Mercedes 2009 Annual Report Download - page 128

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Substantially lower unit sales and revenue. The development
of business in the commercial vehicle sector typically features
pronounced cycles. The market’s upswings and downturns are
greatly influenced and amplified by developments in the global
economy. The global financial and economic crisis in 2009 caused
unit sales at Daimler Trucks to fall substantially to 259,300 vehi-
cles (2008: 472,100). The sales decrease affected all of our core
markets (Europe, the United States, Latin America and Japan).
Revenue was down by 36% to €18.4 billion, causing EBIT to drop
to minus €1.0 billion, which was significantly below the prior-year
figure of €1.6 billion.
Slump in unit sales at Trucks Europe/Latin America. With
its Mercedes-Benz Actros, Axor, and Atego models, the Trucks
Europe/Latin America business unit supplies medium-duty and
heavy-duty trucks for long-distance haulage, local deliveries, and
construction applications. The product range is rounded out by
Econic, Zetros, and Unimog special-purpose vehicles, which are
primarily used by municipal authorities.
Following record unit sales in the prior year, the weakness of
global markets caused shipments to drop by 43% to 96,200 units
in 2009. The decrease in unit sales at Trucks Europe/Latin
America was largely due to the downturns in Europe (particularly
in Germany and Eastern Europe), Latin America and the Middle
East.
In spite of the 42% drop in demand in Western Europe, we in-
creased our market share in the medium and heavy-duty truck
segment to 23.0%, thereby further extending our market leader-
ship. This is especially the case in Germany, where Mercedes-
Benz Trucks clearly leads the market with a share of 41.6% (2008:
39.6%).
Unit sales in Eastern Europe dropped by 66% to 7,900 vehicles.
This above-average decrease is due to the region’s particularly
weak demand, which was further intensified by financing bottle-
necks and the relatively young age of the vehicles in operation.
Daimler Trucks. Significant drop in unit sales due to weak demand
worldwide. New initiatives to expand business in growth markets.
Vehicles presented with low fuel consumption and emissions. As
expected, EBIT significantly lower than in prior year at minus €1.0
billion.
(1,001)
18,360
(5.5%)
597
1,116
368
235,474
259,328
70,699
% change
.
-36
.
-40
+6
+13
-50
-45
-11
09/08
1,607
28,572
5.6%
991
1,056
326
472,942
472,074
79,415
Amounts in millions of €
20082009
EBIT
Revenue
Return on sales
Investment in property, plant
and equipment
Research and development
expenditure
thereof capitalized
Production
Unit sales
Employees (December 31)
259
44
25
4
5
2
62
52
37
30
87
23
-45
-49
-40
-51
-58
-58
-37
-33
-37
-12
-44
-45
472
87
42
8
11
4
97
78
59
34
156
42
Unit sales
09/08
% change
Total
Western Europe
thereof Germany
United Kingdom
France
Italy
NAFTA region
thereof United States
Latin America
(excluding Mexico)
thereof Brazil
Asia
thereof Japan
in thousands
2009 2008