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Associated Press / February 6, 2015 Swedish truck maker AB Volvo has posted a fourth-quarter loss of 3 billion kronor ($364 million), compared with a 548 million-kronor surplus last year, in the face of weak demand for construction equipment. The Goteborg-based company says sales in the last three months of 2014 rose slightly to 77.5 billion kronor ($638.249) from 76.6 billion kronor in the same period last year. Volvo Group said the construction equipment business experienced "strong headwinds" as markets outside of North America continued to deteriorate. CEO Olof Persson said Thursday Volvo Trucks had reduced a net financial debt by nearly 10 billion kroner ($824 million) last year. However, "we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us."

Interfax / February 6, 2015 "ZAO Volvo Vostok" which has control over Volvo plants in Russia is suspending truck production at its Volvo Group Trucks plant in Kaluga and is laying off almost one-third of its staff as of February 11, the company's spokesman Oleg Vasilchenko told Interfax. The company will lay off 30% of the office staff and production line workers who will be compensated in accordance with the Russian Labor Code, he said. "The remainder of the staff will remain on the plant's payroll with their salaries. Of their numbers, about one-third will be employed as they are now for the duration of the temporary stoppage," Vasilchenko said. Trucks will be temporarily supplied to Russian customers from Volvo Group's European facilities in Sweden, Belgium and France. The decision to lay off staff and suspend production was due to the unfavorable market situation and the continuing fall in demand for commercial vehicles. It was reported earlier that the unfavorable market conditions last summer forced the company to extend the corporate summer vacation by two weeks. The Volvo Group Trucks plant opened in January 2009. The 15,000-vehicle-capacity plant makes trucks for Volvo and Renault. The plant employs 700 people.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/34219-mack-trucks-the-facilities/?hl=plainfield#entry226401

Truck News / February 5, 2015 On Wednesday, Navistar held its first Analyst Day since February 2012, when the previous regime was still steadfastly defending its EGR-only emissions strategy. The hosting of an Analyst Day this year, and the debut of a new marketing slogan ‘It’s Uptime at International,’ suggests the truck and engine manufacturer has begun a new chapter and put behind it some of its most challenging times. There was plenty of optimism on display as the company walked visiting investment analysts and trucking journalists through its latest developments. Here are four key takeaways: Streamlining repairs Navistar executives had lots to say about the company’s OnCommand Connection remote diagnostics platform. While most OEMs already offered something similar, Navistar came to market with its system in a different way, offering all-makes coverage and not committing itself to a single hardware provider. “We’re (hardware) agnostic,” explained Mike Cerilli, vice-president and general manager of OnCommand Connection. “Every other manufacturer has chosen a hardware provider. We have partnered with the largest and most significant hardware providers in the industry and we cover 90% of those customers in the industry who already have telematics. And we look at all makes and have visibility into competitive brands. Most of our customers have multiple brands of trucks – very few have a single-source OEM provider.” There are currently more than 80,000 trucks being monitored by OnCommand Connection, Cerilli said, with the hope of reaching 150,000 units by the end of the year. This allows Navistar to produce “health reports” on its customers’ vehicles in real-time. It also helps International dealers better service trucks when they require attention, by determining in advance of the truck arriving at the shop what parts are required and what work needs to be done. These “health reports” can also be pulled from trucks not connected to OnCommand Connection in as little as five minutes using a handheld tool. Navistar currently is producing about 250,000 such health reports each month, which are then stored in a portal for future reference – something Navistar says is unique to the industry. The company has also streamlined repairs through improved product design. Previously, the high- and low-temperature EGR coolers were assembled as a single unit, connected by a valve. Repairing any of those three elements required a $2,000 repair lasting seven hours. A redesigned system now allows the individual components to be repaired without pulling the entire system from the vehicle – a job that can now be done for as little as $460 using a new tool designed by Navistar. Product improvements While Navistar has been busy with its transition to an SCR engine line, it has made some subtle enhancements to its products to reduce weight and lower production costs. Its transition to SCR has allowed it to move to a smaller EGR cooler and cooling package, reducing weight by about 50 lbs. Chet Ciesielski, director of engineering with Navistar, also indicated the chassis fairings were simplified and the material used in their construction optimized to reduce weight. Mounting brackets were shrunk or eliminated for further savings and a one-piece fairing design was adopted. The upper section of the skyrise sleeper was redesigned to remove about 72 lbs of weight, without impacting driver comfort, Ciesielski said. Navistar also reduced the amount of precious metals within its diesel oxidation catalyst, without any impact on the system’s performance, Ciesielski indicated. And the DEF tank was sourced from a global supplier reducing weight by about 10%. More changes are currently being studied, including a thinner tailpipe and fewer or lighter mounting brackets for components. Growth in the severe-service market Steve Gilligan, who oversees Navistar’s severe-service truck segment, sees the opportunity for growth this year. The segment is traditionally quite steady, Gilligan noted, because of its diversity. Standing before a stock WorkStar set for delivery to a Canadian dealer, Gilligan said the severe-service segment is defined not only by application, but also region and customer type. Canada, for example, represents among the largest populations of one- to 25-unit buyers. “Having the largest dealer network gives us the largest opportunity to re-establish share in this (fragmented) market,” Gilligan said. He also said he’s upbeat because Navistar is starting from a strong market share position in many regions. And it’s also somewhat insulated from sharp declines in the Western Canadian oil and gas segment, where International has not traditionally been among the strongest players. They key to Navistar’s resurgence in the severe-service market will hinge on its ability to land sales with state/province, county and municipal governments, Gilligan explained. He said he’s optimistic the company will do so because of its bodybuilder-friendly Diamond Logic multiplex wiring system and the stronger relationships it is forming with leading equipment manufacturers such as McNeilus, having divested itself of competitor Continental Mixer. Navistar has also re-established training for its salespeople with various body-builders so they can better sell and integrate with their products, Gilligan said. Finally, Navistar now has full SCR engine coverage for its severe-service line, including the Cummins ISB and International nine- through 13-litre engines. Medium-duty optimism Navistar may be most bullish on the potential for growth in the medium-duty segment, where its DuraStar was traditionally a dominant player. The company is expecting to obtain 25-27% of the medium-duty market in 2015, which would represent an increase in sales of 5,000 units – or 35%. The company says its DuraStar production quality is currently the best on record.

