Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/625735
commercial carrier journal | january 2016 25 • Volvo said it was cutting heavy-du- ty truck production in North Amer- ica in December and January "as a consequence of lower demand and high inventories in the distribution channel," both reducing dealer or- ders. The company said production on Volvo-branded trucks would take "2½ stop weeks in addition to the normal Christmas and New Year's leave" and would not involve its Mack brand. Jan Gurander, acting CEO, said he expected the North American market to decline by about 10 percent in 2016, calling that adjustment a "normalization." • Stemco rolled out its cross-ref- erence Parts Interchange Tool at Stemco.com/parts designed to al- low users to search for replacement part numbers online from Stemco, OEMs or competitors using an ad- vanced keyword search. The search results now offer product measure- ments and specifications and soon will include detailed pictures. • Peterbilt's flagship on-highway Model 579 and vocational Model 567 now offers RollTek's safety protection system integrated with the company's Atlas II driver seats. A sensor located under the seat is engineered for continuous monitoring of the vehicle's angular position and activates when it de- tects an imminent rollover, deploy- ing side-roll airbags, tightening the safety belt and lowering the seat. The Atlas II seat with the Roll- Tek system is a factory-installed option fully integrated with the truck's electrical and air systems. • Peterbilt's lightweight full-fea- tured 58-inch sleeper is now in production for the company's flag- ship aerodynamic Model 579 and vocational Model 567. Available in low- and mid-roof configurations, the new sleeper can reduce weight by up to 100 pounds. • Ryder Systems rolled out its Fleet Buy Out program in which the truck rental and leasing company pur- chases a company's vehicles, and in exchange, the company enters into a lease contract agreement with Ryder, enabling fleet owners to receive a higher price for their vehicles while realizing the benefits InBrief Daimler moving medium-duty engine production to Detroit D aimler Trucks announced a $375-mil- lion investment to enable production of the new DD5 and DD8 medium-duty engines at Detroit's brand headquarters and manufac- turing facility in Redford, Mich. Joined by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and nearly 2,000 UAW workers, Daim- ler Trucks celebrated the announcement of the new engines and launched pro- duction of the company's Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission. The theme of the day was "Built in Detroit," which celebrated the long successful history of Detroit powertrain manufacturing at the company's headquarters. The new DD5 and DD8 lines will add about 160 new jobs to the Detroit headquarters facility. "This is an exciting day for Daimler Trucks and Detroit," said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler AG Board of Management member responsible for Trucks and Buses. "Our investment is a tangible example of how we maximize the use of our global platforms optimized for regional markets. 'Built in De- troit' is not just a marketing slogan – it is our commitment to strengthen the industrial base in Detroit and to deliver the most fuel-efficient engines to our customers." The Detroit integrated powertrain – which includes Detroit engines, axles and the DT12 transmission – is part of Daimler's Global Excellence Strategy to have uniform production standards and processes worldwide, resulting in products that offer the industry's highest efficiency, highest quality and lowest cost of ownership. "I am pleased to announce that select Daimler Trucks North America ve- hicles will be available with medium-duty power by the end of 2016, and full production will take place in Detroit by the end of 2018," said Martin Daum, DTNA president and chief executive officer. DTNA said its entire product lineup, including vehicles equipped with the DD5 and DD8, will meet greenhouse gas 2017 standards early. The engines initially will be built and shipped from Daimler's powertrain facility in Mann- heim, Germany, with industrialization at the Detroit facility in 2018. For sale in limited quantities, the DD5 will be available in 2016 on the Freightliner M2 product line, with extensive availability in 2018 across DTNA's product portfolio, including Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. vehicles. – Jack Roberts Daimler Trucks' Wolfgang Bernhard says DD5 and DD8 production will move to Detroit in the near future.