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Oct 16, 2013

* VOLVO TRUCK's ... The ultimate manoeuvrability test !!! ???

* Sweden - Volvo releases the Bulls on its new FL Distribution Truck

  Gothenburg,Sweden -CarScoops, by Dan Mihalascu -October 10, 2013: -- To promote one of its products, the Volvo FL distribution truck is chased by bulls in a race through Spain’s medieval town Ciudad Rodrigo. With precision driver Rob Hunt behind the wheel, the red-painted truck manages to squeeze through the town’s narrow streets while being pursued by angry bulls... The idea behind the video is to show how easy the 12-ton FL truck is to maneuver in a demanding urban environment, on a 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) long course. “The town is old, the streets are narrow and we drive on slippery cobblestones. To be chased by bulls on top of that is a real challenge,” said Rob Hunt... To keep ahead of the herd of bulls, he had to maintain a speed of at least 30 km/h (18.6 mph). “The bulls maintained a consistently high speed and were really close sometimes, but the truck handled the corners very well so it was just a matter of driving,” said Rob Hunt...


* Sweden - Volvo Group to optimize truck manufacturing in Europe

(Photo: Umeá Volvo's truck factory)
Gothenburg,Sweden -ABR -17 October 2013: -- The Volvo Group has made a directional decision to implement changes in the European industrial structure for truck manufacturing... The aim is to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing and thus strengthen competitiveness. The intention is to, step-wise over the next two years, relocate cab trim operations from Umeå to Gothenburg, to concentrate the assembly of heavy duty trucks in Gothenburg to one line, and to concentrate the assembly of medium duty trucks to Blainville. The directional decision is expected to result in staff cutbacks and operational changes. The action corresponds to a minor part of the financial impact of the previously announced Group-wide efficiency program...

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Apr 11, 2013

AUTO & TRUCKMAKERS JOBS * USA & Australia

* Wisconsin - Military truck maker eliminates 900 jobs after federal budget cuts

 (Photo: An Oshkosh Corp. M-ATV vehicle) 
Oshkosh,WIS,USA -Bloomberg/The Business Review -Apr 10, 2013: -- The sequestration has hit Oshkosh Corp. The truck and military vehicle maker will cut 900 jobs in its defense unit, according to a Reuters report... Because of federal budget cuts, Wisconsin-based Oshkosh will eliminate roughly 200 full-timers in the next four months, and 700 hourly positions beginning this summer, the report says... Following the layoffs, the defense unit will employ 2,800... Oshkosh’s announcement Tuesday is not surprising given its extensive military business and the $85 billion in federal budget cuts that went into effect on March 1...


* Michigan - Ford begins hiring 1,400 for Flat Rock plant 
Flat Rock,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -April 9, 2013: -- A Ford Motor Co. spokeswoman said Tuesday the automaker has begun the hiring process for more than 1,400 workers at its Flat Rock assembly plant... The plant, which produces the Mustang, will add an additional shift later this year in order to manufacture the Fusion midsize sedan... About two-thirds of the new workers will be transfers from Ford's former Automotive Components Holdings LLC operations and a few will transfer from other Ford plants... Approximately 30 percent — or about 400 workers — will be new hires...
* Michigan - Union: Only about 50 layoffs at Flat Rock assembly plant 
Flat Rock,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -April 9, 2013: -- Approximately 270 Logistics Services Inc. workers may be permanently laid off from their jobs at Ford Motor Co.'s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice, though a union representative indicated late Tuesday night that only about 50 employees will be affected... The layoffs are expected in June, according to the notice posted on Tuesday...


* Australia - GM to eliminate 500 jobs in Australia following weak demand 
Melbourne,Victoria,Australia -The Detroit News (USA), by Melissa Burden -April 8, 2013: -- General Motors Co. said Monday it plans to cut 500 employee positions in Australia, citing weakening demand for its Holden Cruze and a high Australian dollar... The automaker said it plans to trim production at its Holden brand Vehicle Operations facility in South Australia from 400 cars a day to 335 by Aug. 1...  The move will cut about 400 positions from its Elizabeth production facility, GM said... The company also says it plans to cut about 100 Holden hourly product development jobs in Victoria and in total will trim about 12 percent of its workforce in the country. GM has about 4,200 employees in Australia... GM said employees will be offered severance packages, but the moves are necessary to "better align Holden with projected future volume" ...