Fleet Owner / February 6, 2015 Ryder System is now offering a “female-friendly” vehicle lease package that includes specs designed to meet the needs of female drivers. Ryder worked with various OEMs and the Women in Trucking Assn. (WIT), a non-profit organization established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, on the vehicle design, which includes 15 unique specifications. These same ergonomic specifications will also provide a benefit for many male drivers in the industry, Ryder said. The ergonomic vehicles include features such as adjusted height and placement of cab grab handles, adjustable seatbelt shoulder straps, improved placement of dash cluster gauges, and better access to oil and coolant checks and fill ports. Upon customer request, and depending upon the OEM model of vehicle, Ryder can also include the following options: Ergonomically designed seats and adjustable armrest;Hood lift/closure assistance mechanism;Automated transmissions;5th Wheel configurations with lower pull pressures to open the locking mechanism;Automated 5th wheel locking mechanisms;Automatic landing gear operators for trailers; andA cab security system that offers personal protection while a driver is in his/her sleeper berth.“Ryder is one of the largest purchasers of heavy duty trucks in North America and has a great deal of visibility into the needs of the professional truck driver,” said Steve Schmotzer, Region Fleet Manager, Paccar. “There really is no one in a more suitable position to provide feedback on this issue to manufacturers than Ryder. We are proud to support this initiative, which is critical to addressing a pressing industry need.” Only 5% of professional truck drivers in the U.S. are women, Ryder noted, but the company said it is committed to identifying truck design gaps and influencing improvements in future vehicle designs that make driving a more attractive career option for women. “Addressing driver comfort and truck cab design to accommodate the typically smaller stature of women is one of the issues where Women In Trucking Assn. is prompting changes,” said Ellen Voie, President and CEO, Women In Trucking. “We are so pleased to see Ryder's efforts in moving these ergonomic challenges into the forefront of the manufacturers’ design changes,” Voie added.

Trailer/Body Builders / February 6, 2015 Meritor WABCO is offering the OnGuard collision mitigation system on fire trucks built by E-ONE. The first vehicle equipped with the new safety component is now in use by the Bryn Mawr Fire Department in Pennsylvania. "Every fire truck should have an OnGuard collision mitigation system because it helps protect vehicle occupants in potential collision situations," said Carsten Duevell, senior director, Vehicle Control Systems for Meritor WABCO. "E-ONE is the first to release OnGuard on emergency vehicles, demonstrating a commitment to improving firefighters' safety when driving to and from emergency situations." OnGuard, a radar-based active safety system, warns drivers of potential rear-end collisions and, when appropriate, reacts faster than the driver by applying the brakes automatically. OnGuard can be combined with Meritor WABCO's SmartTrac stability control system, which is also on E-ONE vehicles, for improved stability, Duevell said. Fatal vehicle collisions involving fire trucks increased four-fold in 2012 and are the second-most prevalent cause of death among firefighters, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Bryn Mawr Fire Department, which serves Lower Merion and Radnor townships in southeast Pennsylvania, was the first fire department to order and receive an E-ONE vehicle with OnGuard. E-ONE will use OnGuard as part of ProTech, its occupant protection system integrating the latest prevention and protection technology for firefighters. "Although we've never had a major accident, we see them every day in the news, and the statistics show that most firefighter injuries occur on the way to or from a call," said Bryn Mawr Fire Company Fire Chief Dan Kincade. "The ProTech system that incorporates OnGuard certainly adds a vital layer of protection. We have collision mitigation technology in our cars, so why don't we have it in our fire trucks?" More Info: http://www.meritorwabco.com/Product.aspx?product_1_id=2&product_id=15&product_level=2&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Having spent many years in the global market, my mindset on this subject has expanded a bit. The European and American vehicle manufacturers spent many decades "swarming over" each others wares. They still do..........and it's normal business for them to do so. Speaking of the Japanese and Koreans, they started out emulating American car designs. When the Japanese were doing particularly well in the US car market during the 1970s and 1980s, it was for two reasons. High quality innovative product, and a low point in quality and innovation at US carmakers (We've since come back strong, Ford being a case in point). The Korean carmakers are now standing solidly on their own two feet and are a force in the global car arena to be reckoned with. FYI: I can tell you first hand that General Motors copied the sliding door on the VW Transporter (VW bus) in order to make that feature available on their own vans. In general, I hold that it is valid to study another company's technology, so long as you through innovation realize a different and superior design........a leap forward.

