Verticalization as a productive survival strategy: the VIARE case of industrial resilience in the face of Brazilian deindustrialization

Abstract

In recent decades, Brazil has undergone an accelerated and silent process of deindustrialization, intensified by structural factors such as high tax burden, legal uncertainty, and a massive influx of low-cost imported products. In this adverse scenario, productive verticalization—historically perceived as costly—reemerges as a strategy for resilience, innovation, and business sovereignty. This article presents the case study of the VIARE methodology (Integrated Verticalization for High Business Resilience), successfully implemented by a national company in the sports accessories sector, which reversed the outsourcing logic and rebuilt its entire value chain in an integrated and self-sufficient manner. Through a multidisciplinary approach that combines production engineering, strategic logistics, and organizational psychopedagogy, the VIARE project achieved measurable and extraordinary results: a 27% increase in operational efficiency, net margin growth from 2.5% to 11% in five years, and consolidation as the largest manufacturer in its segment in Latin America. The model challenges the dominant narrative of external dependency and proposes a new paradigm of industrialization based on systemic intelligence, technical mastery, and internal strengthening. This article aims to serve as a reference for companies, universities, and public policies focused on rebuilding Brazil's industrial capacity. Its extraordinary depth may explain why it had not yet been developed or tested, as it demands a multifaceted professional with technical and scientific training capable of understanding the entire production and logistics chain. The author presents this method as a beacon for companies facing similar challenges and as a call for further research to enhance its effectiveness.