kscarbel2

In general, I agree with you 200 percent. Car and truckmaking CEOs must be competent, and held accountable. The incompetent management at the old GM was inexcusable. Now we all know how cyclical the truck industry is. It challenges the best of CEOs. And yet our nation's economy depends on trucks. Other countries protect their truck industries. As a result of the US government not doing the same, foreign aggressors have taken over our domestic truck industry. That is not a good thing.

Globally, Volvo has the volume and Renault Truck is the bright star. In the US market, the Volvo brand continues to grow while the Mack brand remains stagnant with a very small line-up that inherently can't grow by much. Remember, in the old days when Mack sold volume, we had a broad product range (as the Volvo brand does today). If Mack and UD went away tomorrow, Volvo wouldn't lose a minute's sleep.

How GM can gain from carbon fiber in trucks Richard Truett, Automotive News / December 8, 2017 We've known for a long time that General Motors was going to respond in a big way to Ford Motor Co.'s lightweight aluminum F-150, and now some details of the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups are starting to ooze out ahead of next year's introduction. Automotive News, citing two sources, reported that the trucks will be available with a bed made of carbon fiber. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, first reported the plans on Wednesday. Such a move -- if the publications' sources are correct -- would likely shave hundreds of pounds from the trucks' curb weight. It would also probably add significant cost to the truck, which would mean higher sticker prices or lower margins or some combination of the two. Combine the lightweight bed with GM's mixed-materials strategy of using high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium and cast parts in the body in white, and GM -- on paper -- looks to be able to deliver a truck that will weigh significantly less than competitors such as the Ford F-150. GM has been giving its mixed-materials manufacturing system a dry run on the low-volume Cadillac CT6 sedan, which when launched in 2016 was the lightest car in its class and the class below. By using different metals for the body structure, GM can save money on materials while producing a stronger, stiffer body. But using different metals greatly complicates manufacturing. Not only do the right parts have to be delivered to the right place at the right time, but the number and type of fasteners also varies. Last May, GM let reporters peek behind its manufacturing r&d curtain, showing us how it was taking weight out of its vehicles. GM took issue with Ford's approach of using aluminum for the F-150's entire body in white. "No single material is the right answer for every part of the body," Charlie Klein, executive director of GM's global CO2 strategy and energy center engineering, told me at the time. "Each material has its own properties. We use the best material for each component, the right material in the right place and the right amount of material." Lowering weight, of course, brings many benefits, such as improved fuel economy, better performance and shorter stopping distances. So, let's assume GM's new trucks -- it's possible they will debut next month at the Detroit auto show -- will be the lightest on the market. The next question is: How is GM going to leverage that advantage? The F-150's fuel economy didn't improve much initially when the truck switched from steel to aluminum. Instead, Ford decided to increase the amount of work the truck could do by raising the vehicle's towing and hauling ratings. That was a smart move. If there is one thing that gets the attention of truck buyers, it's how hard a truck can work. Since Ford launched the aluminum F-150 in 2015, it has rolled out powertrain upgrades -- such as a new 2.7-liter V-6, and a 10-speed automatic transmission -- that have boosted fuel economy to a class-leading 20 mpg city, 26 highway and 22 combined. (Ram's 2018 1500 diesel is not yet listed in the EPA fuel economy guide.) GM could mimic Ford and translate the weight savings into a bigger workload. It could also go for outright fuel economy leadership -- or a combination of the two. Even though gasoline is relatively cheap, fuel economy really matters to truck drivers. They don't like stopping at filling stations. The stakes are high Ford has consistently outfoxed GM for decades with the F-150, continually adding industry-first safety, convenience and luxury features and introducing the company's newest powertrains. Most importantly, Ford really gets into truck customers' heads by figuring out what buyers want. The new Silverado and Sierra will be the biggest test for GM's product development chief Mark Reuss. With such vehicles as the Cadillac CT6, Chevrolet Volt and Bolt, and the Cadillac V-series high-performance cars, Reuss has engineered a remarkable turnaround at GM. But the work of his team has been undermined in my view by ineffective marketing -- when was the last time you saw an ad for the Bolt EV, the Colorado diesel, the first truck to get an EPA 30 mpg highway rating, or the Cruze diesel, which has a 52 mpg highway rating? There isn't a weak vehicle in any of GM's four surviving brands. What to expect For GM's new trucks, here's what I expect: Outright fuel economy leadership in city, highway and combined ratings. Outright fuel economy leadership while a truck is towing and hauling -- perhaps the F-150's only weak point. Lowest curb weight, all models. A robust repair program at launch that removes doubt about dealers and body shops being able to quickly and correctly repair accident damage. Industry best stopping distances. At least one new, exclusive technology, such as Dynamic Skip Fire, the next-generation digital cylinder cut-off system GM and Delphi Technologies is developing with Tula Technology Inc., a Silicon Valley startup. An optional V-6 diesel to compete with the one coming in the F-150 and with the Ram 1500 diesel. GM's full-size pickups have to make a big statement. These are GM's cash cows. They must be successful for GM to pay the bills to develop autonomous cars and to pay for the next generation of its electric vehicles and fuel cell technology. Getting it right And this time, all of GM's cylinders -- engineering, manufacturing, marketing, etc. -- have to get it right. Ford, under the same pressure, is not going to ease off the throttle on F-series upgrades. Competition is getting stronger, too. Ram outsold Silverado three times this year in monthly sales, and the big pickups from Toyota and Nissan have seen major upgrades resulting stronger sales, especially for the Nissan Titan. With the new Silverado and Sierra, we're about to see what GM is really made of. .