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Feb 26, 2011

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA -Daimler Plans to Hire 10,000 Worldwide

Portland,ORE,USA -Transport Topics -1 March 2011:  --  As truck manufacturing expands, Daimler Trucks North America will hire 1,300 workers this year as part of a worldwide plan to hire 10,000 workers during 2011...  The Feb. 24 announcement by Daimler, Stuttgart, Germany, said that the hiring plans worldwide would be a blend of skilled workers and younger people to be apprentices...  North American hiring includes 700 workers in North Carolina and 600 in Mexico...  “We are making enormous investment not only in research and development but also in the recruitment and training of the best young talent and skilled workers,” Wilfried Porth, a member of Daimler’s board of management and its human resources and labor relations director, said in a statement...


* USA - Comment: 2011 Orders Bounce Back

New York,NY,USA -iMarket News, by Claudia Hirsch -February 23, 2011: -- U.S. orders for heavy-duty trucks are bouncing back, as a firming economy and rising truck tonnage prompt replacements in aging fleets, according to manufacturers and dealers... Truck makers said sales of heavy-duty rigs, also known as class-8 vehicles, have spiked this year, building on a nascent recovery in 2010... While new purchases are finally back, truckers are opting for fewer add-ons and making more frugal buying decisions... Meanwhile, still-tight credit is also limiting some of the sales upside, manufacturers and dealers said... For Daimler Trucks North America, the Portland, Oregon-based maker of market-leading Freightliner big rigs, long-delayed replacement purchases, recession-shrunken industry capacity and growing freight tonnage have combined to amplify and broaden heavy-duty truck demand so far this year, according to Mark Lampert, senior vice president of sales and marketing. He said, a solid turnaround became evident in the fourth quarter, then evolved this year with more broad-based demand, including from full-service truck leasing companies, truckload and less-than-truckload carriers... But even with an improved outlook, Lampert does not foresee demand returning to normal this year. Though last year saw the beginnings of recovery, class-8 retail sales for the industry across the U.S., Canada and Mexico still stood some 60% below the peak of 2006, he said...  (Image from mota.ru: A Mercedes-Actros truck )



* Canada - Hino to unveil new hybrid truck next month

Mississauga,ONT,CAN -Truck News (CAN)-Feb 24, 2011:  --  Hino Motors Canada will be unveiling its diesel-electric hybrid system in a newly designed Class 4 and 5 cabover engine (COE) truck line-up during the 2011 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis...  Hino officials say the hybrid COE has been specifically engineered to meet the unique needs of the US and Canadian markets...  The unveiling will take place at the Work Truck Show in the Indiana Convention Center March 8. This event will be the first world debut of a North American diesel-electric hybrid COE truck, Hino said... (Photo: c.ak.fbcdn: Hino Trucks prepares for the World Debut of the first medium duty diesel-hybrid cab over engine truck)


* Canada - Kenworth offers extended warranty on MD trucks financed by Paccar

Toronto,ONT,CAN -Truck News -Mar 1, 2011: -- Canadian customer who purchase qualifying medium-duty Kenworth trucks will receive extended warranty coverage, courtesy of Kenworth and Paccar Financial... The trucks must be financed by Paccar Financial and ordered by Dec. 31, 2011. Classes 5-7 Kenworth trucks from the factory or dealer stocks are eligible for the deal, which includes two-year/320,000-kilometre coverage... "This program provides excellent value. Qualifying Class 5-7 customers receive an additional one year and 160,000 kilometres of warranty coverage per eligible truck under this joint Kenworth and Paccar Financial program," said Gary Moore, Kenworth assistant general manager for marketing and sales... (Photo: The Kenworth T270 is among the models eligible for free extended warranty coverage when financed through Paccar)


* USA - Al Jaber Group Selects Oshkosh Defense Global Heavy Equipment Transporter for UAE Armed Forces

Oshkosh,WIS,USA -EON: Enhanced Online News -February 28, 2011: -- Al Jaber Group, a privately owned, multi-faceted group of companies based in Abu Dhabi (UAE), has selected Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, to provide the Global Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) vehicle to support United Arab Emirates Armed Forces... The new Global HET from Oshkosh Defense is a high-performance 6x6 transport vehicle with a 70 metric ton payload capability. With a powerful 700-horsepower engine, the Global HET is able to transport a main battle tank, armored vehicles, construction equipment and more. By transporting large-scale equipment on the Global HET, the military can reduce the wear on equipment and crew fatigue that typically occurs over long distances. Working closely with the Al Jaber Group, the new Global HET was designed to meet the requirements of the UAE Armed Forces and was rigorously tested and evaluated in extreme desert conditions...

