability to respond to effective demand of the industry. We have to bring competition to the research laboratories. That is the way to turn Brazil into the power we want. "

"The partnership represents a direct contribution of Inmetro in the innovation process of the automobile industry, aiming at higher competitiveness. On the other hand, for Inmetro, the partnership means an important practical experience to refine its mechanisms of support to Brazilian companies, with emphasis on innovation through the incorporation of scientific and technological contents", summed up Inmetro President, João Jornada. He noted that the initiative is part of the plan “Brasil Maior”, which outlines the alignment of Brazilian industrial policy and emphasises innovation and scientific research and technological foundations of competitiveness.

Fiat-Chrysler chairman for Latin America, Cledorvino Belini, highlighted the efforts of the minister and Brazilian government to consolidate the investments in scientific research and technological development as the basis for innovation and industrial competitiveness. "This agreement is only the first step of a long journey we intend to carry out together with Inmetro. Among the projects to be developed in the future is the development of an Otto Cycle engine that provides significant improvement in energy efficiency and the creation of an incentive program for educating young engineers for priority action in the automotive sector", stated Belini.