Making money in the trucking industry is even harder than the auto industry (they have volume). It requires conscious government support. Government should recognize that a strong US-owned truck industry is essential to our nation's economy and security. Like foreign governments, the US has over the years bent over backwards to support our auto industry. Unlike foreign governments, the US has all but ignored its commercial truckmakers. And as a result, over half of the heavy trucks on America's roads today are produced by foreign aggressors.

The Newport News Liebherr plant was erected new in 1970. Liebherr interestingly does produce aircraft components in Germany. During WW2, Hans Liebherr was in the German engineering corps building bridges in Russia (which the IL-2 Sturmovik would blow up again). Hampton Roads, being an ideal port, was a massive staging area for troops and supplies heading to Europe and North Africa. (http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-ww2-port-of-embarkation-hampton-roads-20170616-story.html) Horses and mules....something I didn't know (https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/4/newport-news-became-a-springboard-for-wwii-war-hor/). In researching, I discovered that one of the Dodge brothers was a boating enthusiast and established a boating company on the Newport News waterfront at the former US Army base Camp Stuart (http://www.nnapprentice.com/alumni/letter/Dodge_Watercars.pdf). I'm a bit of a history buff.....thank you. Maybe you're speaking of this....in 1913, the city bought 75 acres at Newport News Creek and created a small boat harbor. In 2014, the Curtis Flying School opened there training pilots to fly Curtis flying boats. Schoo

With Scania, I can tell you that China today has strict environmental regulations Billy. The government is "now" spending massive amounts of money on clean energy. That truck above will be in the last generation of diesel trucks. The next will be electric or other. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/51557-norfolk-southern-sues-over-millions-of-rail-ties-it-calls-defective/?tab=comments#comment-384148

One carmaker copied the A-class. Another copied the old BMW X5. The latest, one copied the Evoque. But none of these are mainstream big sellers. Look at the SUVs, for example, from Great Wall, Changan, BYD and Guangqi. None are copies, and all are superb. Korea's SSangyong had one, the "Chairman", but it was built under license from M-B. They also built M-B SK series trucks under license as the SY range.

Billy, I assumed you were speaking of the last generation Argosy (old front fascia, ect.), because the New Argosy has never been sold in the US market to my knowledge (though we know Argosy glider kits are available in Canada). The shift lever is cable actuated, like most COEs nowadays. I myself would pass on the optional swing-out staircase.. .