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Feb 24, 2011

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA - Navistar invests in new engine architecture

Warrenville,ILL,USA -Penton Media - Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr - Feb 23, 2011: -- Truck OEM Navistar International Corp. is developing new engine architecture with a Michigan-based company that will result in a powerplant that is far lighter than current models, uses 50% fewer parts, and produces much lower exhaust emissions, all with the use of conventional components, materials, and manufacturing processes... Navistar is working with EcoMotors International of Allen Park, MI, to commercialize what the two companies call a “breakthrough” engine architecture design for the truck market via a turbocharged diesel model... Using EcoMotors’ “opposed-piston, opposed-cylinder” architecture, or “opoc” for short, Navistar expects to produce light-weight engines that further reduce emissions within the next several years... EcoMotors, founded in 2008, said its engine design can be used in many forms, including cars, light trucks, commercial vehicles, aerospace, marine, agriculture, auxiliary power units, and generators – basically in any equipment currently powered by conventional gas or diesel models... The two primary investors in EcoMotors – Khosla Ventures and Microsoft founder Bill Gates – see in this technology a chance to reduce harmful exhaust pollutants without sacrificing engine power...

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Sep 10, 2009

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE * Australia - Truck makers in education campaign to pollies

Truck manufacturers are going to Canberra to promote alternative energy to the nation's politicians

Canberra,Australia -ATN -September 10, 2009: ... The seminars, on September 16 and October 28, will provide parliamentarians and relevant staff with information on the latest natural gas, ethanol and hybrid truck technologies... For the first session, to be hosted by Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, will see presentations by the CEOs of Isuzu, Iveco, Kenworth, Mack and Scania presenting the environmental benefits of using compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ethanol as an alternative fuel... They will also outline the experiences and research gained from trials conducted on alternative fuelled fleets around Australia and overseas... During the October session, the CEOs of Hino, Volvo and Fuso will speak on the experiences of their companies, locally and overseas, around the introduction of hybrid drive technologies...


* Indian ADRs: ... Tata Motors, Advance

Mumbai,India -Bloomberg, by Catarina Saraiva -10 Sept 2009: -- Tata Motors Ltd. rose to the highest in three months, gaining 0.1 percent to $13. India’s biggest truck maker said luxury sales in China are likely to double within five years, making it and Russia “very important markets” as Western sales struggle...


* Russia - Tech eyes control of truck co KamAZ-papers

Moscow,Russia -Reuters/Forbes -10 Sept 2009: -- State conglomerate Russian Technologies wants to gain majority ownership of KamAZ by purchasing a 13 percent stake in Russia's largest truck maker from ... Kommersant business daily reported Russian Technologies could pay $300 million to $320 million for the stake, almost three times its current market price, which would take conglomerate's ownership of KamAZ to 51 percent... But Germany'sDaim ler, already a minor shareholder in KamAZ, has first right of refusal on the stake, Kommersant and another Russian business daily, Vedomosti, both reported... Russian Technologies already owns 38 percent of KamAZ and plans to create a new automotive giant to control its stake in the truck maker, as well as the 25 percent that it owns of AvtoVAZ, Russia's biggest car firm and maker of the Lada... (Image: Russian Technologies' logo)


* Sweden - Scania and SAF-Holland cooperation

Stockholm,Sweden -HGV UK -September 10, 2009: -- Scania has signed a cooperation agreement with the global German trailer axle manufacturer SAF-Holland. The agreement, which is unique within the industry, will provide Scania’s customers support on the complete vehicle combination that goes beyond the supply of parts and logistics... With the support of this agreement, the workshops and dealers within Scania’s global service network will be fully authorised to carry out professional service on SAF-Holland trailer axle components. The agreement covers such aspects as logistics, warranty handling, workshop procedures, special tools, help desk and training of workshop technicians...


