New Meyle radiator hose for Scania trucks
Meyle has extended its range of high-quality commercial vehicle spare parts. The latest portfolio addition is areinforced radiator hose for the Scania P, G, R T and 4 series models.
The material has been optimised in various ways to improve durability over standard radiator hose designs, Meyle says.
Meyle draws on the stringent quality standards and years of experience in manufacturing passenger car spares to engineer high-performance replacement parts for commercial vehicles too. When designing new products, their engineers prime objective is to deliver superior service life. Truck parts are exposed to particular stress, which is why Meyle has developed a reinforced radiator hose to fit the Scania P, G. R. T and 4 series models. A defective radiator hose can cause consequential damage, resulting in extended vehicle down-time.
The new hose wall is 20 per cent thicker than that of the original design. Additionally, the hose developed by the Hamburg manufacturer s engineers uses a high-quality fabric made from kevlar, a material so strong, it is employed on ballistic vests. Thanks to the material s excellent temperature resistance the Meyle radiator hose remains dimensionally stable and provides superior load-carrying capabilities.
And there are more benefits in store: Thanks to its smooth surface the hose is repellent to dust, oil and rust. Meyle also ensures high quality for the hose coupling by using a genuine Norma quick connector, which ensures excellent sealing along with quick and safe mounting.
References
Breakthrough for Scania trucks in Colombia
“We are taking an important step inColombiaby introducing our trucks,” says Enrique Enrich, Managing Director of ScaniaColombia. “With this operation, Scania will have the opportunity to showcase the quality of its products and services to the Colombian market.”
The Hidroituango consortium is building a hydroelectric power plant inColombia s north, 180 kilometres north of the city ofMedellin. The plant will be the country s largest.
The truck models delivered will be Scania construction trucks of the P-seriesP 410 8×4, P 360 6×4 and P 410 6×4. They will begin to operate at the construction site this month. The trucks are equipped with Scania Opticruise automated gearchanging and the Scania Retarder auxiliary braking system.
In addition to the trucks, Scania will provide a team of technicians specialising in maintenance and repair at construction sites. Scania will also provide parts and driver training.
Everything is organised to ensure that the vehicles will have high uptime and low operating cost over their life cycle, Enrich says. We deliver a complete package of solutions, according to the needs of our clients.”
For further information, please contact Hans- ke Danielsson, Press Manager, tel. +46 8 553 856 62.
Scania is one of the world s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. Service-related products account for a growing proportion of the company s operations, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime Scania also offers financial services. Employing some 38,600 people, the company operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In 2012, net sales totalled SEK 79.6 billion and net income amounted to SEK 6.6 billion. Scania press releases are available on www.scania.com (http://www.scania.com/se)
BMW – 100 years of manufacturing
BMW, or the Bavarian Motor Works, to give it its full title, is a famous luxury car maker, headquartered in Munich, Bavaria
BMW s been in business for nearly 100 years, founded as they were in 1917 as a car, motorbike and engine manufacturer
They now rate as one of the most successful and desirable automotive brands
BMW also own Rolls-Royce and the MINI brand, and as well as their own BMW car and motorbike brand, the company has seen some impressive sales of the MINI and Rolls-Royce models in recent years, too
Their stable is an impressive one, and at the moment it is going from strength to strength
Part of the big German three that also includes Audi and Mercedes-Benz, BMW export to over 140 countries world wide and have built well over 1,000.000 MINI models in the UK
And the MINI factories look set to get even bigger as the next and new range of MINI models are planned
Rolls-Royce is also celebrating the recent launch of their new 2-door coupe model, called the Wraith, which promises to be the fastest Rolls-Royce ever built
It looks wonderful, too
Whilst the MINI brand speaks for itself in terms of sales success and public fondness, BMW have long been making the kind of cars that earn their admiration through quiet confidence and quality of workmanship
Yes, they are relatively expensive, but you certainly get what you pay for in terms of engineering, innovation, safety and economy
The famous 3 Series, for example, has for a very long time been near or at the top of the mid-size executive sales charts, with its blend of understated design, badge-respect and driving performance
BMW also make some of the most powerful and economical diesel engines of any of the major manufacturers, and it s these fun yet frugal engines that are very important to the average fleet car user
The BMW 5 Series is another one of their sales success stories; a little bigger and more expensive that the 3 Series, but still fun to drive and still a very classy car in which to pick up your client for that all important business meeting
First impressions count and the blue and white roundel badge of a BMW carries a lot of weight in the world of big business
These 3 and 5 Series saloon cars built for business have also worked wonders in the sportscar world, with the sometimes unassuming-looking saloons, turned into snarling track weapons, at he hands of the famous-for-fast BMW M Division
The M cars are the very fastest and most expensive of all the modern range of BMW cars, and if it carries an M badge on the boot lid then you ll know that this car is fast and luxurious
The BMW M3, for example, if one of the performance benchmarks that any car in its class is measured against
Even the greats from Audi and Mercedes would do well to pay performance respect to anything with an M badge on it
BMW don t just make cars, either
Their range of BMW motorbikes built by BMW Motorad are also up there with the very best from the rest of the world, and especially so in the adventure bike market where their sales go from strength to strength
After 100 years in the automobile industry, and with a great range of products, it looks like the next 100 years are set fair for the famous BMW badge of Bavaria
Truckfest 2013 | From The Driver's Seat
It s that time of year again! Truckfest 2013 in Peterborough is back for the May Bank Holiday. From the 5th to the 6th of May 2013, The East of England Show Ground will be taken over by the Trucking community.