Mark, finance guys are typically pretty confident about themselves but they generally know little to nothing about the product (they believe their product understanding is adequate). Like Denny, he came from construction and knows how to survive in Volvo's corporate world. Unlike Denny, he was in financial, not hands-on with the product. How does a background in construction relate to heavy trucks? Answer: It doesn't. Paul Vikner and Kevin Flaherty were the last men from the real Mack Trucks to serve as president (they were mere puppets under the new Volvo regime though, like China's last emperor Puyi under Japanese control in Manchukuo). Denny Slagle is a fine human being. However as Mack president, he has never gotten the brand airborne. I'm confident in saying that Weissburg won't either, and he'll be gone or reassigned within two years. Volvo will pull the plug on the Mack brand within fifteen years.

China has a great new F-16 like aircraft. They didn't copy. They bought the technology......from Israel. Background: General Dynamics developed a next generation F-16 II. The U.S. Air Force declined to buy it. Our employees in Washington agreed to allow Israel to produce it for themselves. It was called the Lavi program, and the U.S. taxpayer funded it (why we'll never know). The clincher: Israel didn’t build it, but secretly sold the design information to...........China. And today, the Chengdu (Jian) J-10 fighter is our adversary over the South China Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:J-10a_zhas.png), flying American technology.

The Germans (Karl Benz) invented the automobile, and the rest of the world copied them. The Chinese didn't invent the copying thing. Enamored with Scania's much admired modular design concept, all the world's truckmakers are continually trying to copy us. Foreign companies, in the auto-truck industry, are required to joint venture, and the foreign company is not allowed to own more than 50 percent of the JV, all so that the country benefits mutually with the foreign aggressor. I call that smart. In the US, foreign aggressors have taken over numerous industries. Without policies adequately protective of US industry, we are a far cry from the solid and powerful position we were once in, and a frail economy is the result.

Actually just the opposite is true in many cases. Hongyan has not leaped ahead with the Iveco joint venture. Foton is in gridlock with Daimler. Dongfeng is in gridlock with Volvo. FAW's commercial truck unit is leaping ahead on their own without any foreign partner. Sinotruk (aka. CNHTC - China National Heavy Truck Corp.) has developed well under their second JV with MAN. (Howo is just one of their brands, not the company name). Shacman (better known as Shaanxi Auto Group) has seen mixed results since the end of their MAN JV. They are no longer practicing "basic copy technology" as you put it. Assuming so would disconnect you from the reality. They are self-designing, and using Italian design studios (like European truckmakers), as well as global contract engineering firms (e.g. AVL and Ricardo) like the global car and truckmakers do. My market research photographs are corporate confidential. This one (below) of the upcoming FAW "J7" is from the internet. The J7 is not a copy of anything. .

This truck was produced at the Liebherr plant in Newport News, Virginia. .

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 6, 2017 See in less than two minutes how to use OptiTrack, the traction system which features hydraulic motors and gives the vehicle temporary extra pulling power. .

Martin Weissburg appointed President of Mack Trucks Volvo Group Press Release / December 8, 2017 Martin Weissburg, currently President of Volvo Construction Equipment, will become President of Mack Trucks effective June 1, 2018, in which capacity he will continue to be a member of the Executive Board for the Volvo Group. Martin Weissburg was born in 1962, and has served as President of Volvo Construction Equipment since 2014. He joined the Volvo Group in 2005 as President of Volvo Financial Services Americas, and in 2010 became global President of Volvo Financial Services. He will be headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. Martin Weissburg will succeed Dennis Slagle, who has led the company since 2008. Effective June 1, 2018, Dennis Slagle will remain with the Volvo Group as a special projects leader reporting to Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO. “Thanks to Denny Slagle’s leadership, the Volvo Group’s North American truck business has substantially improved its profitability and competitiveness, and is strongly positioned for the future,” comments Martin Lundstedt. “In Marty Weissburg, Mack Trucks will have another proven leader who is passionate about realizing the full potential of this great truck brand.” Journalists who would like further information, please contact: Joakim Kenndal, Volvo Group, Media Relations tel +46 31 323 72 29 or John Mies, Vice President Communications, Volvo Group North America+1 (336) 543-9094 . http://news.cision.com/volvo/r/martin-weissburg-appointed-president-of-mack-trucks,c2410048 .

