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Volvo Trucks Press Release / May 27, 2019 The three-point seat belt – Volvo’s most important traffic safety innovation – is now celebrating 60 years. In that time, it has saved an estimated one million lives. Today, fastening a seat belt is still the simplest, fastest yet most important measures anyone can take to ensure their safety on the road. .

Scania Group Press Release / May 15, 2019 Scania has agreed with Zoomlion Concrete Machinery to deliver 170 vehicles for truck mounted pumps. This order is in addition to the 350 vehicles delivered earlier this year. “We have a long-standing collaboration with Zoomlion, the world-leading manufacturer of concrete machinery, dating back more than ten years,” says Alexander Vlaskamp, Head of Trucks at Scania. “It is certainly gratifying that our products are meeting the high standards demanded by Zoomlion.” The latest order is for 150 Scania P 450 8×4 trucks, for 56-metre pumps, and 20 Scania P 450 10×4 trucks for 62–67-metre pumps. Since the collaboration was first established in 2007, Scania has delivered 3,300 vehicles to the Chinese manufacturer with exceptional deliveries in 2012 of 1,350 vehicles. Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co, based in Changsha, Hunan Province, is one of the world’s largest construction machinery enterprises with a broad range of products for agricultural, construction, energy, environmental and transport applications. .

Renault Trucks Press Release / May 23, 2019 The driver's job in Africa is very challenging. Our drivers tell us how Renault Trucks K improves their comfort, their productivity and their safety every day . They are proud of their working tool. .

GM defense unit gets new leaders, stays quiet on plans Michael Wayland, Automotive News / May 25, 2019 DETROIT — General Motors' military-defense unit has a leadership team in place but remains in stealth mode a year and a half after being re-established by the automaker. Leading the GM Defense team is President David Albritton, a former U.S. Navy officer and communications specialist for the automaker. He replaced Charlie Freese, who returned to his role as head of GM's global fuel cell business in December. Freese had been leading GM Defense since its launch in October 2017, most recently with retired Maj. Gen. John Charlton, a 34-year U.S. Army veteran who left the company after six months. GM refused to comment on the departure of Charlton, who could not be reached for comment. Albritton and Freese refused requests for interviews. Aerospace, defense roles Albritton, 53, most recently was executive director of GM's internal and product-development communications. Before GM, he worked in communications in the aerospace and defense industries and spent nearly 10 years as a Navy public affairs officer. Since launching GM Defense, GM has been relatively quiet about the unit, but Albritton and his team are expected to be responsible for launching several hydrogen fuel cell-powered products for the aerospace and defense industries. GM, which sold its previous defense unit to General Dynamics Corp. for $1.1 billion in 2003, has worked with the U.S. military on the development of two fuel cell-powered products since 2016: an Unmanned Undersea Vehicle and a midsize pickup based on its Chevrolet Colorado called the ZH2. More recently, it has released concepts of a commercial-vehicle platform with autonomous capabilities and a military version of its Chevrolet Silverado HD as other potential future offerings. Both are powered by fuel cell systems. Bill Grotz, a company spokesman, declined to comment on the plans for such products as GM Defense is "refining" its business strategy. "We're not in a position to share details on our operations and plans going forward at this time," Grotz wrote in an email. "However, we'll have insight to share later this year and hopefully some nice business wins to discuss." Albritton, who joined GM's communications department in 2015, described his new position to PR Week as "exciting and daunting at the same time, as it's the first time in 25 years" he hasn't been in communications. Leadership appointments "What we're doing is leveraging our experience in electric vehicles, fuel-cell vehicles, high-voltage batteries, electric drive systems, autonomous vehicles, off-road mobility, and heavy truck manufacturing and offering those capabilities to militaries around the world," he told the magazine. Other GM Defense leadership appointments include: Nigel Sutton, 55, as vice president of business development on April 1. Sutton, a member of the Navy and U.S. Air Force for 23 years, had been vice president of international business for Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. Jeff Ryder, 46, as vice president of growth and strategy on April 1. He most recently was vice president of Mobile Robotics at Oceaneering, an engineering services company, and has 25 years of experience across several industries, including aerospace and commercial technology. Angela Ambrose, 39, as vice president of government relations on May 1. She most recently led government relations activities for Accenture Federal Services since 2015 and previously worked for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems and in the public sector.