Once again, the Mercedes-Benz stand will be a hotbed of activity with the latest models on display including our brand new construction truck, the Arocs. There will be activities for young and old alike, including face painting, badge-making, an F1 simulator and the always popular free candy floss and popcorn! The Animal bike Tour will be back, wowing the crowds with their amazing and gravity-defying stunts and we have some exciting celebrity guests to look forward to as well.
This year, we are very pleased to announce that, starting today, we will be giving away one family pass to Truckfest per week until the event. To enter the competition simply follow us on Twitter @MercedesTruckUK1 and RT the designated tweets for your chance to win! It s that simple!
We look forward to seeing you there, fingers crossed for sunshine!
Comments
comments
References
New Stansted Owner Driver Programme Launched
The programme designed for owner drivers is only open to Uttlesford District Council licensed owner drivers who manage a vehicle of up to 5 years old. The newly introduced initiative has a range of benefits for drivers which include:
All airport transfer work
Blue chip corporate accounts
Online login and emailed work
No set shifts work when you want to
Programme support and networks
Benefit from working with some of the best private hire brands at Stansted
A representative for Stansted Travel Service stated that: We believe in having a close knit team of owners drivers working with us. The relationship is mutually beneficial for us, our clients and the drivers. We expect any interested applicants to be smart, courteous, locally licensed sorry no PCOs and take pride in their work.
The Driver Programme enables this operator to better manage their owner drivers, ensure quality customer service and ensure that drivers are adequately supported.
More drivers are needed in anticipation of a busy year with many Stansted transfers1 from the airport to London expected later in 2013.
The programme consists of a varied fleet of cars from standard saloons to executive 8 seaters and the demand for more continues, We need MPV vehicles for the programme as they are the best airport transfer vehicles, in particular late model Ford Galaxy, VW Sharan or Seat Alhambra models.
The type of work drivers are offered who are accepted onto the programme varies, but is predominantly airport transfer or business/corporate transfers. Better quality work means that drivers are often safer, less at risk from fare dodgers, and other forms of anti-social behaviour linked to town/club type work.
Stansted Travel Services are always looking for motivated, hardworking drivers who can be located throughout the Essex/London area but MUST be Uttlesford licensed. For anyone in the trade who is interested in learning more about the Driver Programme then please click here2 for more information.
Stansted Travel Services are located close to Stansted and manage and operate a number of airport taxi and transfer brands – http://www.stanstedtravelservices.co.uk/3
References
- ^ Stansted transfers (www.stanstedtransfercars.com)
- ^ click here (www.stanstedtravelservices.co.uk)
- ^ http://www.stanstedtravelservices.co.uk/ (www.stanstedtravelservices.co.uk)
Describe a FIAT owner/driver!
Ok, I’m going to keep it 100% honest. I think we’re all adults here and can handle it. The moderators here are very sensible so I trust that they’ll understand the context with which I speak.
The last car I bought was a smart (car). I found it to be different an out-of-the-box car for iconoclasts (like myself) who aren’t afraid to drive a tiny little gas-efficient car.
