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TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA
* Daimler Trucks NA to End Sterling Brand After 2009
Stuttgart,Germany / Portland,OR,USA -The World Trucks Blog (UK), by Oliver Dixon -14 Oct 2008: -- Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) today announced a comprehensive plan to adjust and strengthen company operations in response to continuing depressed demand across the industry and structural changes in the company's core markets... The measures to be implemented address three key areas of DTNA's operations:
* Focus on a two brand strategy: discontinuation of the Sterling Trucks product line. The Sterling Trucks brand will be discontinued effective in March 2009. Additions to the Freightliner and Western Star product ranges will be made to address market segments that have been served exclusively by Sterling offerings in the DTNA stable...
* Consolidation of manufacturing plant network and alignment of network capacity with market demand. As a result of the decision to discontinue the Sterling brand, the St. Thomas, Ontario, plant will cease truck manufacturing operations in March 2009... DTNA will also close the Portland, Oregon, Truck Manufacturing plant, in June 2010, when current labor contracts expire. Western Star commercial production will be assigned to the company's Santiago, Mexico plant, while production of Freightliner-branded military vehicles will take place at one of the company's facilities in the Carolinas by mid-year 2010... Start of production at DTNA's new Saltillo, Mexico manufacturing plant will occur as planned in February 2009. The plant will produce Freightliner's new flagship Cascadia model...
* Expected annual earnings improvements of $900 million by 2011, with estimated program costs of $600 million... An estimated 2300 workers in the St. Thomas and Portland plants will be affected by mid-2010, on timelines related to the plant closures noted above. This figure includes 720 workers at the St. Thomas plant to be laid off in November 2008 as already announced in July... The company also plans to reduce its salaried workforce by approximately 1200 positions, with over half directly related to the Sterling brand...
* Peterbilt Announces Availability Of Three Factory-Installed LNG Configurations - Through Strategic Partnership with Westport Innovations
Vancouver,BC,CAN & Denton,TX,USA -Truck Net, by Craig Zwiener -Oct. 14, 2008: -- Peterbilt Motors Company announced today that the company will offer three new liquefied natural gas (LNG) configurations on its Models 387, 386 and 367 in 2009. The factory-installed LNG system is part of a joint agreement between Peterbilt and Westport Innovations Inc., to provide natural gas versions of select Peterbilt aerodynamic and vocational vehicles... The Westport ISX G engine is fuelled with LNG-a safe, cost effective, lowcarbon, and low emissions fuel-and is available with 400 and 450 horsepower ratings and up to 1,750 lb-ft torque for heavy-duty port, freight and vocational applications. LNG fuel tanks can be configured to suit customer range requirements. LNG heavy-duty trucks are eligible for federal tax credits in the United States and may be eligible for others state-specific emissions credits...
* Navistar Expands Hybrid Truck Line with New International Durastar Hybrid Tractor
South Bend,IND,USA -Truck Net, by Craig Zwiener -Oct 14, 2008: -- New Fuel-Efficient Unit Designed for General Freight Haulers, Food and Beverage Distributors... At this week’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum in South Bend, Ind., Navistar unveiled an additional hybrid truck configuration – the International® DuraStar™ Hybrid tractor... Like the other trucks in the International DuraStar Hybrid line, this diesel electric hybrid Class 7 tractor has the proven capability to provide dramatic fuel savings from 20-25 percent on a standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. Every edge in fuel efficiency is important to truck customers as the average cost of diesel in 2008 has climbed a whopping 39 percent versus last year, according to the Energy Information Administration...
* EPA honours Mack for 32% reductions in GHG emissions
Lehigh Valley,PA,USA -Truck News, by Jan Westell -10 Oct 2008: -- Mack Trucks has been recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the company's success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) throughout its operations, at the annual Climate Leaders Partners Meeting in Chicago... From 2003 to 2007, Mack states that it reduced GHG emissions by 32% per unit built, and during that same time, achieved a 25% reduction in total GHG emissions. A major focus for Mack was improving energy efficiency at its manufacturing operations: the Hagerstown, Md. power train plant; the Macungie, Pa. assembly operation; and the Middletown, Pa. remanufacturing centre...
Labels: truckmakers' news USA
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