The head of the works council at Daimler Truck calls for a massive build-up of skills

Munich, Berlin. Daimler Truck has been coordinating its diesel engines, transmissions and axles down to the last detail for over a hundred years. The integrated drive train has helped the Swabians to become world market leaders and is still considered a key success factor and job guarantee for the group. The depth of added value is high, in some cases Daimler Truck manufactures up to 90 percent of the components itself.

But the combustion engine business is finite in view of strict climate regulations. For its first battery-electric semitrailer, the E-Actros, Daimler Truck has so far bought core components such as the electric motor or battery modules from third parties.

The head of the works council, Michael Brecht, told the Handelsblatt that this should change quickly: “I’m drumming for more added value in future technologies. If we want to remain world market leader, then we have to offer products that are unique.”