However, I didn’t find a lot of the people (on the big forum anyway) to be of like-mind. There were enough people who were jerks (or who enabled and followed jerks) on the ‘big’ forum that it actually made me sorry I bought a smart car, in some respects. Some of the members and mostly the moderators on the big forum were clannish, a bit anti-intellectual and restrictive to an absurd degree.
On that certain forum, moderators would lock a thread for the dumbest reasons due to their own biases or to ‘settle’ an argument which for me always makes things worse. In real-life, adults talk things out or agree to stop talking about something on their own, without a moderator butting-in. Imagine you’re trying to work something out and some random person comes up and just mutes both of you. Nothing would be solved. I’ve been a moderator on a motorcycle forum (still am, really) and my policy was always to let adults hash it out. They always did…even when they fundamentally disagreed. Some of the debate opponents ended-up friends. The way I see it, nobody has to read anything they don’t like reading, but many do enjoy reading a good debate.
In an off-topic thread I started on that ‘smart’ forum, I was trying to see if there were other atheists (like myself) and they insta-locked the thread, hung me out to dry (left my thread up without letting people participate), claimed I was ‘all-alone’ in this (when I protested privately to the moderator) and then banned me. I was treated worse on that forum than any other forum in my history on the Internet since 1995 (I’ve been online since the first days of Compuserve) and I am not a troll. I am just someone who thinks honestly, has well-researched opinions, does not back down when he thinks he’s right (but can be swayed by good arguments) and I speak my mind with well-crafted posts. Any of you who have seen me posting here know my style, and that while I call ‘em like I see ‘em. I am not a troll but an enthusiast. Of course, the ‘smart’ forum does not know a ‘troll’ from someone who may go against the grain on any issue. Even explaining the difference between a troll and someone who merely disagrees was hopeless on this forum, at least for me.
Granted, things may be different now, but I am recounting my personal experience relating to a certain car and its online forum culture. A forum culture also comes from the moderators. It’s amazing how much damage that one bad moderator can do and I experienced that on the forum that supported my last car. I still have bad memories associated with that car because of that forum.
Now, I’ll explain my personality a bit: I’m an iconoclast, first and foremost. That means, I’ll challenge convention and status-quo if I happen to think it needs challenging, from the institution of marriage to religion, clothing manufacturing, video game design, infrastructure, etc. Nothing is exempt. There are no ‘sacred’ cows with me. I’m a progressive liberal Democrat (but a 2nd Amendment supporter), and I am not dogmatic about it. A good argument will sway me on any issue if I am wrong or misguided. Likewise, I expect people to be reasonable and rational if I advance an argument with them or am in disagreement in some fashion.
I value the written-word and enjoy a good debate, but do not suffer the intellectually-dishonest for long. I feel that facts should trump all else, including ego.
Finally, I’m an artist (been a video-game artist since 1989), musician, designer, atheist, activist and voracious reader (55 books on Kindle, all non-fiction). I’m interested in science and critical-thinking, and I am also a sportbike-rider and moto-vlogger. In-person, I love humor and do some mean accents.
Why do I like the FIAT?
One, I needed a small car because I love motorcycles, so my garage space needs to accommodate both.
Two, I love the design of it, its Italian heritage (I’m part Italian), and I just love the retro looks and great performance in the turbo models. I like that it’s different and a little cheeky, but still fairly practical. It feels like ‘me’. I like the Abarth in that it’s quick but doesn’t take itself *too* seriously. Or should I say, it’s a scorpion sting wrapped in a downy blanket.
I have to say, this board is light-years better than that certain other ‘smart’ car forum. I haven’t gotten banned yet just for being me so there is hope. I don’t know why the board cultures are so different (I have some ideas I could bore you-with) but this has been my experience. Your mileage may vary. 
