Volvo 2008 Annual Report Download - page 16

The Volvo Group has products with strong brand names that have been built up over a
long time. The Volvo Group’s mission includes “using our combined expertise to create
transport-related products and services of superior quality, safety and environmental
care, for demanding customers in selected segments.”
By constantly developing and improving its
products and services in close cooperation
with customers, the Group strengthens its
competitiveness while creating value for cus-
tomers and thus helping to generate future
shareholder value.
The Volvo Group’s brands
The Volvo brand has been built over decades
and is one of the world’s most well-known and
respected brands in trucks, buses, construc-
tion equipment, marine engines, industrial
engines and the aerospace industry.
The Volvo Group’s acquistion of Renault
Trucks and Mack in 2001 created Europe’s
largest and the world’s second largest heavy-
duty truck manufacturer, with a very broad
product program. Mack is one of the most
well-known truck brands in North American
and Renault Trucks enjoys a particularly strong
position in southern Europe.
Nissan Diesel is one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of trucks and buses.
Prevost is owned by Volvo Buses and is
North America’s leading manufacturer of pre-
mium touring coaches and bus shells for high-
end motorhomes and specialty conversions.
Nova Bus is considered to be one of North
America’s leading companies in city buses.
Through its partly-owned companies and
joint-ventures, the Volvo Group also sells con-
struction equipment under Lingong’s brand
SDLG mainly in China, trucks and buses under
the brand Eicher mainly in India and buses
under the brands Sunwin and Silver in China.
Hybrid technology is one
of the most promis-
ing and competitive
technologies of the
future for commer-
cial vehicles. Last
autumn, the Volvo
Group introduced the
fourth-generation hybrid solution on a
broad front for buses, trucks and construc-
tion equipment. Read more about the Volvo
Group’s hybrid products on page 16.
World-class products
The Volvo Group is the world’s largest manu-
facturer of heavy diesel engines for commer-
cial use and a significant manufacturer of
drivelines for heavy vehicles. The Group has
production, research and development facil-
ities for drivelines on three continents, and the
products are sold to customers in more than
180 markets worldwide.
The drivelines are designed so they can be
adapted to a large number of applications in
most of the Group’s products. The diesel
engines are used in trucks, buses and con-
struction equipment, as well as in boats and
industrial applications, such as generator
units.
The strongest driver of the development of
drivelines is customer requirements and pref-
erences as well as new legislation with stricter
emissions requirements. Products with relia-
bility, sustainability, drivability, fuel economy
and high environmental parameters help boost
customers’ productivity and profitability.
New products
After implementing comprehensive product
renewal in recent years, the Volvo Group
continued to launch more new products in
2008 and now has its most competitive
product program to date. The customer
offering will be further strengthened in the
next few years by focusing intensely on the
development of future generations of prod-
ucts and services that create value for cus-
tomers.
A global group 2008
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