HANNOVER, GERMANY. With economies around the world on the rebound, news at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show has revolved around three trends – globalization, alternative power and advanced safety systems. The lightest end of the commercial vehicle spectrum is also highly visible at the truck manufacturers’ display, including a number of small, dedicated commercial trucks headed for North America in the next year or two.
Having struggled through simultaneous recessions last year in both North America and Europe, exhibitors at the world’s largest truck show have a new-found appreciation for the growing CV appetites of developing countries, China in particular.
Component maker ArvinMeritor, for example, highlighted a new $15 million investment in China’s first research and development facility for heavy-duty truck component. Located in Nanjing, the facility also includes new manufacturing capacity for disc brakes and drive line products. Not ignoring the European market, which accounts for about one-third of its revenues, the company also announced a $42 million investment in its foundation brake businesses there, including money to expand its disc and s-cam brake lines.
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