Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 32

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Mercedes-Benz Vans will support the planned worldwide
growth with its new products and technologies. The new
generation of our flagship van – the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter –
and the market launch of the new V-Class and the Vito in
2014 will put us in a very good position for future success with
our van products. The new V-Class represents a move toward
the car segment in terms of both the model’s name and its
product concept. In this manner it establishes the new segment
of premium full-size MPVs.
The Daimler Buses division is strengthening its competitive
position with new products and economical engines. The new
Setra TopClass 500 coach is once again the benchmark for
design and engineering in the luxury coach segment. Since 2013,
Daimler Buses has offered a complete range of Euro VI-
compliant buses in Europe through its Mercedes-Benz and Setra
brands. The Euro VI emission standard went into effect in
the EU in January 2014. In addition, Daimler Buses is continuing
its efforts to safeguard a suitable level of profitability over
the long term, to be the leader in terms of new technologies
and products, and to further expand its business operations
around the world.
Daimler Financial Services is also focused on profitable growth
– and in a variety of ways. The division will continue to grow
in line with the model and market offensives for cars and com-
mercial vehicles. At the same time, it will further expand its
product range in the areas of financing, leasing, motor vehicle
insurance and mobility services. Daimler Financial Services
has combined all of its mobility services for individual customers
into a single company known as Daimler Mobility Services GmbH.
Growing in new markets. Growth in global automobile
demand will mainly take place in the markets outside Europe,
North America and Japan in the coming years. Although
we continue to strengthen our position in traditional markets,
we also aim to expand in other regions, especially in Brazil,
Russia, India and China, which are known as the BRIC countries.
In order to achieve Mercedes-Benz Cars’ sales targets, we
are intensifying our local activities, above all in China and Brazil.
We are increasing the production capacities in China for
model series that are already manufactured locally. We will
also begin building our new GLA compact SUV in China
in 2014. We opened a new production plant for four-cylinder
engines in China in November 2013. At the same time,
we are expanding our sales network in the country. Together
with the Chinese battery and vehicle manufacturer BYD,
we have developed a battery-electric automobile for the prom-
ising electric-vehicle segment. This electric vehicle will be
launched in China in 2014 and sold under the DENZA brand
name. Our activities in the field of medium-duty and heavy-
duty trucks in China focus on cooperation with our partner
Foton. Mercedes-Benz Vans produces the Vito, Viano and
Sprinter models for the Chinese market in cooperation with
Fujian Benz Automotive Corporation.
involve the use of digital media. New sales formats, such
as “Mercedes-Benz connect me,” and temporary formats, such
as mobile sales pavilions for highlighting the new A-Class,
are creating meeting points for establishing contacts with new
customers as well.
In order to achieve sustained profitable growth, we have
supplemented the “Mercedes-Benz 2020” growth strategy
with the “Fit for Leadership” program. Fit for Leadership
is designed to further improve the profitability of Mercedes-Benz
Cars. That includes enhancing existing efficiency measures,
such as our vehicle architecture and module strategy and our
approach to offsetting rising material and production costs.
These and other measures will be supplemented by additional
elements. Fit for Leadership also includes a structural com-
ponent that will ensure our business system remains geared
toward efficiency and growth over the long term.
At Daimler Trucks, we have been focusing for several years
now on introducing uniform product platforms for vehicles and
components. Our guiding principle here is “as global as pos-
sible, as local as necessary.” The launch of the new Atego and
the special vehicles Unimog, Econic and SLT marked the
conclusion of our Euro VI product offensive at Mercedes-Benz
Trucks. Our current product range at Daimler Trucks is stron-
ger and more extensive than ever before. At the same time, we
have created a highly flexible global production network.
With our “Daimler Trucks #1” excellence program, we aim to
secure our profitability targets on a sustainable basis. Here
we are concentrating on increasing the efficiency of our oper-
ating units. In addition, we want to improve the interaction
between the various business units and functions by means
of interdepartmental initiatives, thus utilizing the potential
of our global position more effectively. An important step in this
direction is the consolidation of our Asian business activities
into our integrated “Asia Business Model” approach. Here, coop-
eration on product development, production, procurement,
sales and finance between the two independent companies
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Daimler
India Commercial Vehicles will generate synergies and addi-
tional growth in the Asia-Africa region.