* Romania - First Transit Connect

Craiova,Romania -HGV UK -September 9, 2009: -- The first new vehicle rolled off the production line at Ford’s new manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania- a Transit Connect LCV... Fleming also announced earlier this year, Craiova also will build a small displacement, advanced EcoBoost petrol engine... At full capacity, Craiova will be able to produce up to 300,000 vehicles and 300,000 engines annually and provide employment for approximately 7,000 people... (Photo from cars.com: Ford transit connect)

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Jul 18, 2009

TRUCKMAKER LAWSUIT *- USA - Trucking Firm Files Lawsuit Over Fire

A Batesville trucking company charges that a defective design in a Kenworth Truck Co. vehicle started a fire in October that caused more than $230,000 in damage

ARK,USA -The Arkansas Business News, by Mark Friedman -20 July 2009: -- ... Bill Davis Trucking Inc., which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, said that in October, one of its employees parked a 2007 model truck it bought from Paccar Inc. of Bellevue, Wash., which does business as Kenworth, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court... The employee then left Bill Davis' parking lot and the truck caught fire, also causing damage to another one of Bill Davis' 2007 Kenworth trucks, which was parked next to it, the lawsuit said... "The cause of the fire was the defective design and installation of the battery cable," the lawsuit said. The fire caused $236,070 in damage... Bill Davis is suing for negligence and breach of expressed and implied warranties... A Paccar spokesman was unavailable for comment... (Photo from classytrucks.org: Kenworth 1998 T600)

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Jan 11, 2008

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA -

* The new International 'Lone Star' - "This is either the ugliest truck in the world---or the most visually exciting..."

Fort Wayne,IND,USA -Pictures & Comments from ‘Giddy-up-go’/US TruckNet & Biglorryblog (UK) -9 Jan 2008: -- Pictures shot recently at the Navistar dealer shop in Ft. Wayne, In... While I was there, I had the opportunity to see the new "Lone Star" which will make it's debut at the 2008 Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Ky...
Anyway, Ft. Wayne is headquarters to International Truck Corporations research and design team, they have had these trucks under wraps like they do the new prototype cars you see in car and driver with the black covers over them... "I happened to be in the right place at the right time"... This truck will be available in 2009 and will replace the 9900 and 9900 IX series... "It's amazing what mobile phones can do"... Mr G certainly has a sense of humour as he says on his posting on TruckNet: “They probably didn’t want me snapping photos of these trucks [no kidding…] but with today’s cell phones it’s fairly easy to get away with some sneaky pic" ... Good man, in fact have considered becoming a truck journo?


* Kenworth extends Landstar rebate



USA -Fleet Owner -Jan 10, 2008: -- Kenworth Truck Co. has announced it will extend its rebate program with Landstar through 2008, offering a $1,000 rebate to independent contractors who buy Kenworth sleeper truckers and provide Landstar with transportation capacity... Eligible trucks include the T660, T800 and W900 models with 72-inch AeroCab or 86-inch Studio AeroCab sleepers, as well as the T2000 model with 75-inch Aerodyne sleeper...



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Dec 4, 2007

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * Canada - Kenworth to deepen footprint in the East

Saint John,New Brunswick,CAN -Truckstop Canada -December 3, 2007: -- It's not often someone in this industry waits 35 years to make his riskiest business move. But that's exactly what one of Atlantic Canada's most well-known and respected International dealers did last month when he decided to bat for a rival truckmaker... Kenworth has conquered the western market, now it's trying to do the same in eastern Canada. He tells us that he believes the Atlantic Canada market was becoming oversaturated with International dealers to the point that it was very difficult to grow his business. "They may have had more dealers than they need in this region"... Kelly Kennedy, Kenworth Canadian region manager, says the truckmaker had been exploring expansion in Atlantic Canada for a while. It was just a matter of finding the right man for the job...

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Oct 9, 2007

TRUCK MAKERS NEWS WORLDWIDE

* Germany - Daimler to Invest in Mannheim

Stuttgart,Germany -Just Auto (UK) -4 Aug 2007: -- Daimler AG is to invest €150 million over the next two years in its heavy truck engine assembly plant in Mannheim.. The project has been given the name of 'synchronous factory', and will include the construction of an assembly and logistics hall, new manufacturing equipment technologies and infrastructure projects... The aim is to improve productivity and make the plant one of the most efficient in the sector... Mannheim produced around 400,000 engines in 2006 - 8,500 people are employed in the engine plant and neighbouring EvoBus facilities... (Photo: Evo Bus)



* Germany - MAN and the Future
Germany -Road Transport (UK) -4 Oct 2007: -- And so we return from the opening of MAN’s Krakow plant with much to think about... Samuelson and Piëch do not look happy together. This is a grotesque understatement; it’s always difficult to know quite what to say in situations in which an abundance of mutual antipathy pervades the atmosphere... Both Samuelson and Östling have done rather good jobs at MAN and Scania. Our views on the formers’ initial bid for the latter remain unchanged but, on balance, both have shown themselves to be rather adept at managing European truck companies... We suspect that FP is looking to engender a culture of agreement between MAN and Scania. In other words, appointments look likely to be based on the applicants’ ability to agree with the grand vision, and to say the right things at the right moment... As for the new plant, very nice, very shiny, very much like a new truck plant. MAN will have installed capacity of 130,000 units per year as of 2009, and it may be that MAN has lucked out in terms of having capacity at just the right time...

