With a market share of 15 per cent in the first half of the year, Daimler Buses is once again underscoring its leading position in the international bus business. During the period, Daimler Buses sold 15,112 Mercedes-Benz, Setra and Orion brand buses and chassis worldwide (January-June 2008: 20,243). During this period the unit posted revenues of slightly more than Euro 2 billion (January-June 2008: Euro 2.24 billion), while its EBIT amounted to Euro 114 million (Euro 245 million).
“Despite a challenging economy, we maintained our position as the world market leader and even gained market shares in some regions. This shows the Daimler Buses business system is very stable. The profitability comes to an operating margin of 6%. We can therefore look forward to the coming months with confidence,” said Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses at a press conference during the run-up to the Busworld event at Kortrijk.
In the first half of 2009 sales on the international bus market declined worldwide. The impact of this development also was felt by Daimler Buses, even if its declines were much smaller than those on the overall market. On the key German domestic market as well as in Spain, Italy and France, Daimler Buses successfully bucked the trend and gained market shares. In Brazil the market share has been defended, while in Mexico the market share was enhanced by 10 basis points. With its market share of 60 per cent Daimler Buses continues to be the market leader by a wide margin. On the overall declining North American market, the company generated considerable growth in sales (+17 per cent).
Major contracts won were one reason why Daimler Buses succeeded in securing the market shares. The two most recent major contracts are with customers in the Netherlands: 350 Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban and inter-city buses are to be delivered to the public transportation company Qbuzz, while 75 Citaros with natural gas drive systems have been ordered for the Arnhem-Nijmegen region. And in Berlin the public transportation company is expanding its bus fleet with 144 Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban buses.
With the official ceremony to mark the delivery of the 25,000th Citaro to a customer, the vehicle is the best-selling urban bus ever built. The municipal transportation company of Tashkent (Uzbekistan) ordered 200 Mercedes-Benz Conectos for city service.
Daimler Buses won other major contracts in South Africa, where more than 125 Mercedes-Benz feeder buses will be delivered for the Gautrain rapid transit project. Daimler Buses North America recently received orders for more than 300 regular-service buses, travel coaches, and shuttle buses. And from Chile it received an order for 700 chassis, the largest so far in 2009.
Sustained success will be possible thanks to Daimler Buses’ strategic approach, which encompasses the four core objectives of Operational Excellence/Efficiency, Growth in Existing Markets, Growth in New Markets, and Technological Leadership. “We are continuously working on improving our core processes, cost structures, and sales strategy,” said Schick. “This means, for example, that we are making our European production network even more flexible and doing all we can to fulfill our customers’ wishes with even greater precision and customization.” In addition, Daimler Buses will forge ahead with the development of new products. This includes development of the new Euro 6-compliant generation of engines and the focus on alternative drive technologies such as diesel-electric and fuel cell hybrids. And there will be even greater cooperation with local partners, for instance in India, Russia and China.
“Coach of the Year 2010”
The European bus and coach jury at this year’s Busworld has crowned the Mercedes-Benz Travego, currently available since the beginning of 2009 in its third generation, “Coach of the Year 2010”. The trophy was awarded by Stuart Jones, President of the Coach of the Year jury, to Michael Göpfarth, Manager of the Mercedes-Benz Bus and Coach Unit of EvoBus GmbH, on October 15.
The Travego emerged victorious after the jury of experts from 17 European countries put the Travego through its paces against four other European competitors at the Coach Euro Test in June 2009 in Senlis, Paris.