Valuation Guide: Cargo Shipping | Fulcrum Inquiry
Industry Description
The freight shipping industry in the U.S. comprises deep sea freight transportation, inland water freight transportation, and coastal and Great Lakes freight transportation (SIC 4412, 4424, 4432, 4449; NAICS 483111, 483211, 483113). The global containerized shipping and logistics industry generates approximately $155 billion in revenue annually.1 Approximately $9 billion of that revenue is derived from the U.S. deep sea shipping industry.2
Within deep sea freight transportation, containers make up 27% of the freight transported, followed by boxed and palleted goods (21%), dry bulks (11%), bulk liquids and gases (8%), climate-controlled containers (8%), and other freight (25%).3 Although container services represent only about 30% of global ton-miles, they account for approximately 80% of total shipment values.2
The industry is primarily focused around major ports. Within the U.S. the top three ports ranked by tons of traffic are the Port of South Louisiana, Houston, and New York/New Jersey. The top three ports ranked by container traffic are Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York.2
The ships themselves are the primary assets of most shipping companies. The average container ship can carry about 3,000 40-foot containers.2 The average age of U.S. owned fleets is approximately 15 years.2 On average, ships last between 25 to 40 years and are rebuilt several times during their lifetime.2 Ships are often outfitted with complex information technology systems that manage routing and monitor weather patterns.2 Ships typically travel with a crew of about 20 and travel at approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour.2
The U.S. deep sea shipping industry includes about 500 companies, with the top 50 generating almost 95% of the total industry revenue. As of January 2013, the top 10 maritime shipping companies ranked by cargo capacity are:4
- APM-Maersk
- Mediterranean Shipping Company
- CMA-CGM Group
- COSCO Container Line
- Evergreen Line
- Hapag-Lloyd
- APL
- Hanjin Shipping
- CSCL
- MOL
Industry Trends
Trends in the shipping industry are primarily driven by changes in the world economy. A few of the most significant changes are:
- Industry growth is decreasing as economic growth slowsThe shipping industry is closely aligned with the world economy and international import and export trends. Prior to 2008, worldwide container shipping volumes grew at 12.6% annually.5 Growth then began decreasing as worldwide GDP growth slowed. In 2011, the global container shipping industry had annual growth of only 6.6%, or almost half the rate of growth prior to the recession.5 This decreased growth is due in large part to the sluggish economic conditions in Europe.5
- Shipping companies are increasing fleet sizeMany shipping companies began expanding their capacity to meet increased demand during the pre-recession growth period, and they continued placing orders for new ships once they believed the economy was recovering in 2010.5 In particular, the orders for new ships have primarily been for larger ships that can carry more cargo. Consequently, fleet capacity has been expanding, while the growth in demand has been decreasing. Capacity grew 7.9% in 2011 and was projected to grow 8.1% in 2012 and 10.6% in 2013.5 As a result of the increase in capacity and the slowing growth in demand, analysts expect competition in the industry to increase.5
- Fuel costs threaten profitsFuel costs are by far the largest operating cost for shipping companies.6 Over the last several years, the price of oil has reached record highs. Overall, the price of fuel has increased 300% since 2000.6
- The piracy threat remainsPiracy continues to pose a threat to shipping crews, particularly in the Indian Ocean along the coast of Somalia. Over 60 seafarers have been killed by pirates in recent years, and more than 4,000 others have been taken hostage.6 In response to the threat of piracy, shipping companies are increasingly hiring private armed guards to help ensure ship security.6
Key Performance Metrics
The following are performance metrics that managers in the freight shipping business use to benchmark their performance against others in the industry:
- Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs, a measure of cargo capacity)
- Dead weight tonnage (DWT)
- Gross register tonnage (GRT)
- TEU carried annually
- % of containers full
- Ton-miles (cargo weight x distance traveled)
- Annual turnover
Industry Organizations and Publications
Some organizations that publish helpful information about freight shipping include:
- U.S. International Logistics website: www.export.gov, forms and information about exporting freight out of the U.S.
- International Freight Association: www.ifa-online.com, an association of logistics and transportation companies covering 160 international locations
- International Chamber of Shipping: www.ics-shipping.org, in association with the International Shipping Federation it forms the principal trade association for merchant ship operators and publishes annual reviews of the global shipping industry
- Marine Insight: www.marineinsight.com, news and articles covering the maritime, cruising, boating, and offshore industries
Summary of Valuation Approaches
There are four commonly accepted valuation methods that should be considered when valuing a freight shipping company. These methods are:
- Asset-based valuation: This method calculates a business s equity value as the fair market value of a company s assets less the fair market value of its liabilities. This approach is also sometimes referred to as a cost based approach ; that is, the business s value is equal to the cost of acquiring its physical assets.
- Income approach to value (capitalization of earnings): This method is most applicable to companies that face predictable and constant growth in earnings and have a long history of operations. The business value under this method is equal to the cash flow projection for one year divided by a capitalization rate (i.e. the appropriate discount rate less the predicted growth rate).