Fleet Owner / December 8, 2017 Longtime Cummins leader, and brother of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, steps down after 36 years with the company. Cummins Inc. today announced that Ed Pence, the company vice president of strategic initiatives, is retiring after 36 years with the company, which included a variety of leadership roles. “Throughout Ed’s tenure, he was committed to excellence and success in all arenas – for our customers, our employees and our communities,” Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger and President and COO Rich Freeland said in a joint email to Cummins’ more than 55,000 employees. “He consistently, and over many years, invested time, energy and care into developing and maintaining customer relationships,” Freeland and Linebarger said. “As a result of those relationships, we were able to navigate difficult times much better than some of our competitors.” Pence, a native of Columbus and brother of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, said he was grateful for the chance to work at Cummins. He still remembers how excited he was to get a job offer from the company after graduating from IndianaUniversity in 1981. “Sharing experiences and working with people who represent both our past and our future has been personally enriching as I have moved through the twilight of my career,” Pence said. “I am grateful for the friendships and life experiences. Thank you, Cummins, for more than 36 great years!” Pence began his career at Cummins in purchasing, which he credits for helping him learn about the company’s products and operations. He then worked as an account manager before becoming the industrial sales manager for Cummins Diesel Australia. He next served as an account executive working with heavy duty truck customers, overcoming stiff competition and industry trends such as vertical integration, before becoming the leader of the High Horsepower Engine Business in 2012. Global markets began to decline after unprecedented growth the preceding five years. Nevertheless, the company continued investing in products like Cummins QSK95, the largest high-speed diesel engine on the market. That investment is paying off today across a number of key markets. “I am proud of the teamwork demonstrated by people collaborating across functions and borders while focusing on the most demanding marketplace applications and winning significant new business in the process,” Pence said. Most recently, Pence played a key role in restructuring at Cummins that led to High Horsepower’s merging with Cummins Power Generation to become Cummins Power Systems. He then joined Linebarger’s executive team and played a key role in laying the groundwork for the Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Joint Venture announced earlier this year, according to the company. While he enjoyed his role in the company’s evolution into a global power leader, Pence says he also took tremendous satisfaction from serving as a mentor to other employees. He was known for carrying a small copy of the company’s Mission, Vision and Values in his shirt pocket. “He sincerely views people as the company’s primary assets and his commitment to developing others can be seen in the careers of so many that have benefitted from his mentoring,” Linebarger and Freeland said. .

Actually, the latest Chinese heavy trucks, those coming out in 2018-2019, are virtually on par with the latest global market trucks. Underestimating that ability of their leading truckmakers would be a mistake on anyone's part.

https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/35887-transpower-unveils-their-latest-generation-electric-heavy-truck/?hl=transpower . . .

Meritor announces investment in electric vehicle tech company Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / December 8, 2017 Meritor is the latest truck component company to embrace electrification, announcing Friday a strategic investment in TransPower, a leader in electrification technologies for large commercial vehicles. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Meritor President and CEO Jay Craig, CEO says TransPower’s knowledge and hands-on experience with electrical vehicle technologies and system integration gives the company a significant competitive advantage in developing electrical drive systems in the evolving market. “This investment reinforces our commitment to deliver high-efficiency solutions for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles supported by proven solutions,” he says. California-based TransPower supplies integrated drive systems, full electric truck solutions and energy-storage subsystems to major manufacturers of trucks, school buses, refuse vehicles and terminal tractors. The company has been focused exclusively on developing electrical drive solutions for more than seven years. With its investment in TransPower, Meritor expects to accelerate introduction of its flexible electric axle platform for various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, single or tandem axles. Meritor’s lightweight carrier is designed for city-delivery, medium-duty and transit bus, as well as off-road and severe-duty applications. TransPower’s electric drive solutions have been in daily use in commercial vehicles built by major OEMs with approximately 110,000 miles logged, according to Michael Simon, president and CEO, TransPower. The company also retrofits its electric drive solutions into existing vehicle platforms. “Meritor’s investment in TransPower could enable large-scale manufacturing of electric drive components and systems,” Simon says. “Our expertise in systems engineering and controls for EVs complements Meritor’s strong brand and century of experience in designing and manufacturing drivetrain products for the commercial vehicle industry.”