I assume you mean mechanically injected engines. That era ended with Euro-2. These common rail electronically controlled engines will be Euro-4 with the ability to reach Euro-5. The Cargo will be for the commercial truck market. They already have purpose-designed tactical trucks (if that's what you mean) and an abundance of MilCOTS vehicles. Foreign car and truck makers can "own" up to 50 percent of vehicle-producing joint ventures distributing in China, and can own 100 percent if the plant is purely producing for export. Every country has some form of protectionist policies in the vehicle business. We have Lyndon Johnson's Proclamation 3564 (the chicken tax) that puts a 25% tariff on every imported truck from pickup to class 8. And we create our emissions regulations apart from the rest of the world which has universally adopted the Euro emissions standards.

Truck News / February 5, 2015 It’s no secret that Navistar International had its share of EGR-related failures as it attempted to meet EPA10 emissions standards without the use of SCR exhaust aftertreatment. The company very candidly addressed the issue at its Analyst Day earlier this week, and offered a full explanation of the fix it has implemented. Tim Shick, vice-president of sales support with Navistar, said most of the problems could be traced to the turbo air control valve, which connects directly to the engine’s electronic control module (ECM). The ECM, very importantly, would dictate via that connection how much fresh air should be supplied to the engine and for how long, as well as how much hot exhaust should be supplied and for how long, to effectively reduce emissions. However, constant vibration and wind underneath the hood would cause the connection to become loose. “When this began to fail, it didn’t become totally dislodged,” Shick explained. “The truck went down the road and the connector moved around due to vibration and wind under the hood and through a process called ‘fretting’ would wear these pins down to the point where it would connect intermittently.” The intermittent connection would cause the device to “overfuel” the engine with sooty exhaust, which first went to the EGR valve. Exacerbating the situation, the shaft on the EGR valve was prone to failure, allowing in a free-flow of soot-saturated exhaust. “What usually happens is you get an open flow of exhaust coming in at will, which is full of soot, because the engine is not combusting all the fuel completely and it goes into the EGR coolers,” Shick explained. Next thing you know, the exhaust manifold, valve and coolers inside the EGR housing are filled with soot. Fuel economy deteriorates, a dashboard light comes on and the truck needs to be taken out of service. This was problematic with engines produced in 2010 through 2012. However, by 2013 Navistar had identified the problem and taken steps to address it, Shick explained. For starters, it hardwired the connection from the turbo air control valve to the ECM so that it could no longer shake free and lose its connection as a result of over-the-road vibrations. It also made the EGR valve shaft 30% larger and less susceptible to sticking. Navistar also removed some sharp edges from within the system that were causing premature fatiguing and cracking of components. It also redesigned the EGR cooler, providing more room for exhaust gases to flow. Navistar says the improvements have dramatically reduced warranty claims. It now updates used trucks taken in through its Diamond Renewed used truck reconditioning program to implement the improved components. International MaxxForce engines built in 2013 and after will already come with the fix. An International dealer can determine whether pre-2013 engines have been updated with the improved parts. Navistar is so confident with the fix, it offers a one-year, 100,000-mile warranty on used trucks that have been reconditioned through its Diamond Renewed program.

Heavy Duty Trucking / February 5, 2015 The economic recovery has revived construction activity, which was obvious at this week’s World of Concrete show in Las Vegas. It’s bigger than in previous years, with more trucks and concrete-handling equipment on display in several halls and outside lots. Among them were transporters of concrete pumping units, which are always eye-catching for their sheer size and massive weight. As with mixer trucks, the market for pumps all but died during the Great Recession. Many of both types were on display at the show during those stagnant years, but representatives at manufacturers’ booths acknowledged that pumper chassis were a year or two or three old, as contractors with more time than work on their hands had ceased ordering them. Now the market has revived, and pumper trucks were all over the place at the World of Concrete. Pumps are used to quickly lift the grey slurry to upper stories of buildings and place it across large pads. A large pump can move many hundreds of cubic yards of concrete in a shift. For reference, a typical load of concrete is 9 to 11 yards, so it takes a small fleet of mixer trucks to keep a pumper busy. Massive jobs can go on around the clock – occasions reported by local news media because of all the human and vehicular activity. Pumper booms hydraulically fold out and extend to 30 to 60 meters, or roughly 100 to 200 feet. Displays have booms deployed horizontally, vertically and at various angles. Outside, some serve as expensive flag poles, flying fabric with a company’s name or the beloved Stars and Stripes. While the American construction industry still measures almost everything in standard inch and foot terms, many pump manufacturers (like Putzmeister and Schwing) are headquartered overseas where metrics rule, so boom length is one thing described in meters (1 meter equals 39.37 inches). Mack has long dominated the pumper-chassis business in North America with its MR (now called TerraPro), a heavy low-cab-forward model also employed by trash-collection fleets. Many multi-axle MRs are displayed in implement makers’ booths. Most have at least four axles and at least one had seven, with two or more axles actively steered. The largest and heaviest trucks sit on big-single flotation tires to better carry the weight over soft dirt, and are stabilized by hefty outriggers while working on site. One of these trucks can weigh 40 or more tons just sitting there, and some must move under special permits. Operators need high horsepower not just to move the truck to and from job sites, but also to spin the massive pumps that propel concrete through piping in the long booms. So MP7 and MP8 diesels with 400 to 500 hp are used in Macks. Because the trucks spend more time sitting than moving down highways, multi-speed manual transmissions rather than the Allison automatics used in trash trucks are the rule. Heavy low-cabovers from other builders also compete in this segment. Peterbilt’s Model 320, also primarily a trash chassis, has long been in it, and the company has put new emphasis on the concrete pump market since it came alive. Autocar, a firm formed to take over the Volvo Xpeditor, is another. Over the years Autocar has built Xpeditor pumper chassis in ones and twos under special order, but it can expect more these days – at least as long as the economic recovery lasts. Smaller pumps are toted by heavy or medium-duty conventional-cab chassis. Their comparative compactness and high maneuverability make them useful in tight urban areas. But they look less impressive than their big brothers, and we failed to photograph even one. Pictures: http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2015/02/pumper-truck-market-s-revived-as-indicated-by-world-of-concrete-displays.aspx