- Income approach to value (discounted cash flow): The value of equity utilizing this method is equal to the present value of free cash flows available to equity holders over the life of the business. This method works well for both established companies with low growth rates as well as new companies with higher rates of growth, but requires predicting changes in future cash flows.
- Market approach to value: This method utilizes market indications of value based on metrics from guideline publicly traded grocery companies and privately held businesses. The financial metrics of public companies or those of private transactions can be used to create valuation multiples that are then used to calculate business value.
Benchmark Statistics
The following benchmarking data is based on studies from various coastal and Great Lakes shipping companies: 7
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Operating profit%
17.5%
20.7%
13.2%
14.2%
11.4%
Sales/Fixed assets
1.1
.9
1.1
.7
1.8
Current ratio
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.1
As a further point of comparison, the following data is based on studies from various inland water freight transportation companies: 7
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Operating profit%
20.0%
15.8%
12.2%
14.5%
14.4%
Owners Compensation/Sales%
2.2%
1.3%
2.3%
2.6%
3.4%
Sales/Fixed assets
1.0
1.4
1.2
1.7
1.5
Current ratio
1.3
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.4
Before using this data for specific valuation purposes it should be evaluated for appropriateness.
Availability of Publicly Traded Comparable Companies
Many of the large freight shipping companies are publicly traded on foreign exchanges. The availability of financial data for publicly traded deep sea freight companies makes it possible to compare a subject company to industry benchmarks and apply industry multiples. When valuing a freight business, however, it is important to use benchmarks and multiples based on companies that are similar to the subject company.
The top five publicly traded shipping companies, ranked by market capitalization, are:8
- APM-Maersk ($35.3 billion)
- COSCO ($5.2 billion)
- Orient Overseas (International) Limited ($4.3 billion)
- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines ($4.2 billion)
- Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha ($4.1 billion)
The price to earnings ratios of these companies range from 11.1 to 53.6.11 Overall, publicly traded companies in the air delivery and freight services industries have a price to earnings ratio of 18.3.9
Availability of Private Purchase Transactions
In addition to public shipping companies, data regarding privately held companies can also provide a useful benchmark when valuing a freight shipping business. The size and scope of private companies that have been bought and sold over the last five years varies greatly, both in terms of their sales and the purchase price paid for the companies.
Fulcrum identified two private purchases of freight shipping companies over the five year period from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2012. These transactions show the following ranges:10
- Total deal values ranged from $202 million to $552 million.
- Market value of invested capital (MVIC) to net sales ranged from 3.6 to 5.9 times.
- MVIC to earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation (EBITDA) ranged from 7.5 to 11.9.
This range of market multiples is based on an extremely small sample and is too variant to be useful without further analysis. Furthermore, both companies identified are related to the petroleum industry, which may not necessarily be representative of freight shipping as a whole. As with selecting publicly traded guideline companies, care should be given to select private transactions that share similarities with the subject company. The financial metrics of a potential guideline transaction should be compared with those of the subject. Additionally, industry economic conditions also vary over time, which can affect cargo shipping businesses as investment opportunities. Specific factors that are unique for each company must be considered.
Fulcrum Inquiry performs business appraisals1 for shipping companies and other businesses2.
1 Global Containerized Shipping & Logistics: Market Research Report, www.IBISWorld.com
2 Hoovers: Deep Sea Shipping
3 Industry Statistics Sampler: NAICS 483111 Deep Sea Freight Transportation, Product Lines, U.S. Census Bureau
4 Alphaliner Top 100, Operated fleets as per 30 January 2013, www.alphaliner.com
5 Industry Research: Container Shipping, TRIS Rating, June 15, 2012.
6 Annual Review, International Chamber of Shipping
7 RMA (The Risk Management Association)
9 Industry Center Air Delivery & Freight Services, Yahoo! Finance
10 Private transaction data obtained from Pratt s Stats available through www.bvmarketdata.com
Posted in Valuation and Appraisal, Valuation Guides34
References
- ^ business appraisals (www.fulcrum.com)
- ^ other businesses (www.fulcrum.com)
- ^ View all posts in Valuation and Appraisal (www.fulcrum.com)
- ^ View all posts in Valuation Guides (www.fulcrum.com)
Scania, Siemens partner for roof-connected electric trucks
San Francisco Bay Area readers, or anyone who has ridden (or driven behind) Muni buses, are more than familiar with the concept of electric-powered commercial vehicles getting energy through a roof-mounted apparatus connected to wires. Now, Sweden-based Scania and German company Siemens are partnering on a similar technology that would be used by commercial trucks on Sweden’s highways.
