Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 79

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Four strategic growth areas. We aim to achieve our
goals through four strategic growth areas.  3.03
We will
– further strengthen our core business,
– grow in new markets,
– take the lead with “green” technologies, and
– lead the way with the development of new mobility
concepts and services.
Strengthening the core business. A strong core business is
the foundation for sustainable profitability and growth. In order
to strengthen our core business, we are renewing and expand-
ing our model range with a focus on the changing desires of
our customers. At the same time, we are effectively developing
our brands and taking measures to increase efficiency and
competitiveness in all our businesses. We will also further extend
our pioneering role for active and passive safety with both
cars and commercial vehicles.
The Mercedes-Benz model range will be extended by a total
of 13 new models by the year 2020. The CLS Shooting Brake
kicked off this model offensive in the autumn of 2012. “The
best or nothing” serves as an incentive to consolidate the top
position of the Mercedes-Benz brand. The year 2013 will
see the market launch of the new S-Class, with which we will
underscore our claim to leadership in the areas of comfort
and security with new technologies. With the new A-Class, we
are aiming specifically at younger target groups. This objective
is also served by our brand and corporate communication,
in which we are increasingly applying digital media. As a result
of our long-term initiative, “Customer Satisfaction #1,” we have
achieved first place for customer satisfaction in many markets.
The “Fit for Leadership” program, a key element of the
Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy, consists of two dimen-
sions. In the short term, it is combining existing efficiency
actions and will be supplemented with additional newly derived
elements. The medium term dimension creates structures that
will make our business system even more competitive. By the
end of the year 2014, we want to achieve a sustained improve-
ment in our cost structures of approximately €2 billion with this
program.
At Daimler Trucks, we have been working for several years on
uniform product platforms and modular systems for vehicles and
components. At the same time, we have developed a global
production network with great flexibility. With the new Antos,
the first truck model series developed specifically for heavy-
duty distribution transport, we are continuing our model offen-
sive in the area of trucks and are once again setting trends
in terms of economy, safety and comfort. The new Fuso Canter
Eco Hybrid, which we now produce and distribute also in
Europe, once again demonstrates our leading role with technolo-
gies for the reduction of fuel consumption and with alternative
drive systems for commercial vehicles.
With our “Daimler Trucks #1” excellence program, we aim to
sustainably secure our profitability targets by the end of 2014.
In this context, we are on the one hand concentrating on
increasing the efficiency of the operating units. On the other
hand, we want to improve the interaction between the various
3.03
Strategic Pillars of Growth
Strengthening
Core Business
Growing
in New
Markets
Leading
in Green
Technologies
Shaping
New Mobility
Services
A B
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The four Strategic Pillars of Growth at Daimler