Heavy Duty Trucking / February 5, 2015 Cummins Inc. on Thursday reported record revenue in 2014 along with a respectable increase in the fourth quarter, due to improvements in the North American truck market. Fourth quarter revenue totaled $5.1 billion, an increase of 11% percent from the same quarter in 2013. The year-over-year increase was driven by higher revenues in North America, which more than offset lower demand in Brazil and Europe, according to the diesel engine manufacturer. Net income in the fourth quarter was $444 million, or $2.44 per diluted share, compared to $432 million or $2.32 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2013. Revenue for the full year was a record $19.2 billion, 11% higher than 2013, with the company attributing acquisitions contributing 3% to revenue growth. Revenue in North America increased 20% and international sales grew 2% Net income for the full year was $1.65 billion or $9.02 per diluted share, up from $1.48 billion, or $7.91 per diluted share in 2013. "We reported record revenues in 2014 despite weak economic conditions in several of our most important international markets," said Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. "Revenues grew 11% [in the fourth quarter] as demand in on-highway markets in North America improved, we continued executing our distributor acquisition strategy, and we delivered strong growth in China driven by new products." The company’s engine segment reported fourth quarter earnings before interest and taxes of $315 million, up from $235 million a year earlier. Sales for the segment increased 11% during this time, hitting $2.8 billion. Cummins said record performance in the components and distribution businesses and higher earnings in the engine business drove improvement in profitability. Results in the company's power generation business fell short of expectations, but it said the actions it has taken to lower costs will improve earnings going forward. Cummins predicted demand in North American on-highway markets is expected to improve again in 2015, but will be partially offset by continued weakness in international markets and the negative impact of the strong U.S. dollar. Based on the current forecast, Cummins expects full year revenues to grow between 2% and 4%, and earnings before interest and taxes to be in the range of 13.5% to 14%.

