Mercedes 2002 Annual Report Download - page 44

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38 |Commercial Vehicles
Buses unit combines international business
activities
In order to strengthen its position as the world’s leading
bus manufacturer, in 2002 DaimlerChrysler combined
its urban and transit bus business in North America with
the worldwide bus business of the Mercedes-Benz and
Setra brands. All activities are now centered in the
DaimlerChrysler Buses business unit.
Despite difficult conditions in nearly all key markets,
in 2002 DaimlerChrysler sold a total of 25,100 complete
buses and chassis of the brands Mercedes-Benz, Setra
and Orion and increased its market share in nearly all
regions. DaimlerChrysler remained the market leader in
Western Europe, with 5,900 vehicles sold (2001: 6,400)
and a market share of 26% (2001: 25%), as well as
in South America, where sales declined to 10,300 units
(2001: 11,100). However, with market shares of 46% in
Mexico (2001: 41%), 50% in Brazil (2001: 52%), and 91%
in Argentina (2001: 72%) we are still Number 1 in these
markets as well. Middle East markets are increasingly
important as reflected by the 19% increase in sales to
800 units.
DaimlerChrysler presented many new bus products
at the International Auto Show (IAA) in September 2002,
among them the Setra S 431 DT double-decker luxury
travel coach. Other premieres are planned for 2003, in-
cluding the US version of the Setra TopClass 400 and
further variations of the modular chassis program.
Greater worldwide coordination of components
DaimlerChrysler Powersystems’ expertise in diesel
engines, transmissions, axles and steering systems
ensures DaimlerChrysler’s commercial vehicles access
to state-of-the-art technology.
In the year under review, DaimlerChrysler consistently
pursued its global components strategy. Its aim is to
further reduce the cost of drive system assemblies by
linking the company’s activities in a worldwide network.
For example, the Series 900 diesel engines have now
become truly global engines produced in a worldwide
network of production facilities in Germany and Brazil,
and soon in South Korea as well. They are already pow-
ering Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Sterling trucks,
and Hyundai trucks will soon be added. Detroit Diesel
successfully concluded its certification for the new US
exhaust-emission limits. At the beginning of September,
the business unit began assembling medium-duty
transmissions in Brazil for installation in trucks all over
the world. In addition, the establishment of Axle Alliance
Company in Detroit enables our axles to be used in the
NAFTA region.
In the year under review, the Powersystems business
unit posted revenues of 15.1 billion, compared to
15.6 billion in 2001. Most of its products were supplied
to the vehicle units of the Commercial Vehicles division.
Integration of Off-Highway business
DaimlerChrysler’s Off-Highway business unit, which is
run by MTU Friedrichshafen, is responsible for drive
systems for ships, power generation facilities, railroads,
industrial and construction machines (including
agricultural machines) and military vehicles. Integration
of off-highway activities at Detroit Diesel Corporation,
the Commercial Vehicles division and MTU Friedrichs-
hafen was nearly completed during the year under review.
Production was coordinated, while sales operations
were combined in worldwide sales centers which are
geared to meet the needs of individual markets.