DaimlerChrysler Notes Record Sales For Commercial Vehicles In
2005
Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on January 23, 2006
Ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of day again... the time of day
when we get to take an informative, in-depth look at everyone's
favorite - financial reports.
Today, the lucky winner is the commercial vehicles sector of
DaimlerChrysler, who noted a 16% jump in sales for 2005 with a record
824,900 units sold.
Sales of commercial vehicles were up in all core sectors for
DaimlerChrysler. In Western Europe, sales totaled 277,000 units, up
2,600 unit from 2004; in the NAFTA region, 217,800 units were sold,
compared to 177,100 in 2004; and in Latin America, sales reached
63,200 units, up from 57,600 in 2004.
In addition to their core markets, sales in the rest of the world
remained strong for DaimlerChrysler as well. Thanks to attractive
products as well as an increase in the Asian market of 31%, the
company noted worldwide sales of 266,900, a jump of 63,800 units from
2004.
Here's what Andreas Renschler, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management
member responsible for Commercial Vehicles, had to say: “The record
sales mark achieved in 2005 is a confirmation that our trucks, buses
and vans are extraordinarily popular with customers all over the
world. To take on the challenges in the years ahead, we will be
relying on initiatives for optimizing our operative processes and
growth in new and existing markets, as well as on exciting new
products like the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.”
For more info on the sales of DaimlerChrysler's commercial vehicles
as well as a breakdown of the different commercial vehicle models,
visit us at www.eMercedesBenz.com or check out the full press release
below.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Record Sales for DaimlerChrysler Commercial Vehicles in 2005
Stuttgart, Jan 23, 2006
DaimlerChrysler posted a record year for commercial vehicles sales in
2005, with 824,900 trucks, buses and vans sold (2004: 712,200 units).
The new record represents an increase of nearly 16 % over the sales
total for 2004. In all business units, the state-of-the-art range of
products and outstanding safety systems were very popular with
customers.
Commercial vehicles sales were up in all markets. Sales in Western
Europe totaled 277,000 units (2004: 274,400); 217,800 units were sold
in the NAFTA region (2004: 177,100); and sales in Latin America
reached 63,200 units (2004: 57,600). Even outside of the core
markets, sales in the rest of the world increased from 203,100 to
266,900 units. In addition to the attractive products, strong demand
on the Asian market was also one of the decisive factors behind this
growth rate of more than 31%. In Asia, DaimlerChrysler sold a total
of 165,600 units (2004: 119,400).
Andreas Renschler, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member
responsible for Commercial Vehicles, said: “The record sales mark
achieved in 2005 is a confirmation that our trucks, buses and vans
are extraordinarily popular with customers all over the world. To
take on the challenges in the years ahead, we will be relying on
initiatives for optimizing our operative processes and growth in new
and existing markets, as well as on exciting new products like the
new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.”
In 2005, DaimlerChrysler's Trucks Europe/Latin America (Mercedes-
Benz) business unit recorded a 8% increase in sales worldwide, to
approximately 148,000 vehicles (2004: 137,400). The keys to this
success continue to be the second generation of the flagship Actros
truck, and the Axor and Atego production series. All three truck
model ranges are already available with BlueTec diesel technology,
enabling them to fulfill the emission standards Euro 4 and Euro 5.
This means the Mercedes-Benz truck lineup is more up-to-date than the
products offered by competitors. In the core market of Western
Europe, sales were up by 12% over the 2004 level.
During the same period, the Trucks NAFTA business unit sold 182,400
trucks from all Freightliner brands - a 20% increase over the
previous year’s total (152,400). Freightliner LLC remains the market
leader for heavy-duty trucks of the U.S. Class 8 segment, increasing
its market share in the NAFTA region to around 36% (plus 1% compared
to 2004) and the second-largest manufacturer of medium-duty trucks of
the U.S. Classes 6/7 segments. Following optimization of the brand
and product portfolio of DaimlerChrysler’s Commercial Vehicles
Division, the special vehicles manufacturer American LaFrance was
sold to Patriarch Partners LLC in December 2005.
Last year, the Fuso business unit sold about 178,900 trucks and
buses. The German-Japanese management team systematically continued
its business renewal measures with good success. In 2005, the new
Canter light truck debuted in Europe and other export markets and the
new Fighter medium-duty truck was introduced in Japan. Fuso is also
the Commercial Vehicles Division’s Center of Competence for light
trucks and hybrid drives. Fuso will launch a hybrid version of the
Canter on the Japanese market this year.
With worldwide sales of more than 36,200 Mercedes-Benz, Setra and
Orion vehicles, the DaimlerChrysler Buses and Coaches business unit
once again posted a 10% increase in sales (2004: 32,800). With this
performance, the world’s market leader once again confirmed its top
position. This positive development was achieved particularly as a
result of the growth in chassis sales to 24,000 units (plus 16% in
comparison to 2004), while sales of complete buses (12,200 vehicles)
remained at the level reached in 2004. In Europe, the business unit
presented various new products: the new generation of the Mercedes-
Benz Travego coach, the city and intercity bus Mer-cedes-Benz Citaro
Low Entry as well as the new Setra intercity bus Multi-Class 400 and
the new Mercedes-Benz Integro.
With 267,200 units sold in 2005, the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit
once again registered a 2.5% increase over the previous year’s mark
(2004: 260,700). An important factor contributing to this growth was
the continuing strong demand for the Viano and Vito models and for
the Sprinter, which set a new record in its last year of production
at the Düsseldorf and Buenos Aires plants with more than 167,000
units. In the NAFTA region last year, 28,100 Sprinters were sold
under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge and Freightliner brands, a 49%
increase over the 2004 total (18,900 units). DaimlerChrysler recently
announced it will be dedicating its Charleston/South Carolina
facility to assembly of the next generation Dodge Sprinter van in
response to growing demand in the North American markets.
For more Mercedes-Benz news and information, visit us at
www.eMercedesBenz.com.
