•	Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles join forces as “Daimler Trucks Asia” under the new Asia Business Model
•	Wider choice for customers: 5 all-new FUSO truck models underway for export to select 15 Asian and African markets starting June 2013
•	Doubling of “Daimler Trucks Asia” sales by 2020 to over 290,000 units annually

Chennai, India/Kawasaki, Japan - Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), one of Asia’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (DICV), today, unveiled its strategic plans to join forces as “Daimler Trucks Asia” under the new “Asia Business Model.” Moving ahead under the new business model, an all-new strategic FUSO truck for Asia and Africa was unveiled to customers, distributors, and the members of the media at DICV Oragadam Plant, Chennai, India, on May 23, 2013. The first strategic trucks manufactured at the DICV plant will arrive at first markets outside of India starting June 2013.

The Asia Business Model is an integral component of Daimler Trucks Global Excellence Program ‘DT#1 (Daimler Trucks Number One)’ designed to secure Daimler Trucks leadership position in the key growth markets in Asia and Africa. By leveraging its operational strengths in Kawasaki, Japan, and Chennai, India, the new business model is targeted to pull in further unit sales increases, thus, as “Daimler Trucks Asia” making a major contribution to Daimler Trucks overall sales target of over 500,000 units sold in the year 2015 and more than 700,000 trucks in the year 2020.

Dr. Albert Kirchmann, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia and MFTBC President & CEO, said, “Today is an exciting moment for us. The New Asia Business Model will enable us to unlock full potential among MFTBC and DICV, and we are already bringing strategies into reality. We have done our homework in repositioning our MFTBC operations, ramping up DICV business, and establishing presence of the BharatBenz brand in India. Coming out of the unimaginable 2011 earthquake crisis in Japan, we have achieved a record operational result in 2012. Now, with the strategic FUSO truck ready for launch for export outside of India, our growth story ‘FUSO 2015’ is at full speed ahead.”

Mr. Marc Llistosella, DICV Managing Director & CEO, said, “Over the last 4 years DICV has made clear promises to deliver the most-reliable and cost-efficient trucks to the Indian trucker, and we have delivered on all of them. The launch of FUSO trucks from our manufacturing facility at Chennai is a clear demonstration of the same exacting quality standards practiced by Daimler facilities around the world. The export potential of DICV adds strength to our business plan while also encouraging the possibility of higher sourcing from the Indian suppliers.”

The new business model will enable Daimler Trucks Asia to fully leverage its product portfolio, R&D network, joint sourcing, and global production footprint. Short-term joint projects are already underway in areas including sourcing, logistics, and shared IT systems and platforms. Joint project committees are also in place to leverage strengths of each side. Both companies, MFTBC and DICV, will remain as independent legal entities.

While the Japanese market, the home turf of MFTBC, remains one of Daimler Trucks Asia’s important focus markets, the global economy shows significant growth potential shifting to Asia and its surrounding developing markets like Africa. The new Asia Business Model is precisely designed to address these trends and uplift Daimler Trucks Asia’s operational excellence.

Integrated Asia product portfolio
MFTBC will continue to enhance its traditional Japanese heritage product line with strong focus placed on an integrated Daimler Trucks Asia product portfolio which will lead to wider product coverage. The new range of trucks unveiled today is one successful example of the short-term product projects underway with DICV.

Asia R&D network leveraging DICV and Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India (MBRDI) operations
An integrated R&D approach will enable MFTBC to leverage leading position in Software R&D in Bangalore and full-fledge testing infrastructure and cost efficient R&D capabilities in Chennai. On the other hand, the integrated approach will provide DICV access to MFTBC experienced R&D capabilities and test facilities.

Joint procurement for MFTBC and DICV – full leverage of DICV supplier base
Great synergies are targeted under the newly aligned Daimler Trucks Asia operations from leveraging DICV's supplier base. While MFTBC has already leveraged its operations within the global Daimler Trucks procurement organization, this next step will enable MFTBC to leverage India products for its second-genuine brand Diamond Value Parts and endeavor new suppliers for Daimler Trucks Asia. The tried and tested supplier base in India through the experience of the BharatBenz trucks enables the advantage for a coordinated procurement and supplier management function to ensure greater cost-efficiencies while maintaining high quality.

Daimler Trucks Asia Kawasaki and Chennai production hubs
Daimler Trucks Asia under the new Asia Business Model is moving towards an optimized Asia footprint with two major production hubs in Kawasaki, Japan, and Chennai, India. The Kawasaki plant is positioned as the central completely-built-up and knocked-down vehicles production hub especially in terms of delivering the highest standards to meet the ever demanding customer requirements for light-duty, medium-duty, heavy-duty truck products for Japan and international markets. The Chennai plant will concentrate on truck deliveries of Mercedes-Benz and BharatBenz trucks for India and on export of the all-new robust FUSO trucks for select markets in Asia and Africa, thus, complementing the central Kawasaki production hub.

The FUSO truck range manufactured at DICV Oragadam plant comprises 5 models, the light-medium-duty (GVW 9-16 tons referred to as ‘FA’ & ‘FI’) and the medium-heavy-duty (GVW 25-49 tons referred to as ‘FJ’, ‘FO’ & ‘FZ’).

Mr. Kai-Uwe Seidenfuss, MFTBC Senior Vice President of Sales and After Sales, said, “Our new lineup of fuel-efficient, state-of-the-art FUSO trucks will fill the growing customer demand in Asia and Africa, thus adding further growth for Daimler Trucks Asia. Moving ahead, we will supply a total of 15 export markets starting with Sri Lanka in June 2013 followed by other select markets.”

Other markets include Bangladesh, Zambia, Kenya, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, with further markets currently evaluated.

Strong focus on value chain expansion and international aftersales push will bring significant volumes for Daimler Trucks Asia. The new Asia Business Model aims for a doubling of its Daimler Trucks Asia sales (MFTBC and DICV combined) to over 290,000 units annually by 2020.

With its growth strategy FUSO 2015, MFTBC has embarked on a clear company initiative aimed at increasing operational excellence in all aspects. It is based on 5 strategic pillars, including ‘Leader in Green Innovation,’ ‘Profitable Global Player,’ ‘Efficiency Leader,’ ‘Customer Number One in Japan,’ and ‘Employer Number One.’

Under “Profitable Global Player,” MFTBC aims for significant increase in global sales while ensuring a strong home base in Japan and Asia. FUSO 2015 is a holistic improvement program, encompassing all parts of the business. It addresses major drivers to grow the business in all aspects, building on the cost and efficiency gains of its realignment program.

FUSO 2015 is a holistic improvement program, encompassing all parts of the business. It addresses major drivers to grow the business in all aspects, building on the cost and efficiency gains of its realignment program.

Based in Kawasaki, Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) is one of Asia's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. In 2012, the company sold a total of about 174,000 vehicles including light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. Daimler AG owns 89.29% of MFTBC shares and various Mitsubishi group companies own 10.71% of MFTBC shares. MFTBC is an integral part of the Daimler Trucks Division of Daimler AG.

Mitsubishi Fuso is “All for you.”

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd (DICV), a 100% subsidiary of Daimler AG, was established to harness the potential of the India Truck market. To this end it conducted exhaustive studies on the Indian conditions related to customers, terrain and future possibilities. As a result, today, DICV has established a strong brand of trucks based on established ‘Daimler Trucks Technical Platforms’.