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Oct 6, 2007

TRUCK MAKERS NEWS * India

* India - Ashok Leyland's NEWGEN Aero 4026 J - The first indigenously-developed Indian truck

Mumbai,India -Big Lorry Blog (UK) -4 Oct 2007: -- ... That is a product of modular engineering that offers new levels of flexibility in truck building in accordance to very specific customer requirements. Modular engineering actually enables a customer to configure the kind of vehicle he wants that is perfectly in tune with his requirements... The NEWGEN Aero 4026 J is powered by the contemporary, 260 ps, 8-liter J engine with electronically controlled MD TICS that is currently BS2 compliant but with the potential to meet ensuing BS3 / BS4 emission norms. The aerodynamically designed cab helps increase fuel efficiency. The ZF 9 speed synchromesh gearbox allows for close and effortless gearshifts and a seamless power delivery...



* India - Eicher Surges Most in a Year on Report Volvo in Talks

Bombay,India - The Hindustan Times/Bloomberg, by Subramaniam Sharma -Oct. 4, 2007: -- Eicher Motors Ltd., India's third- largest producer of heavy trucks, gained the most in more than a year after a newspaper reported Volvo AB, the world's second- largest truckmaker, is in talks to buy a majority stake in the company... Volvo expects to produce 1,600 trucks and buses this year and 2,500 next year, according to Eric Leblanc, managing director of Volvo India Pvt...

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Oct 5, 2007

TRUCK MAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE

* UK - First Euro 5 Volvo FL gritters go to Rotherham MBC

Rotherham,UK -Easier Motoring -5 October 2007: -- The UK‘s first five, new generation Volvo FL Euro 5 gritters have gone into service with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to replace older model gritters in their growing fleet... This brings the number of Volvo trucks currently operated by Rotherham MBC to twelve - eight of which are gritters...



* Poland - MAN Nutzfahrzeuge officially opens new heavy trucks assembly plant

Cracow,Poland -Jobwerx Manufacturing Network (Seattle, WA,USA) -4 October 2007: -- MAN Nutzfahrzeuge officially opened its new assembly plant for heavy trucks in Niepolomice near Cracow, Poland... As a supplier of trucks, buses, diesel engines, turbo machinery and industrial services, the MAN Group is one of Europe’s leading industrial companies, with a focus on transport related engineering... The new plant near Cracow will build MAN heavy trucks with gross weights over 16 tonnes, mostly from the MAN TGA WW range...


* Italy - Fiat, joint venture with PSA and TOFAS for trucks in Turkey
Rome,Italy -AGI News On -Oct 3, 2007: -- Fiat has confirmed the creation of a joint venture specialising in trucks with Turkey's Tofas and France's PSA Peugeot-Citroen in order to export 1.18 million vehicles in the next 8 years... Tofas CEO Ali Pandir declared that the new project will allow to produce 360,000 vehicles in 2008 and 400,000 in 2009, compared to 158,000 last year. The commercial small scale trucks will be sold by Peugeot with the Bipper brand, by Citroen with the Nema brand and by Fiat with the Fiorino brand... Market launch is envisaged at the end of 2007 in Italy and Turkey and in the first quarter of 2008 in the rest of Europe...

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Oct 3, 2007

TRUCK MAKERS´ RANKING * USA - Sterling Wins J.D. Power one

USA -Fleet Owner -Sep 28, 2007: -- For the second time in four years, Sterling Truck Corporation has received the highest overall ranking for Heavy-Duty Truck Dealer Service in the J.D. Power and Associates Heavy Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study... Sterling received high marks for several major categories that comprise the rankings, and was the highest scoring brand for both service price factors and dealer facility. The study was based on interviews with 2,677 customers of Class 8 vehicles...

