DAF Trucks has further strengthened its position on the European truck market last year. With a record market share of 16% in the heavy segment (16 tons+) DAF is now the second largest heavy truck brand in the EU*. Moreover, DAF is leading the market in the heavy tractor segment with a market share of 19.1%.
With a market share of 16.0%, DAF strengthened its position in the European heavy truck market in 2012 (2011: 15.5%). DAF is now the second largest truck brand in the EU and market leader in The Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary, and the largest import brand in Germany. With a market share of 19.1% DAF is the number one in the heavy tractor segment.
The total market for heavy commercial vehicles in the European Union in 2012 was about 222,000 units, a decrease of approximately 9% compared to a year earlier when 242,500 trucks were registered in this segment. DAF expects that the market for heavy trucks in Europe will this year reach 210,000 to 250,000 vehicles. In the light segment – in which DAF is active with the LF – the European truck market decreased to 55,300 units in 2012, and is forecasted to increase slightly in 2013 as many customers are expected to purchase Euro 5 vehicles ahead of the introduction of the Euro 6 emission requirement in 2014.DAF’s market share in the 6 to 16 tons class increased from 9.0% in 2011 to 11.5% in 2012, also a new record.
Growth outside European Union
DAF has strengthened its market position outside the European Union as well, where over 6,100 CF and XF vehicles were delivered last year (2011: 5,600). Local CF assembly was started in Morocco, while local LF assembly commenced in Taiwan, where DAF is market leader among the European brands with a market share of 30%. With 2,750 deliveries, 2012 sales volumes in Russia were almost 8 times higher than in 2010, resulting in a market share in the heavy segment of 13.3% amongst Western European brands. DAF will further grow its presence outside Europe in future, for instance in South America. Construction of the new DAF assembly plant in Ponta Grossa (Brasil) is proceeding according to plan, with production scheduled to start late this year.
Advanced Transport Efficiency
“We are proud of continuing our market leadership position in the European heavy tractor segment. Combined with achieving the second position in the European heavy truck market, it shows how much our customers value our trucks,“ said Ron Bonsen, member of the Board of Management of DAF Trucks NV and responsible for Marketing & Sales. ”We are receiving excellent feedback from customers on our Euro 5 ATe vehicles, which are leading the way in fuel efficiency and low operating cost. DAF’s success is also the result of our professional dealer organization and our full range of services like PACCAR Parts and PACCAR Financial. PACCAR Financial supports the sales of new DAF vehicles and achieved a record market share of 27% in 2012.”
