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NEWS
Daimler marks trucking milestones in 2017
Daimler Trucks is celebrating Freightliner's 75th anniversary and Western Star's 50th anniversary this yearDaimler Trucks and, in particular, Daimler Trucks North America are celebrating two historic milestones in 2017, with Freightliner marking its 75th year of operations and Western Star it's 50th.
Since the two brands' founding, in 1942 and 1967 respectively, the pair have produced an incredible 3,200,000 trucks, with Daimler Trucks adding another 42,300 units in just the first six months of this year. Both brands have come a long way since their inception, and in fact DTNA now lays claim to a massive 40.2 per cent slab of North America's heavy-duty truck market.
Roger Nielsen, President and CEO of DTNA, said today's Freightliner and Western Star offerings cover an incredibly diverse array of applications.
"We have a portfolio of brands that, while very diverse, share a strong legacy of innovation and customer focus," he said.
"In the past decades we have strengthened our position as the undisputed market leader – and as we celebrate our past, we're looking forward to building even more perfect trucks in the future."
That innovation has taken Freightliner from its early commercial origins through to the Inspiration Truck, a pioneering testbed for the imminent wave of autonomous and connected trucks of the future.
The brand began when founder Leland James couldn't find a truck powerful enough to handle the rugged conditions of western USA. In 1942 he stopped searching and built his own.
Western Star, on the other hand, can trace its roots back half a century to the Canadian logging and mining industries. That toughness is ingrained in Western Star's DNA, and the reason why it's still a popular choice across some of most demanding theatres going.
Anniversaries are well and truly in the air at DTNA. Last year, DTNA celebrated 100 years of its bus brand Thomas Built Buses, renowned for America's iconic yellow school buses. And next year, the DTNA-owned Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) celebrates its 80th anniversary.
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Written byTrucksales Staff
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