Order for 360 truck chassis boosts Daimler global sales in downturn
Amid slack demand from its traditional markets of Europe and North America, the global sales of vehicle maker Daimler AG have been bolstered this year by huge purchases of heavy trucks from a company in the south China province of Hunan.
Last week the German company delivered a single order of 360 Mercedes-Benz Actros truck chassis to Changsha Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Development Co., bringing its sales to the company to a massive 800 trucks this year.
"Zoomlion is one of our most important customers. In fact today's order is our biggest ever from China," said Ulrich Walker, chairman and CEO of Daimler North East Asia speaking at the handing over ceremony in the provincial capital of Changsha. "Worldwide we can show that in the fastest growing market we have such a strong partnership."
Walker added that, thanks to government stimulus spending, he was expecting sales in China to increase by 30 percent this year.
A single Actros truck chassis costs $90,000 said Ning Wang, general manager, Mercedes-Benz Truck Sales China Co., speaking at the sidelines of the event. At current exchange rates that is over 614,592 yuan per chassis.
Changsha Zoomlion makes construction machinery and has been a big beneficiary of central government spending on infrastructure. Last year the company bought 500 trucks from Daimler.
In 2008 Daimler Trucks accounted for 27 percent of Daimler's revenue according to the company's annual report. In 2008 Asia was Daimler's most important market, contributing 33 percent of global truck sales.