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TRUCK MAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE

* USA - Volvo delivers first trucks meeting US10 emission standards
Sweden -Volvo AG (Press Release) -3 Oct 2007: -- Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) has delivered five Volvo trucks that meet the stringent US10 truck emission standards to customer for field testing. The US10 standard becomes effective in 2010 and the trucks now delivered are equipped with the EGR and SCR emission-control systems... The VN model trucks have been delivered to Talon Logistics, which will now field test the SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology that is common in Europe. To date, the emission requirements in North America were met by applying EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) technology and particle filters... (Volvo VN inb the Death Valley,USA)


* Germany - MAN AG Shares Advance on Talk About Volkswagen Offer
Munich,Germany -Bloomberg, by Jann Bettinga & Sarah Thompson -Oct. 2, 2007: -- MAN AG, Europe's third-largest truckmaker, rose the most in more than five weeks in German trading amid speculation that Volkswagen AG is planning to offer 125 euros a share for the company... The stock increased 4.56 euros, or 4.4 percent, to 108.62 euros, the biggest gain since Aug. 24. The shares have jumped 59 percent this year, valuing the Munich-based truckmaker at 15.9 billion euros ($22.5 billion)... Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, wants to merge its commercial-vehicles unit with MAN and Soedertaelje, Sweden-based Scania AB, the country's second-largest truckmaker... Scania was the target of a 10.3 billion-euro takeover bid by MAN that failed in January after Volkswagen, the largest shareholder in both truckmakers, and Investor AB, the second- biggest shareholder in Scania, rejected the offer... (Photo: A Scania T142 running as a roadtrain in Australia)



* Germany - Mercedes-Benz Atego delivery trucks get BlueTec 5

Germany -Autobloggreen -USA, by Sam Abuelsamid -Oct 1st 2007: -- The Mercedes-Benz Atego is a commonly used delivery truck in urban areas of European cities. That's why clean emissions are important, and Mercedes has attacked the problem by adding their BlueTec 5 technology to the Atego. The Atego now gets NOx emissions forty-three percent below the current Euro 4 emission standards and meets the upcoming Euro 5 requirements...


* Japan - Isuzu introduces ’08 gas-powered cab
Japan -Fleet Owner -Oct 2, 2007: -- Isuzu Commercial Truck of America has introduced its 2008 gas-powered Isuzu N-Series low cab forward truck, featuring a 325 hp Vortec 6.0L V8 engine and a Hydra-Matic 4- speed automatic transmission... The truck is available in four different wheelbases and accommodates bodies from 10 to 20-ft long and body/payload combinations anywhere from 6,829 to 9,411 lbs. The cab has increased head and shoulder room as well as greater rust and corrosion protection, said the OEM...


* South Africa - Vehicle sales down again
Johanesburg,SA -wheels24 -2 Oct 2007: -- Sales figures released by Naamsa indicate that new vehicle sales continued its downward spiral in September, showing a decrease of 12.9% compared with the same month in 2006... However, new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses continued to perform strongly despite recording a decline in unit sales of 11.3% compared with sales of the corresponding month last year. 14 739 units were sold in September 2007. Sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a mixed picture. The September 2007 sales at 1 181 units and 1 836 units, respectively, showed a decline of 321 units or (21,4%) in the case of medium commercials, and an increase of 104 units (8%) in the case of heavy trucks and buses...



* South Korea - Tata charts strategy for Korean market
Seoul,S. Korea -The Times of India (Mumbai,India) -2 Oct 2007: -- Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles (TDCV), the South Korean subsidiary of Tata Motors, plans to introduce mini trucks and buses in the Korean market over the next five years... TDCV, the second largest commercial vehicles company in South Korea, currently operates in the heavy and medium range commercial vehicles segments and has an overall market share of 26%... An industry expert said, "The small commercial vehicle segment witnesses sales of over 1,20,000 units annually in the domestic market and Kia is the only company which offers products in this range. If TDCV can offer competitve and quality products in this segment, they can not only grab Kia’s customers but also grow the market"...


* Russia - KAMAZ increased the under-leasing delivery
Moscow.Russia -"AK&M" -3 Oct 2007: -- KAMAZ Leasing Company increased the under-leasing delivery 1.4 fold up to 4.08bn rub., the company informed... KAMAZ Leasing Company is one of the leading companies in Russia providing the leasing services. The leasing portfolio is worth 15bn rub... In 2006 the Company settled 494 contracts in the volume of 5.8bn rub.; revenues reached 6.97bn rub.; net money flow coming to 610mln rub...

