Capital Equipment News February 2019

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Mercedes-Benz Trucks continues its product offensive in southern Africa with the launch of the eagerly anticipated new Arocs for distribution and construction.

Summing up the details

Following on the heels of the successful launch of the new Actros, Daimler Trucks & Buses Southern Africa has officially rolled out the second ‘A’ range vehicle, the Arocs for distribution and construction. The first phase of the rollout comprises four new model lines with a design focus that sums up all the fundamental details – reliability, lower total cost of ownership, safety and maximum uptime, writes Munesu Shoko .

M ercedes-Benz Trucks continues its product offensive in southern Africa with the launch of the eagerly anticipated new Arocs for distribution and construction. With a new design and a range of technologies that speak directly to these applications, the new series offers a comfortable driver workplace, efficient drivetrain and engine technology for increased fuel savings, reduced service intervals, as well as attractive service offers aimed at increasing the overall cost-effectiveness further. Four new model lines, two for distribution and the other two for construction, are available as part of the first phase of the Arocs product rollout. Maretha Gerber, head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks South Africa, says the second phase of the launch will see more models being rolled out in the next 12 months. Jasper Hafkamp, CEO of Daimler Trucks and Buses Southern Africa, says the new Arocs ticks all the right boxes – reliability, efficiency and safety – and the sum of these details translates into greater operational

efficiency. The new specialist for distribution and construction transport is following on the heels of the new Actros truck tractors for long-distance transport. Since July 2018, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has recoded about 2 000 orders of the new Actros, a clear measure of its early success in the market. “Our product strategy allows us to precisely match the interests of today’s customers. All-purpose vehicles are increasingly becoming a thing of the past, that’s why the new range of Mercedes-Benz trucks uses a common platform to develop custom-tailored vehicle series for specific segments,” explains Hafkamp. Arocs for distribution The new Arocs for distribution is designed for applications ranging from 18-33 t heavy duty distribution. “As part of the first phase of the rollout, we have launched two Arocs models for distribution – the Arocs 2636L/57 6x2 and the Arocs 3345. Two distribution oriented cab variants are initially available, the M-Cab and the L-ClassicSpace,” explains Gerber.

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