The companies aren’t releasing a ton of detail on the subject, only saying that the trucks will have pantographs (i.e., those roof-mounted things) that will let trucks be powered by electricity through nearby wires. That means far less diesel being belched on Sweden’s roads. Scania was a sister company of Saab1 for more than a quarter century before the companies were split in 1995.
“Full-scale demonstration of electrified road sections can quickly become a reality through this partnership,” says Henrik Henriksson, Executive Vice President and head of Scania’s sales and marketing, in a statement. How quick? We’ll hopefully find out soon. In the meantime, you can read Scania’s press release below2.
Scania and Siemens to develop electrically powered vehicles
Scania and Siemens have entered into a partnership which involves the integration of Siemens technology to power vehicles with Scania’s expertise in the electrification of powertrains in trucks and buses. The partnership means that Sweden may become the world’s first country with electrically powered trucks and electrified roads for commercial use.
Scania has for a long time explored the possibilities of electrifying the powertrain in buses and trucks. Siemens has been working with technology, in which vehicles receive power from a wire in the air via a pantograph on the roof. The two companies have now teamed up to develop electrically powered trucks for commercial use.
“Full-scale demonstration of electrified road sections can quickly become a reality through this partnership,” says Henrik Henriksson, Executive Vice President and head of Scania’s sales and marketing. “Fuel savings made possible by electrification are huge, and this project is a foundation stone for fossil-free road transport.”
Scania continuously strives to reduce heavy transport’s environmental impact, and the development of electric vehicles will be an important part of the transition to a more sustainable transport system. Scania’s powertrain technology with a hybrid powertrain (a combination of electric and internal combustion technology) can be supplemented by electrical transmission through a line in the air (conduction) or powered through the road surface (induction), thus becoming completely electrically powered on electrified road sections.
For further information, please contact Hans- ke Danielsson, Press Manager, tel. +46 8 553 856 62.
Scania is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. Service-related products account for a growing proportion of the company’s operations, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime Scania also offers financial services. Employing some 38,600 people, the company operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In 2012, net sales totalled SEK 79.6 billion and net income amounted to SEK 6.6 billion. Scania press releases are available on www.scania.com (http://www.scania.com/se)
References
DAF Trucks Strengthens its Market Position
DAF Trucks NV is a division of Pacific Car and Foundry Company (PACCAR) and is a Dutch truck manufacturing company. The headquarters of DAF is in Eindhoven, where the main manufacturing plant of the company is also located. The Westerlo factory in Belgium manufactures some Cabs and axle assemblies. Some models of trucks that are sold with the DAF brand are also designed and manufactures by Leyland Trucks in the Farrington plant of Leyland. The first truck produced by DAF was in 1949 and was called the A30. This was subjected to numerous upgrades as the wars went by. The first attempt of the company to venture into the international market with the model 2000DO was a complete failure. But their next model the 2600 became a best seller in the international market. DAF Trucks were the first to be fitted with turbo charged diesel engines and now is very common in trucks.
DAF Trucks market share in Europe
The market share of DAF Trucks has been steadily increasing in the last few years. They have a share of about 16% in the heavy segment. Heavy segment is the segment where the payload capacity is more than 16 tonnes. In the heavy tractor segment the company has a market share of about 19.1%. DAF Trucks are the second largest truck brand in European Union and they lead the markets in Hungary, Poland, UK, Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands. The increase in market share of DAF Trucks is largely attributed to the strong and loyal customer base that they have been able to achieve over the years and with the new models that have been launched getting great reviews, the company is expected to strengthen its position in the European market.
DAF Truck Models
DAF Truck Models are sold as three different model series CF series, XF series and LF series.
Lately there has been a new addition to the model series of DAF and that is the LF Hybrid series
The XF series is said to be built for the long haul and has low operating costs, high reliability and the best driver satisfaction. The cabin is very spacious and is very comfortable for the driver and is a top performer.