Fleet Owner / February 5, 2015 Navistar International Corporation invited analysts and members of the press to a meeting on February 4 to take an in-depth look at the progress the OEM has made in all aspects of its business and to get a preview of what lies ahead. Executives also used the occasion to introduce a new company mission statement: "It's Uptime at International." The message is intended to speak both to International Truck's revitalization as well as its dedication to enabling its customers to work better, harder and faster. “We have not had one of these meetings for three years,” Troy Clarke, Navistar president and CEO observed, noting that the company had to make many adjustments, but that "it is time to resume our annual analysts meetings. From adversity comes strength. I am personally convinced our best days are ahead.” In the past, Navistar's future plans had focused largely on its exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) engine, but that did not come to pass, Clarke (seen at right during the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show) noted. "Now our transition to SCR [selective catalytic reduction] is complete and our data shows us that the trucks we are building are the best in more than a decade," he said. "We also had warranty issues and we saw market share decline. As of today, however, we have accomplished 'ten years of progress' in the last two years,” Clarke noted, listing key achievements including an improved cash position and lowered breakeven point, improved product quality, reduced warranty costs, the initiation of lean practices and consolidated manufacturing, significant restructuring and attracting “good people” to the organization, especially strong leadership. “Now we’ve got to build on this,” Clarke said. Walter Borst, Navistar executive vice president and CFO, delivered the financial report, stressing - as other speakers did throughout the meeting - the progress the company has made. He noted that North American revenues increased approximately 10% with margins also up in 2014. Core North American revenue (not including defense or the Blue Diamond trucks) increased from $6.1 billion in 2013 to $6.7 billion in 2014, thanks to a 6,400 unit sales increase, Borst reported. Total revenue of $10.8 billion was flat year over year, however, as the company experienced declines in defense and their global truck operations, most notably in Brazil. Thanks to a four-pronged cost approach to improving returns, which included lowering material, structural, manufacturing and warranty costs, the company has lowered the breakeven point by more than 50% since 2012, Borst (at left) noted, with margins increasing to 3.9% in the fourth quarter last year from 0.2% in the same period back in 2013. For 2015, Borst said Navistar's target margin is between 8% and 10%. He added that core North American truck revenue is expected to increase in 2015 to between $6.9 billion and $7.2 billion in conjunction with overall industry growth and market share gains, while noting that the Blue Diamond truck venture is scheduled to wind down this spring and that the market in Brazil is not expected to recover this year. According to Borst, there was an intense focus to drive Navistar's structural costs down to less than 10% of manufacturing revenue. Structural costs measured as a percentage of revenue were 15% in 2013, dropping to 12% in 2014. The 2015 goal is to move structural costs down further to between 10% and 11% of manufacturing revenue. Warranty expense as a percent of revenue also dropped in 2014, Borst added, surpassing the 3.7% target and trending down. The target for 2015 is 3.3% to 3.7%. Gross material savings and manufacturing savings also contributed to overall cost reduction. Consolidation of mid-range engine operations and closure of foundry operations alone will deliver $35 million in savings, Borst said. For 2017 and beyond one of Navistar's goals will be to improve the balance sheet, including reducing cash requirements and continuing to drive margins toward industry benchmarks. Capital spending is not expected to return to historic levels, Borst pointed out, although it will increase as the company continues to invest in its products. 2014 capital spending was $88 million. 2015 is expected to be $125 to $150 million. Navistar also announced during the meeting that the company is now focusing on “maximizing customer uptime.” "Uptime means more than designing and building trucks to stay on the road longer," said Bill Kozek, Navistar president, Truck and Parts. "It's our renewed commitment to the industry to deliver innovation, tools and services that keep our customers moving. Other meeting highlights: OnCommand: This remote diagnostics capability is considered to be “a key contributor to uptime,” according to Kozek, and the company plans to continue to release enhancements. In an earlier interview with Fleet Owner, Mike Cerilli, vice president and general manager, Connected Vehicle for Navistar, said, “Remote diagnostics in our industry is really still in its infancy. It will be a core competency for OEMs [in the near future]. Today, we are ranking fault codes and turning unscheduled maintenance/repair events into scheduled events.” Navistar made the decision to offer an “open architecture,” he noted, and today they integrate with some 85% of telematics providers. Kozek added that OnCommand, while initially developed with the over the road trucking market in mind, will launch into other market segments, including the bus segment. This spring, the new bus offering will include special custom features such as vehicle monitoring and student tracking. Used trucks: Overall, the industry’s used truck business is very strong, Kozek noted during the meeting. Navistar has 24 used truck centers and the ability to take trades is important to supporting the new truck business. Our used inventory is expected to “peak this year and begin to normalize after 2017,” he said. Parts and customer service: Michael Cancelliere, senior vice president, global parts and customer service for Navistar, noted in his meeting presentation that, “This relentless focus on uptime is what will differentiate us…customers want us to get them in [for service], get them fixed, and get them out quickly.” Accordingly, a 25% dwell time reduction is a goal. Navistar is well-positioned to deliver on this goal, he noted, with over 800 dealerships, 8,000 service bays, 7,600 technicians and an inventory of some $350 million in parts. “Parts will remain a key component of corporate profitability and cash generation and play a key role in uptime,” Cancelliere added. Engines: During a question and answer period, the subject of Navistar’s engine business came up. Clarke said that, for now, Navistar will stay in the engine business because the current engines will be in compliance through 2020 and the company has taken considerable cost out of their 13-liter engine. "When we are faced with the next need for significant investment to meet the next level of regulations, we’ll evaluate this business again," he added. New product development: "Some of our competitors are promoting vertical integration, and we used to have a 'go it alone' approach," observed Dennis "Denny" Mooney, senior vice president global product development for Navistar. "But we are taking another approach today and that is to leverage the best global suppliers. Today, sharing technology makes sense.” The company has relationships with Eaton, Allison, Bendix, Meritor Wabco, Cummins and many others, Mooney said, and that brings with it "numerous benefits," including access to the latest technologies, speed to market and customer choice. This partnership approach also reduced the company’s product development spend by more than $200 million from 2012 to 2014, he pointed out. Mooney also noted that a "full line of new products will be rolling out over the next several years," including a new line of “premium vocational trucks.”

We can say the 7.3 and 9.0 are Ford. Here's some early info on the 7.3. Like the current Powerstroke, the 7.3 and 9.0 Ecotorq were designed for Ford Motor Company by Austria's AVL.

International WorkStar now available with Cummins ISB 6.7L engine Fleet Owner / February 5, 2015 International Truck’s WorkStar vocational truck is now available with a Cummins ISB 6.7L engine. It is the second International vocational model to offer the engine as an option, joining the DuraStar, which has been available with the powerplant since December 2013. “Adding the market-accepted Cummins ISB 6.7 (seen below at right) to our vocational line-up is a key part of our strategy to offer our customers the most comprehensive options of proven components in the industry,” said Bill Kozek, Navistar president, Truck and Parts. “The addition of the Cummins ISB6.7 to our WorkStar model provides customers with a winning combination of uptime, performance, productivity and durability.” The WorkStar boasts multiple-frame rail options, a double-sided galvanized steel cab protected by an extensive five-step corrosion protection, and comes standard with the Diamond Logic electrical system. It also features a hood and radiator package with available integral front frame extension and front engine power take-off (FEPTO) without requiring modifications to the radiator or horsepower restrictions. A roomy cab and both standard and high-visibility sloped-hood configurations for enhanced driver comfort and ease of operation are available. The WorkStar is also available with Navistar’s proprietary 9.3L and 13L engines and a suite of traditional manual and automated-manual transmission offerings from Eaton and fully-automatic offerings from Allison. The ISB, which is rated up to 325 hp. and 750 lbs.-ft. of torque, with higher ratings available for fire and emergency applications, features flexible horsepower and torque ratings for medium-duty applications.

