New DAF Trucks Factory in Brazil

Paccar Inc., owner of daf trucks, has announced plans to build a new factory to produce daf trucks for sale in Brazil. The new facility will be the company's first new international factory in several years, and is yet another sign of a recovering international truck market.

Despite Paccar owning several truck brands, including the Kenworth and Peterbilt brands which it has carefully developed in North America, the global truck manufacturer decided to focus on the DAF brand in Brazil.

Paccar say that their decision to concentrate on the production of daf trucks was based on the research into popular truck types in Latin America. "Cab-over" trucks of the kind that DAF build are far more commonly used in Brazil than other builds, said Paccar Treasurer Robin Easton.

Easton explained that many of the company's competitors in Brazil are the same as those in its European markets, giving Paccar reason to believe that DAF will find equal success in Brazil.

“All of European competitors that we meet every day are already in Brazil,” he said. “We have great product, and it will go well in the Brazilian market.”

Paccar bought DAF, a former Dutch company, in 1996, and the majority of engines built for daf trucks for sale are Paccar-designed.

Despite not currently distributing any DAF trucks in Brazil, Paccar aim to land a formidable 20 per cent market share in Brazil. Mark Pigott, Paccar's Chairman, announced the company's plans during its quarter four conference call in February.

With a population of 210 million, and a GDP growing at more than 7 percent annually, Brazil is the strongest economy in Latin America, and has become part of the 'BRIC' economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) seen as the next economic superpowers.

Paccar is now looking for a site for the factory, and Easton was unable to say where the factory will be built or when, or what will be its size.

DAF Trucks for Sale Will Lead Recovery in 2011

Dutch manufacturer DAF has announced that despite the poor performance of the truck market in 2010, the number of daf trucks for sale will increase by as much as 20 per cent in 2011.

Truck registrations in 2010 hit an all time low, but the truck manufacturer believes that this year will see gradual growth. Ray Ashworth, MD of DAF Trucks, says that despite an obviously challenging market, 2010 ended with enough momentum in the sector to give hope for recovery in 2011.

"I believe 2011 will be a year of recovery, albeit a slow one. The lead up to Euro-6 in 2013 and the London Low Emission Zone changes in 2012 will provide some impetus to a fragile market growth, such that we believe the out-turn for 2011 will be 32,000-34,000 units," he says.

Ashworth cited government austerity measures and a tough industry environment as reasons for a slow first half of 2010, but his prediction of a "rising trend rather than a falling one" at the year's end has been proved true.

"The second half of 2010 was significantly stronger in terms of new trucks going into service," said Ashworth. He added: "In the first half of 2010 market volume was 11,373 compared with 16,215 in the second half, an increase of over 42%."

At the end of 2010, daf trucks reported a reduced 23.8% market share and 6,553 units, down from 8,317 units recorded in 2009. Overall the truck market (above six tonnes) was 27,588, the lowest on record down 1.25% on the previous record low set 12 months before.

For Ashworth to hit his target, the company will need to build as much quality and innovation as they can into any new daf trucks for sale, as the market grows more competitive.