Truck manufacturers

Mercedes-Benz: traditional Swabian

The history of the Mercedes-Benz utility vehicle is as old as the first truck. The two companies of Karl Benz and Gottfried Daimler merged in 1926. Today are especially 3 classes important: Atego, Axor and Actros. From 7,5 to 41 tons Daimler Trucks are presenting prime movers in classes of light weight, mid-heavy and heavy. Besides their field of applications of utility and military vehicles the Axor series is also as race truck available.
Further the company has a wide range of special utility vehicle: a heavy duty truck called Zetros which has an all-wheel drive which makes it perfect for the application in all-terrain. It is used for military but also for civil actions.
Another special kind of trucks is the Econic series. Mercedes-Benz manufacturers under this name special utility vehicle with a lower drivers cabin and special bodies. “Econic” means emissions reduced with an economical hybrid motor.

MAN: Reliable partner

MAN is a global player and belongs to the biggest manufacturers of machines. Besides trucks the company produces ship motors, rail vehicles, industrial plants and diesel engines for trucks and as well trucks.
In former times MAN was a defense supplier, but nowadays they are focusing generally on the production of busses, trucks and engines which are seen as very reliable means of transport. Here are some stepstones of the company’s history:
1972 MAN took over the company Büssing whose logo can be still found today on every truck by MAN. 1989 MAN integrated the company Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. 2001 MAN bought the bus manufacturer Gottlob Auwärter from Stuttgart, known as the brand Neoplan. 2006 MAN tried vainly to take over the Swedish truck manufacturer Scania. 2008 MAN celebrated its 250th anniversary. The company has about 60.000 workers all over the globe. The main site is in Munich.

Volvo: Giant among all manufacturers

Volvo Trucks is the biggest manufacturer of trucks, busses, construction machines and engines for ships and has more than 80.000 workers. The company was founded in 1927 in the Swedish city Gothenburg. 1971 Volvo built an alliance with the manufacturers DAF, Saviem (respectively Renault) and Magirus-Deutz. The result was the Volvo F 10 and F 12 which were sold till 1993. Today the *Volvo FH16 *has the biggest motor (700 HP) and is the most produced truck on the world. The FM series is designed as tipper, trucks for waste disposal or tank vehicle and has between 300 and 500 HP.

DAF: Phoenix from Holland

DAF has its main site in Eindhoven and is the most important car manufacturer in the Netherlands. Since 1996 it belongs to the US-American PACCAR group. In the founding year of DAF in 1924 by Hub van Doorne the company did not produce many trucks. This changed when Hub’s brother Wim stepped into the company. The first product this young company has manufactured was a truck trailer in 1932. 4 years later the company designed its first tractor unit. 1993 after DAF had lost the utility vehicle market in Great Britain, the company had to declare bankruptcy and the company resulted in DAF Trucks N.V. and even was able to regain its competitiveness and is nowadays one of the biggest truck manufacturers.

Scania: Ready, set …

The Swedish company Scania produced utility vehicles with a focus on trucks. It is the biggest producer of trucks in Europe and in South America. But also busses, ship diesels and motors belong to their portfolio. The first steps towards the production of trucks Scania took already shortly after its founding in 1900. In 1969 the company merged with SAAB, 4 years later Volvo tried to take over Scania but the Swedish antitrust division declined. Now the way was open for Volkswagen. Scania not only produces construction machines but also omnibuses.

Renault Trucks: Savior vivre in Swedish

Trucks by Renault were first produced 1955. As consortium of Saviem, Somua and Latil mid-heavy and heavy trucks were produced. 1978 the company Renault Véhicules first sold trucks under the brand name Renault. In 2001 the company was sold to the Swedish group Volvo. Nowadays the company produces a wide assortment of utility vehicles.

Iveco: near or far

Iveco is a manufacturer of trucks and transport vehicles and a subsidiary of Fiat. Its portfolio ranges from small and medium heavy trucks and distribution vehicles for short and long distance traffic. Iveco has a market share about 20%. It is the second biggest manufacturer of utility vehicles and produces also diesel engines for different purposes.
Iveco exists since 1975: Fiat, the German Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG with its brand product Magirus-Deutz and the Italian truck producer OM joined together to IVECO. Today, the company has over 50 production sites with annually 200.000 produced vehicles. Further the company produces turntable ladders for the fire brigade, engines for agricultural machines, ships and emergency generators.