Transport Topics / February 5, 2015 Truck manufacturers Daimler AG and Volvo Group both reported higher truck orders and sales for the fourth quarter, and both predicted a stronger North American market for 2015. But both companies’ overall earnings were hit by fourth-quarter set-aside charges for potential European Union antitrust truck-pricing fines. Daimler’s was 600 million euros ($685 million), while Volvo’s was 3.79 billion Swedish kronor ($460 million). In North America, Daimler makes Freightliner and Western Star trucks as well as Detroit brand engines and components, and Volvo manufactures Volvo and Mack trucks, engines and transmissions. Daimler Trucks “anticipates a significant increase in unit sales in 2015,” the Germany-based company reported Feb. 5. The truck unit’s fourth-quarter earnings before interest and taxes declined 13% to $564 milion (494 euros), including the set-aside charge, while full-year EBIT rose 15% to $2.2 billion (1.9 billion euros). Revenue rose 4% in the quarter to $10 billion (8.8 billion euros) and 3% for the year, to $37 billion (32.4 billion euros). Daimler’s U.S. retail truck sales jumped 19% in the quarter to just over 38,000, while full-year sales were up 20% to almost 138,000. Its U.S. truck orders doubled in the quarter year-over-year to 75,500 and rose 50% for the year to almost 190,000. North America “promises to deliver the most positive development” this year, Daimler said, projecting truck demand will rise about 10% in the region. Volvo, for its part, raised its 2015 North American industrywide commercial-vehicle market forecast to 310,000 from a previous 280,000, citing a “robust manufacturing environment.” “We do see some light spots in the economy and also in the truck market” in Europe, CEO Olof Persson said on a conference call with reporters. Including the antitrust charge, Volvo’s truck unit posted an overall operating loss for the quarter of $65 million (542 million kronor), and the unit’s full-year operating income slipped to $675 million (5.6 billion kronor) from $820 million (6.8 billion kronor). Its North American net sales rose 41% in the quarter to 15,400 and 33% for the year to 53,700. Nafta-region truck orders jumped 48% in the quarter to 24,700, with Mack’s orders more than doubling to 12,600. Full-year orders rose 39% to almost 72,000. Overall, Volvo Group posted an overall loss for the quarter, largely on a downturn in its construction equipment unit.

Renschler Takes Over VW Trucks, Creating Speculation on Acquisitions Heavy Duty Trucking / February 5, 2015 Former Daimler Trucks head Andreas Renschler started work this week as head of rival Volkswagen's trucks business, once again creating speculation that VW may look to North American shores as it works toward goals of expanding its global footprint. Renschler will be working to integrate VW's different trucks businesses, according to published reports, which include Swedish truck maker Scania and German MAN as well as its own VW-branded light commercial vehicles. Reuters reported recently that Volkswagen might spin off the trucks business and establish a separate headquarters for it in Frankfurt, Germany, citing a German management magazine. Bernd Osterloh, head of VW's "works council," or labor council, told reporters in a briefing last week that Renschler will need to examine whether acquisitions are necessary. “Focusing on Europe and Brazil won’t be enough if the goal is to be a global player,” Osterloh said, according to the paper. “We’ll have to talk about the U.S. market and about China as well.” However, speculation that Volkswagen may buy Paccar isn’t realistic at the moment, he said. Renschler, the former head of Daimler Trucks, left the company a year ago, less than a year after he was promoted by parent Daimler AG to oversee production and purchasing of Mercedes Benz cars and vans. Volkswagen announced soon afterward that Renschler wouldl be taking over responsibility for commercial vehicles at the company after his non-compete agreement was over, taking over for Leif Östling, who will continue to work with the commercial vehicles supervisory bodies in the Volkswagen Group. Wolfgang Bernhard, who had been the head of operations with Mercedes-Benz Cars since 2010, replaced Renschler as the head of Daimler Trucks. .

