Mercedes 2008 Annual Report Download - page 100

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In the year under review, Trucks Asia’s record unit sales of 197,700
trucks and buses were 5% higher than in the prior year. Further
sales growth was posted in Indonesia, the Middle East, Eastern
Europe and Turkey. Trucks Asia continues to be the market
leader for light-duty trucks in Indonesia and Taiwan. Unit sales
developed negatively in Japan and the United States, where
difficult economic conditions made it impossible to match the
prior year’s sales level.
Mitsubishi Fuso’s Super Great heavy-duty truck is one of Japan’s
most innovative trucks with regard to safety technology. In
May 2008, Mitsubishi Fuso presented the Safety Truck, which is
based on the latest Super Great model. This heavy-duty truck
impressively demonstrates how advanced technology can improve
the safety standards of commercial vehicles.
The development of hybrid vehicles is playing an increasingly
important role for Daimler Trucks, which is why the establishment
of the Global Hybrid Center at Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks and Bus
Corporation (MFTBC) during the year under review marks a mile-
stone on the path toward creating ever cleaner and more effi-
cient hybrid vehicles. The Global Hybrid Center will synchronize
Daimler Trucks’ activities for the development of hybrid systems
and give them a global orientation (see pages 107 ff).
The Fuso Canter, which was launched in Europe in summer 2006,
continued its success in the year under review. In October 2008,
the 150,000th Fuso Canter rolled off the assembly line in Tramagal,
Portugal. And in August, we launched Europe’s largest fleet test
of hybrid trucks, for which we supplied ten Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids
to selected customers in London. The aim of this three-year test
is to gain new insights from customers’ experience of the 7.5-ton
hybrid truck in Europe, while demonstrating the diesel-electric
hybrid drive’s high level of efficiency.
Consistent implementation of Global Excellence program.
Since 2005, Daimler Trucks has supported its strategic focus
with the four initiatives of its Global Excellence optimization pro-
gram. The improvements made to date are based primarily on
the successful implementation of initiatives titled “Management
of Cycles” and “Operational Excellence.” The instruments intro-
duced in the past to increase the flexibility of our plants (e.g.
working-time accounts, temporary workers, and the arrange-
ment of processes and facilities to handle varying production
volumes) helped us to adjust production to declining demand,
particularly in the fourth quarter.
As was announced in the prior year, our Global Excellence pro-
gram focused in 2008 on the implementation of the two initia-
tives, “Growth and Market Penetration” and “Future Product
Generations and Technologies.” A key component in the further
expansion of Daimler Trucks’ strong global presence as the
world’s largest truck manufacturer is the penetration of new
markets with above-average growth opportunities such as
India, China, and Russia.
Important milestones of this initiative were the Indian authorities’
approval in March 2008 of Daimler Hero Commercial Vehicles
Ltd., a joint venture between Daimler Trucks and the Indian com-
pany Hero Group, as well as the decision made in July to estab-
lish a new production facility in Chennai.
In August 2008, a letter of intent was signed on the planned 50:50
joint venture between Beiqi Foton Motor Co. and Daimler AG
for the joint production of heavy and medium-duty commercial
vehicles in China. The agreement is subject to the approval of
various government authorities.
The US flagship Freightliner Cascadia: equipped with the new Heavy Duty Engine Platform, this truck concept sets new standards.
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