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / December 7, 2017 Meritor announced a strategic investment in TransPower, an electrification technology for large commercial vehicles, to help speed the development of its electric vehicle platforms. California-based TransPower supplies various electric vehicle components to major manufacturers of trucks, buses, refuse vehicles and terminal tractors. The company has been focused exclusively on developing electrical drive solutions for more than seven years. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Meritor expects to accelerate introduction of its flexible electric axle platform with this investment. "TransPower's extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with electrical vehicle technologies and system integration gives us a significant competitive advantage in developing electrical drive systems for this evolving market," said Jay Craig, CEO and president for Meritor. "This investment reinforces our commitment to deliver high-efficiency solutions for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles supported by proven solutions." Meritor’s flexible electric axle platform is being designed for various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, and single or tandem axles. It's going to be targeted to medium-duty urban applications, as well as off-road and severe duty applications. TransPower CEO Michael Simon said the company’s electric drive solutions have been used in commercial vehicles built by major manufacturers in daily use, logging around 110,000 miles so far. The company’s systems can also be retrofitted into existing vehicle platforms. "Meritor's investment in TransPower could enable large-scale manufacturing of electric drive components and systems," Simon said. "Our expertise in systems engineering and controls for EVs complements Meritor's strong brand and century of experience in designing and manufacturing drivetrain products for the commercial vehicle industry." .

https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=25576277&privcapId=312375 Mr. Martin Weissburg serves as an Executive Vice President of AB Volvo (publ) and has been its Member of the Group Executive Board since March 01, 2016. Mr. Weissburg has been the President and Chief Executive Officer at Volvo Construction Equipment since 2014. He served as an Executive Vice President of Volvo Construction Equipment at AB Volvo since January 1, 2014. He served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Volvo Commercial Finance LLC The Americas. He served as the President at Volvo Financial Services AB since May 15, 2010 until January 2014. He served as an Executive Vice President - Volvo Financial Services at AB Volvo since January 01, 2013. Mr. Weissburg is responsible for global Operations at Volvo Financial Services. He served as Head of the financial services of North American operations at Volvo Financial Services LLC until 2005. He served as President of Americas operations at Volvo Financial Services AB from 2005 to May 2010. He served as the President at Great Dane Financial and Senior Vice President at Orix Financial. He also worked in capital markets for Heller Financial, and held positions with Caterpillar in the construction equipment and finance areas. Mr. Weissburg has a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and an MBA in International Business from George Washington University. Born 1962 in Ohio.

Caterpillar to Pay Millions for Crimes Against Customers, Including XPO Logistics Transport Topics / December 8, 2017 A wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. will pay tens of millions of dollars for intentionally cheating its customers with unnecessary repairs and dumping rail car parts into the ocean to cover up its actions. The Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 7 that United Industries part of Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services unit, will pay a $5 million criminal fine and $20 million in restitution. The company’s guilty plea was expected during a Dec. 7 hearing in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Caterpillar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United Industries case covers unnecessary repairs to rail cars owned by three companies: TTX Co., Greenbrier Co. and the Pacer International Unit of XPO Logistics Inc. The restitution will be split among them. XPO Logistics ranks No. 3 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest North American for-hire carriers. As part of the scheme, certain United Industries supervisors encouraged employees to smash brake parts with hammers, gouge wheels with chisels and yank handles loose in order to increase revenue by making repairs. Other unnecessary repairs were randomly selected and performed. United Industries employees then threw parts into the harbor at the Port of Long Beach to hide evidence from inspectors with the Federal Railroad Administration and Association of American Railroads. Divers working for port police later located the discarded parts on the ocean floor. The actions described in court documents occurred in 2008 and 2009. Caterpillar first disclosed the criminal investigation to shareholders in November 2013.