Press Release / February 5, 2015 Ford’s China partner Jiangling has announced the joint venture plans to continue ramping up investments through 2015, and next year prioritize the finalization of a technology license contract for the JMC-branded J19 heavy truck project with Ford Motor, Ford Global Technology*, and Ford Otosan** as its single most important investment for 2016. JMC will gain a technology license for the design, manufacture and service of Ford Otosan "Cargo" brand heavy trucks including chassis, cab, and related parts and components. Under the July 25, 2014 agreement, JMC will pay Ford Otosan an initial licensing fee of 8 million Euros, plus an additional 330 to 485 Euros for each chassis constructed with Ford Otosan-licensed components, and 20 to 40 Euros for each truck completed with a Ford Otosan Cargo cab. Background: Ford joint-ventured with Jiangling Motors Corp. (JMC) in 1997 to build European Ford “Transit” full-size vans. Ford increased its stake in JMC to 31.5 percent in 2013. Located in East China's Jiangxi Province, the JMC-Ford joint venture also builds JMC-branded SUVs, pickups, vans and light trucks (Ford also has a passenger car joint venture with Changan Automobile Co. in Chongqing). In August 2012, the JMC-Ford joint venture acquired a small, young truckmaker called Taiyuan Changan Heavy Truck Co. Ltd. (founded in 2007) for US$42 million and renamed it JMC Heavy Duty Vehicle Co. Ltd. (JMCH). “JMC’s acquisition represents a great opportunity to continue to expand the breadth of our business in China across vehicle segments,” said Dave Schoch, Chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China. “A strong heavy truck operation like Taiyuan will complement Ford’s existing passenger car and light commercial vehicle operations here in the world’s largest and fastest-growing vehicle market.” “With Ford’s support, JMC will quickly introduce new products and improve Taiyuan’s (JMCH) existing truck products in order to bolster the competitiveness of Taiyuan Heavy Truck,” said Schoch. “Ford has enormous experience and world-class products and technologies, including in the heavy truck business, which can be deployed to support JMC after the acquisition.” On April 24, 2013, JMC signed a 12-year technology license contract with Ford Otosan* to produce the latter company’s 7.3 and 9.0 liter “Ecotorq” diesel truck engines*** (JMC code-named J17) for upcoming Ford Otosan “Cargo” based heavy trucks (JMC code-named J19). In the heavy Cargo range, Ford Otosan has been offering the 10.3-liter Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT) Cursor 10 engine found in Iveco trucks. Ford Otosan is now ramping up to produce the 11.1-liter Cursor 11 and 12.9-liter Cursor 13 under license in Turkey (The Cursor 11 replaces the Cursor 10). For the JMC-Ford joint venture to find success in China’s heavy truck market, these larger engines will be essential. JMC agreed to pay Ford Otosan an initial licensing fee of one million Euros, plus an additional 150 to 190 Euros for each Ford Otosan-based J17 engine produced. JMC agreed not to directly or indirectly design or develop a competing engine to the contractual products during the contract term. Engine production at the JMC/Ford joint venture’s new US$82 million facility is expected to launch in the second half of 2015 and initially build up to 10,000 engines a year. The two agreements are supposed to commence with the 2016 model year, be extended every three years and have 12-year terms. * Ford Global Technologies, LLC owns, manages and commercializes patents and copyrights for Ford Motors. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford Global Technologies, LLC operates as a subsidiary of Ford Motor Co. ** Ford Otomotiv Sanayi A.S. (Ford Otosan) is incorporated in Turkey and operates as a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding. Ford Otosan is currently the global heavy truck making arm of Ford Motor Company. While the Ford/Koc cooperation dates back 54 years, the relationship began when Henry Ford made the Koc family a distributor in 1928. Today, Ford and Koc Group each hold a 41 percent equity stake each, and the remaining shares are listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. *** http://www.ford.com.tr/agir-ticari-araclar/ford-cargo/ecotorq

Press Release / February 4, 2015 The robustness and durability of Volkswagen trucks were a major factor in refuse operator Ecopav’s decision to acquire 22 more VW brand vocational trucks. The trucks will perform municipal and commercial solid waste collection, and transfer, in different regions throughout Brazil. Eighteen of the new refuse trucks are “Constellation” model 17.280 "Compactors", which are turn-key factory-built rear loaders. Ten of the trucks were ordered with 9-speed ZF 9S 1110 TD direct drive manual transmissions, with the balance spec’d with Allison S3000 6-speed automatics. In addition, three Constellation model 15.190s were ordered for "door to door" collection of recyclable materials. A new Constellation 24.330 6x2 day-cab rigid will also enter transfer operation service set up as a 45 metric ton (99,308lb) short combination pulling a 3-axle full (dog) trailer. "We chose Volkswagen trucks for this fleet upgrade because we believe in the brand. Their trucks perfectly meet our needs, with standard features that add value to the operation, in addition to durability, low maintenance cost and optimized performance. We had no doubts in our decision, "says Daniel Taboada, Ecopav commercial director. In addition to Volkswagen brand trucks, Ecopav has recently added MAN TGX 29.440 6x4 heavy tractors to its waste transfer fleet. For MAN Latin America Vice President Ricardo Alouche, the partnership with Ecopav is the result of the company's commitment to its customers. "Our goal is to meet in a different way, with innovative products and with high yield. This is the case, for example, with our vocational truck range, which operates in fast-growing Brazilian segments including construction, ready-mix, the beverage industry, refuse industry and sugarcane," said Alouche. Volkswagen has been the heavy truck sales leader in Brazil for twelve consecutive years. .

Press Release / February 4, 2015 In January each year, the Norwegian ski region of Trysil plays host to Scania Winter – a major test event for Scania customers. This year, for the first time, trade journalists from across the world were also invited along. Over the course of five weeks, 1,300 customers and 80 international journalists had the chance to view a wide range of common – and not so common – vehicles, and put them to the test. These included: snow ploughs; long-haulage trucks; heavy-haulage tractors; tippers; a CrewCab fire-fighter; off-road vehicles and tipper semi-trailers. Harsh conditions “We invited the international trade press to experience our products under the harshest conditions you can imagine. There’s cold, there’s snow – and there’s snow,” says Jamie Malmborg, Press Event Manager for Scania Winter. The visitors left the ski resort loaded with new inspiration. One key message was how using tailor-made trucks, trained drivers and the right maintenance can deliver major benefits, not just in terms of fuel efficiency, but also in uptime and Total Operating Economy. Wearable connected technology In addition, Scania demonstrated its new range of connected services – tools and technologies that support driver development. Among the highlights was the Scania Black Griffin wristwatch – a wearable tool that enables drivers to collect information on variables like fuel consumption, driving efficiency and average speed. http://newsroom.scania.com/en-group/2015/02/04/scania-winter-2015-uptime-in-the-snow/

Press Release / February 3, 2015 DAF is launching the CF and XF tractor units with a steered trailing rear axle. These units have been specially designed for applications requiring a high payload combined with maximum manoeuvrability. The three-axle CF and XF tractor units have a steered trailing rear axle (7.5 tonnes) with single assembly mounted behind the driven axle (13 tonnes). This makes the new versions ideal for tasks where there is relatively little room for manoeuvre and additional payload is necessary; for example because of the presence of a loading crane behind the cab. The CF and XF tractor units with steered trailing axle will therefore frequently be used for transporting construction materials and machinery. DAF offers the new three-axle tractors as CF and XF with choice between the efficient 10.8 litre PACCAR MX-11 and 12.9 litre PACCAR MX-13 engines, with ratings of 291 kW/396 hp to 375 kW/510 hp. In the context of DAF Transport Efficiency, important enhancements have been made to these engines and, in combination with innovative technologies such as Predictive Cruise Control with Predictive Shifting and Eco Mode, fuel savings of at least 5% are achievable. The CF tractor unit with steered trailing axle is available with the Day Cab, Sleeper Cab and Space Cab; the XF is available with the Space Cab and Super Space Cab. All models are available now. .

