Euro Fuso plant makes half century

The main production plant for Fuso Canter trucks in Europe, Portugal's Tramagal facility, is celebrating its 50th anniversary

Fifty years is an age in any manufacturing firm's history, but that’s how long trucks have been rolling out of the Tramagal facility in Portugal.

The main European production plant for Mitsubishi’s Fuso Canter, Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, the Board of Management Member responsible for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses (Fuso’s parent company), recently met with the Portuguese Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, and other Daimler AG and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) executives at the plant to mark the historic milestone.

The Tramagal plant has produced over 200,000 vehicles in its 50-year history and with investments totalling Euro 27 million made between 2011 and 2014 – and with the Fuso Canter being the best-selling truck in the entire Daimler line-up – it’s not showing any signs of slowing up.

Dr Bernhard gave thanks to the Portuguese Prime Minster for his efforts in guiding his nation through a difficult economic period.

“The Portuguese government has implemented the right measures to return its economy on a path of growth,” he said.

“We want to be an active supporter of these huge efforts to boost the economy and therefore keep investing in our plant.

“The Tramagal plant is an outstanding example of Daimler Trucks’ international footprint. The Portuguese colleagues cooperate very closely with their partner plants in Japan and India. This exemplifies the successful cooperation between Europe and Asia. Thank you very much for this outstanding performance.”

The head of Daimler Trucks Asia and CEO of MFTBC, Dr Albert Kirchmann, said the future of Daimler’s top-selling truck was bright.

“For decades the employees in Tramagal have shown continued commitment to the plant,” he said.

“In a quite literal sense, the production of our flagship Fuso Canter is in good hands.”

In celebrating the occasion, a Fuso Canter was presented to non-profit organisation CRIA, which assists handicapped children and their families in Portugal.

Now with a staff of 300 and spread over nearly 40,000m², the Tramagal plant was founded in 1964 as a joint venture between Portuguese company Duarte Ferreira and now defunct French truck maker Berliet.

The facility started producing Mitsubishi Fuso trucks from knock-down kits from 1980. The plant was eventually purchased by Mitsubishi Motors Portugal before control passed to Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, who used the site to focus on production of the Fuso Canter. Ownership then passed to Daimler AG when, in 2004, the German giant acquired a majority share of Mitsubishi Fuso.

Over 140,000 examples of the Fuso Canter were sold in 2013, with 3.8 million sold since the model’s debut in 1963. It’s now in its eighth generation.

Euro Fuso plant makes half century

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