The CF series is available in tractor or in rigid chassis and is said to have excellent maneuverability and the multifunctional chassis makes it ideal for every application
The LF series is very good for distribution in urban or rural areas. Agility in traffic, low curb weights, tight turning radius and easy maneuverability is the aspects of these models. LF series is also available in Hybrid versions.
The future of DAF Trucks
Even though there is a decrease that is seen in the commercial vehicles market1 of about 9% in 2012 when compared to 2011, DAF trucks have been able to maintain its growth and has become the second largest commercial tuck brand in Europe and the recent trends are suggesting that this will continue as the DAF trucks are becoming a good option for truck buyers.
References
- ^ vehicles market (www.carid.com)
A History of DAF Trucks | NWACOWORK.COM
History
The company started production of automobiles back in 1928 when the company was founded by Hubert Hub Van Doorne and his partner Huenges. The truck business started off as a small car business and soon expanded into a large workshop by the end of 1940.
The tragic destruction of Second World War, and the world s focus upon military endeavours in this period left the world with a reduced number of luxury vehicles. This is where DAF started to make its mark, initially creating luxury vehicles in the post-war period. From 1949 onwards, Van Doorne started to create trucks, with the first model being the DAF A30.
In 1975, DAF sold it s remaining car interests to Volvo, and began focussing solely on it s more successful truck range.
It was in 1987 that DAF started to expand its truck division. In 1987, DAF bought Leyland Trucks and finally came into existence on the Dutch stock exchange. Subsequently in 1987, the 95 series was released, winning DAF the International Truck1 of the Year award in 1988. In 1991, DAF started to sell trucks with more powerful engines, starting from 330 Bhp, going all the way to 430 Bhp, and was the first company to introduce a turbocharged diesel engine into their trucks, which was quite an advancement for trucks as additional power in such large vehicles is quite desirable.
In 1990, the bus division of DAF (DAF Bus) split from the company and became a part of United Bus. In 1994, DAF started creating some of the longest haul trucks in the market. These long haul vehicles quickly became a favourite in the haulage world.
Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt and DAF NV was no more. Fortunately, DAF Trucks soon emerged and since 1993, the company has continued it s tfru ck building activities, with several successful models built and released.
Car Business
DAF also developed a range of cars during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, some using an innovative continuously variable transmission , the first of its kind, rather than a more traditional geared transmission. This kind of transmission effectively allowed for an infinite number of gear ratios, and offered both better theoretical fuel economy and engine performance, and also acted as a kind of primitive slip differential in corners, although the limitations of technology at the time mean that the CVT was only suitable for use with small engines. Despite its potential advantages the continuously variable transmission has since seen little widespread use outside of some automatic cars.
DAF released several cars during the 1950-1970s period, leading to Volvo gaining a large stake in DAF in the 1970s. Volvo re-released the DAF 66 as the Volvo 66, with only some minor adjustments.
While DAF s car range was only limited, they made a very large number of prototypes, particularly for such a small company, and some of these prototypes, such as the DAF 77, later went on to become famous vehicles under different names, with the DAF 77 ultimately becoming the Volvo 343.
Truck Models
Over the years DAF have produced a large range of successful trucks, eventually introducing a new cab style in the 1980s, which has persisted to this day.
In recent years, DAF Trucks have produced 3 different truck models. These include the DAF CF, XF and LF series.
The right hand drive DAF CF models are assembled in the UK at Leyland Trucks. These trucks are simple and provide truck owners with everything they need to get going.
The DAF XF models are truly great mid-range truck models that offer both hauling power and luxury. This is one of the most successful truck series to ever hit the road. In fact, the XF 105 even won the International Truck of the Year award in 2007.
The series was so successful that the DAF XF 95 series has even been used in the military. The XF95 Tropco Tractor is even used by the Canadian Forces Land Force Command to transport tanks from base to base.
The DAF LF models are some of the best trucks ever made. These trucks go toe to toe with some of the best trucks in the industry, even the hybrid LF45. In 2002, the LF series won the International Truck of the Year.
DAF has also participated in a number of truck racing competitions from the 1980s up to the 2000s, winning several races, and placing well in numerous other races too.
Buying DAF Trucks
Thanks in part to their reliability and flexibility, DAF trucks are widespread and available across the world, and there are a great many places online and offline where you will find DAF trucks for sale, sadly the DAF car models are now rarities and almost entirely a collector s interest.
Incoming search terms:
References
- ^ DAF the International Truck (nwacowork.com)
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