You're 100 percent right. One new single countershaft AMT transmission I like a great deal for vocational applications is the Mercedes-Benz AMT mounted behind the Voith Turbo Retarder Clutch (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/37872-the-game-changer-new-voith-turbo-retarder-clutch/?hl=voith). It borders on across-the-board perfection. Of course Scania's range of modularly design transmissions are engineered with the same high performance and durability indicative of Mack's legendary Maxitorque transmissions. Like ZF, they incorporate a planetary type range section.

Despite being a small player, Lightning Hybrids has been moving ahead with its hydraulic launch assist technology in the face of much better financed competition. That being Parker Hannifin with its “RunWise” system and Bosch Rexroth’s parallel Hydrostatic Regenerative Braking (HRB) system. Eaton discontinued its Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA) hybrid power system in September 2014. It appears Lightning Hybrids is making some degree of headway with the size, weight and complexity issues of the technology.

Heavy Duty Trucking / February 4, 2015 Lightning Hybrids, designer and manufacturer of hydraulic brake regeneration systems for medium- and heavy-duty fleet vehicles, has been awarded a full U.S. utility patent for the 4th generation of its parallel hydraulic hybrid system. The patent is specifically for a "hydraulic regeneration apparatus," which uses hydraulic pumps and accumulators to capture braking energy and regenerate it for accelerating a vehicle, according to Lightning Hybrids. Dan Johnson, Lightning Hybrids co-founder and CTO, who co-invented the new patented system with senior controls engineer, Jonathan Reynolds, said the new patent built on previous generations on the system, with a focus on making the system more efficient. "Eliminating a lot of the parts in the system was a big goal. By doing that, we were able to dramatically increase the efficiencies of the system. The higher the efficiency, the more we can decrease emissions and increase fuel savings," Johnson said. A primary goal for the new patent was making the system lighter by using more aluminum in its construction and by having fewer parts, according to Johnson. "Fewer parts means a significant cost savings, and a lighter system means higher efficiency overall. It means fleets are able to have a higher payload, allowing them to effectually do the work they’re on the road to do in a cleaner, more efficient way," Johnson said. .

Australasian Transport News (ATN) / February 4, 2015 Regional NSW-based operator and colourful character Rod Pilon is celebrating 40 years running nationally. Rod Pilon enjoys the trappings of a successful trucking entrepreneur, including a prime riverfront farming property and a small plane which he flies himself. But unlike some other trucking tycoons who have come and gone in recent years, Pilon’s business foundations are not built on sand. Pilon owns outright three of his five major depots in eastern Australia and 40 of his 45-strong Kenworth prime mover fleet, which pulls 130 trailers including road trains. He employs 100 staff. Not bad for a bloke who is one of 11 children, whose mother died the day after he was born, who left school the day he turned 15 to become a jackaroo working "14 days a week" at 6 pound 2 a fortnight, and who went on to serve in Vietnam. This year is the 40th anniversary of Rod Pilon Transport based at Dubbo ­­­– halfway between Melbourne and Brisbane in western New South Wales – going national. And it sounds like the bush character is ready to return to where his working life started, on the land. The 66-year-old Rod – otherwise known as ‘Roddy’ or ‘Roddo’ ­­­­­­­­– is in the process of handing over the reins of the trucking business to his son Ben, 36. "Benno is the future, Rod’s the past," says the straight-talking truckie who still occasionally jumps behind the wheel, and whose language frequently includes the word "mate" as well as another one we can’t print. "It’s a very fast-evolving industry," he says. "I’m stepping back from the business. I don’t want it, Benno can have it, and I don’t envy him. "I’m not that big a dill that I want to run until I’m 75 and then drop dead." ATN recently spent an enjoyable Friday afternoon hanging around with the Pilons at their Dubbo HQ while they went about their daily business. Ben was running the operations room on his own this particular day, while a steady stream of staff consulted Rod about stuff in the big sheds out the back. It was impressive to see how Ben handled a pretty frantic situation on the phones and computers with calm good humour and it was a blast from the old-school trucking past to see Rod asking staff how they were going, what they were up to on the weekend and giving them pats on the back for jobs well done. Rod has also been known to give staff blasts of a different kind, but apparently all is forgiven and forgotten the next day. He says Ben is a lot less volatile and a lot more family-oriented than he ever was with his own wife and four children (Ben and three daughters). "Trucks always came first for me in the old days. These days things are different," Pilon says. .

Obama appointed Foxx to be our country's transportation secretary. Foxx majored in history, and went on to become a litigator and the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Foxx has no background (i.e. qualifications) whatsoever in the transportation sector. American government continues as always.