Daimler’s Worldwide Sales Rising Despite U.S. Slump
HANOVER, Germany — Daimler Trucks’ worldwide sales are continuing to climb, despite the pronounced slump in North America, company officials told reporters at the opening of the International Motor Show Commercial Vehicles here Tuesday.
Surging sales in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe have offset the more than 17% decline in North American sales, according to Andreas Renschler, who runs Daimler Trucks, the largest producer of commercial vehicles in the world.
“Our sales will actually increase slightly this year, because Daimler Trucks is growing rapidly in all markets” outside of North America, Japan and Western Europe, he said.
For the first eight months of 2008, orders were 3% higher than the previous year, Renschler said.
Through August, worldwide sales for Daimler Trucks was around 311,000, compared with 309,656 during the same period last year, he said.
Daimler Trucks North America makes Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star brand Class 8 trucks in the United States.