Jon Harris, The Morning Call / December 8, 2017 Mack Trucks will have a new top dog in its leadership structure by the middle of next year. Mack’s parent company, the Sweden-based Volvo Group, on Friday announced Martin Weissburg, president of Volvo Construction Equipment, will become president of Mack Trucks, effective June 1. He will succeed Dennis Slagle, who has led Mack since 2008 and, come June 1, will remain with Volvo as a special projects leader reporting to group President and CEO Martin Lundstedt. “Thanks to Denny Slagle’s leadership, the Volvo Group’s North American truck business has substantially improved its profitability and competitiveness, and is strongly positioned for the future,” Lundstedt said in a news release. “In Marty Weissburg, Mack Trucks will have another proven leader who is passionate about realizing the full potential of this great truck brand.” While a reason for the change was not provided in the news release, Mack spokesman Christopher Heffner indicated Slagle made the decision. “Having capped ten successful years with the introduction of the new Mack Anthem, Denny decided he wanted to take on new challenges,” Heffner wrote in an email. “He’ll be 64 next year, and thought that after we fully ramp up and commercialize the new product, it would be a good time to move on to new things. Quite simply, he felt the timing was right, and he could not be happier with the selection of Marty Weissburg as his successor.” In the 55-year-old Weissburg, Mack is getting a leader who is “commercially minded and someone who makes decisions based on facts and an analytical framework that allows for taking action quickly,” according to his biography on Volvo’s website, which also describes him as “high energy.” Weissburg, an Ohio native, on Jan. 1, 2014, started as president of Volvo Construction Equipment, the second-largest division — with estimated 2017 sales of about $8 billion — of the $37 billion Volvo Group. Weissburg, who joined the Volvo Group in 2005 as president of Volvo Financial Services Americas, will continue to be a member of Volvo’s executive board. He will be based in Greensboro, N.C., where Mack relocated its headquarters — and 580 jobs — from Allentown in 2009. Mack, however, still has a large presence in the LehighValley, a footprint that includes a massive LowerMacungieTownship assembly plant that employs about 2,000 people. The most senior manufacturing leader for Mack in the LehighValley is Rickard Lundberg, who took over as vice president and general manager of Mack’s Lehigh Valley Operations on Oct. 1, 2016. Weissburg will join Mack at what executives have called an exciting time for the brand, which the company has been repositioning since 2014 when it unveiled a new logo. Mack also has reinvested in its Lehigh Valley facilities, completing a $3 million renovation at its Allentown customer center and carrying out an $84 million investment in its Lower Macungie plant to make the facility more modern, integrated and efficient. The plant also is getting a new task: Assembling Mack’s new highway truck, Anthem, which was unveiled in September. The Anthem, with full production beginning in the first quarter, represents an opportunity for Mack to grow its long-haul business and achieve its market share ambitions in North America. The truck maker also has boosted its marketing efforts this year, announcing several partnerships aimed at expanding its audience reach while also amplifying its messaging around certain products, such as the Anthem. To name a couple: Mack in July announced a partnership with Khalil Mack, the Oakland Raiders’ pass-rushing phenom who helped the company promote the Anthem, and, just this week, announced a partnership agreement with Petty’s Garage, the high-performance speed shop founded in 2008 by Richard Petty. Business hasn’t been bad, either. Through September, Mack is riding a 53 percent jump in orders — a barometer of future deliveries — as the North American construction segment remains strong and the long-haul and regional haul markets are on the upswing. “I promise you that the best days for Mack are still to come,” Slagle said during September’s unveiling of the Anthem at the PPLCenter in Allentown. “After today, the game changes.” After June 1, how the game changes will be in the hands of Weissburg. .

Billy, I've no idea why you'd compare the superb Freightliner Argosy to the hideous Pontiac Aztec. The Argosy, from South Africa to Australia, does a great job and is a pleasure to drive. . . .