Freightliner plans for Sterling growth

Oct 9, 2003 12:00 PM

Freightliner LLC is setting ambitious growth targets for its Sterling subsidiary as it seeks to make it a major player in the vocational truck market.

“The growth and success of the Sterling truck brand is a key component of our truck strategy in North America,” said Freightliner president & CEO Rainer Schmueckle. “Our goal for Sterling is have a 10% share in both the heavy- and medium-duty truck markets in North America.”

Freightliner has officially been building Sterling trucks at its St. Thomas, Ontario, plant for five years, but Schmueckle said the OEM expects to more than double its future production targets.

“If we do everything right over the next five years, I don’t expect us to just double production and reach 200,000 trucks,” he said. “I look for us to reach 250,000 trucks.”