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Oct 1, 2007

TRUCK MAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE

* Germany - Volkswagen plans for strategic alliances uncertain

Wolfsburg,Germany -Reuters (USA), by Christiaan Hetzner & Jan Schwartz -Sep 26, 2007: -- Volkswagen's plans for European truckmakers MAN and Scania to merge, or a strategic alliance with Malaysia's Proton are no certainty, VW's top labor leader told on Wednesday... "At the moment, Scania/MAN does not play a role in our corporate discussions...Whether the companies merge in the end is not the crucial issue," said Bernd Osterloh, who is also a member of the supervisory board and 6-man steering committee... (Photo in CHINA, by Nir Elias/REUTERS: A visitor sits in a Volkswagen New Beetle Cabriolet car during The Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai April 21, 2007. Volkswagen's plans for European truckmakers MAN and Scania to merge, or a strategic alliance with Malaysia's Proton are no certainty, VW's top labor leader told Reuters on Wednesday)



* Japan - Toyota's Hino Gains After Raising Profit Forecast



Tokyo,Japan -Bloomberg, by Naoko Fujimura -Sept. 26, 2007: -- Hino Motors Ltd., Japan's biggest maker of heavy-duty trucks, rose to the highest in almost 11 years on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after raising its profit forecast on demand for trucks from the Middle East and South America... Construction booms in Dubai and Brazil fueled sales of Hino's Profia eight-ton trucks, offsetting a slump in domestic demand. Tokyo-based Hino, 50 percent owned by Toyota Motor Corp, also benefited from a weaker yen, which boosted the value of repatriated earnings... (Photo by Toshiyuki Aizawa/Bloomberg News: Hino Motors Ltd. trucks wait for shipment at the company's manufacturing headquarters in the suburbs of Tokyo)



* USA - Navistar workers stay on the job during UAW talks
Warrenville, Ill,USA -Bloomberg News/T he Detroit News -1 Oct 2007: -- Navistar International Corp. said its employees represented by the United Auto Workers are reporting to work while the truckmaker and the union keep trying to reach an agreement after their contract expired earlier today.. The union represents about 3,700 workers at nine U.S. facilities, the Warrenville, Illinois-based company said in a statement. The two sides are negotiating again after breaking off talks at 4 a.m. local time, spokesman Roy Wiley said... Navistar, the maker of International trucks and engines, last week shifted production from its Springfield, Ohio, plant that has UAW workers to nonunion factories in Texas and Mexico until a new contract is ratified...
* India - DaimlerChrysler to start local assembly of trucks by Dec
Mumbai,India -Moneycontrol.com -1 Oct 2007: -- DaimlerChrysler India will start its new plant in early 2009, but will start local assembly of trucks by December this year... It has doubled sales of imported trucks over last year, selling about 100 units this year... “Basically, for the last 8-9 years, we have invested heavily on vendor development in India for operations in Japan, Germany and USA. We can use them as local vendors for our trucks,” said Wilfried Aulbur, MD & CEO, DaimlerChrysler India...

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Sep 19, 2007

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE

* Hungary - DAF to be first heavy machinery maker to set up plant in

Budapest,Hungary -broadsheet Népszabadság/ Portfolio -September 19, 2007: -- DAF Group plans to set up its first engine manufacturing and truck assembling unit in Hungary in a few years, reported on Wednesday... The construction of the engine manufacturing facility is to be completed in three years, with the truck assembling plant to be set up only afterwards... Heavy machinery producers have built only logistics centres in Hungary so far and DAF is pioneering in establishing a factory here... DAF Hungary will continue to have marketing as its sole task... (Photo from: dbk.com)

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Sep 18, 2007

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS WORLDWIDE

* India - Tata looks to enter world market - Indian maker of trucks, mass market cars would gain visibility by buying Jaguar and Land Rover

New Delhi,India -The Detroit News (Detroit,Mich,USA)/Associated Press, by Rajesh Mahapatra -September 18, 2007: -- For this former British colony, an Indian takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover would be a boost to local pride and a sign of India's economic rise... Many investors and industry analysts question whether a bid by India's Tata Motors -- maker of workhorse trucks and low-end mass market cars -- for the two luxury brands would make much business sense... (Photo by Aijaz Rahi / Associated Press - Ratan Tata's firm has only about a decade of experience selling cars, so buying Jaguar and Land Rover may not be a good fit)

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