Fiat Chrysler puts merger offer to Renault board Reuters-Bloomberg / May 27, 2019 PARIS -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has made a "transformative merger" proposal to French peer Renault, FCA said on Monday. The deal would create an automaker with a strong presence across key regions, automotive markets and technologies, generating 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in annual savings, FCA said in a statement. The "broad and complementary brand portfolio would provide full market coverage, from luxury to mainstream," FCA said. Renault said in a statement Monday that its board had reviewed FCA's "friendly proposal" and had decided to "study with interest" the opportunity of such a business combination. The merger would bring FCA's brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Fiat under a common umbrella with Renault Group's Renault, Dacia and Lada brands. "The case for combination is also strengthened by the need to take bold decisions to capture at scale the opportunities created by the transformation of the auto industry," FCA said. The deal could take more than a year to finalize, FCA CEO Mike Manley told employees on Monday in a letter. The transaction will be structured as a 50-50 ownership through a Dutch holding company, FCA said, adding that it would give Renault investors an implied premium of about 10 percent. After payment of a 2.5 billion-euro ($2.8 billion) special dividend to FCA shareholders, each group would receive 50 percent of the combined entity in new stock. Exor, Fiat's founding Agnelli family holding, is set to become the single largest shareholder in the combined entity. The new company would be chaired by John Elkann, head of the Agnelli family that controls 29 percent of FCA, sources familiar with the deal talks told Reuters. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard would likely become CEO, one said. Renault and FCA had a combined market value of 32.6 billion euros ($36.5 billion) as of Friday. Milan-listed Fiat Chrysler shares jumped 19 percent in early trading, while Renault stock gained 17 percent. Renault and FCA built about 8.7 million cars last year, which would vault the pair past Hyundai Motor Group and General Motors. That’s still behind the world’s two biggest automakers, Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motor Corp., which both topped 10 million vehicles last year. Renault’s existing alliance, including numbers from partners Nissan and Mitsubishi, also reached this milestone. The merger would give Renault access to the North American market, while FCA would gain clout in Russia, the French carmaker’s second-biggest market with its AvtoVaz unit, which builds Ladas. National politics The merger plan faces political and workforce hurdles in Italy, and potentially also in France. Most of FCA's European plants are running below 50 percent capacity. FCA said the planned cost savings would not depend on factory closures. Pressure for consolidation among automakers has grown with the challenges posed by electrification, tightening emissions regulations and expensive new technologies being developed for connected and autonomous vehicles. “Fiat and Renault are looking for surer footing by gaining scale, and that’s not a bad idea for mass-market carmakers,” Bankhaus Metzler analyst Juergen Pieper said. “The execution of the deal is a significant hurdle. But on paper, this proposal looks good.” If successful, the tie-up could also have profound repercussions for Renault's 20-year-old alliance with Nissan, already weakened by the crisis surrounding the arrest and ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn late last year. FCA and Renault have moved ahead without Nissan, the French automaker’s 20-year partner, which has resisted proposals by Renault to merge in a holding-company structure. Leadership changes Both FCA and Renault went through dramatic changes at the top last year after former FCA chief, Sergio Marchionne, died and Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo on charges of financial crimes. FCA-Renault, like almost every possible automotive pairing, had been studied intermittently for years by dealmakers. But the fractious relations between Ghosn and Marchionne made constructive merger talks impossible until after Marchionne's sudden death last July, banking sources said. The French government, Renault's biggest shareholder with a 15 percent stake, supports the merger in principle but will need to see more details, its main spokeswoman said on Monday. France will be "particularly vigilant regarding employment and industrial footprint," another Paris official said, adding that any deal must safeguard Renault's alliance with Nissan. Nissan, which is 43.4 percent-owned by Renault, would be invited to nominate a director to the 11-member board of the new combined company, under the plan presented on Monday. As alliance partners, Nissan and its affiliate Mitsubishi would benefit from an estimated 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) in annual savings from the merger, FCA said. The Italian government may also seek a stake in the combined group to balance France's holding, a lawmaker from the ruling League party said on Monday. Anticipating such sensitivities, FCA stressed "new opportunities for employees of both companies" under the merger.

Crane Carrier Co. Press Release / May 22, 2019 Crane Carrier Company’s (CCC) leading lineup of Class 7 and 8 severe-duty chassis are purpose built to offer maximum durability, visibility and maneuverability – optimizing uptime, safety and overall performance. Built tough in the U.S. and backed by a network of more than 180 Certified CCC Dealers and Service Centers in North America, nothing endures like a Crane Carrier. .

Autocar Trucks Press Release / May 21, 2019 As a member of the Conventional Cab Autocar Steering Committee, a plaque was awarded to Houston, Texas-based WCA Waste Corporation* Vice President of Fleet & Procurement Jason Saunders in grateful recognition for his individual contribution to the design and development of the new Autocar DC-64R. WCA will be receiving the very first commercially produced unit in October 2019! * https://wcawaste.com/ .

I noticed very clearly that the key players in American truck industry journalism did NOT cover the launch of the Autocar DC-64R until days later. FYI, the big truckmakers, shall we say accommodate........journalists who write about (promote) their products. It's a dirty business.

Funny the way the mind works. I frequently remember one particular day when I was casually passed on the interstate by a customer's sharp looking ENDT865-powered F-model and hearing that distinctive V-8 throb, effortlessly pulling that tractor-trailer forward.

And they're off to Italy. Ciao!

Ford Trucks International / May 24, 2019 The Ford Trucks F-MAX, "Official Truck" of FIA ETRC 2019, will be on the track at the first race of the championship in Misano, Italy on 25-26 May! .

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This is how a truckmaker wastes their sales marketing budget. .

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Freightliner Trucks Press Release / May 23, 2019 . . . . . . .

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Autocar Trucks Press Release / April 25, 2019 This Autocar truck was THE garbage-collecting machine in the 1980s. You could see it for years, roaming the streets of Manhattan, packing and hauling that big city trash. There’s nothing out there today as good as this brute. Yet. Time to get back to work. .

Paul, Chamberlain appears to have been ahead of its time. Australian engineering impresses! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w-ZnkeXI7c