DTNA strives to introduce innovative and high-quality products to stay competitive in its sectors.

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So far, 2008 has been a year of change for the largest heavy-duty truck and commercial vehicle manufacturer in North America. In January, the company formerly known as Freightliner LLC officially changed its name to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) LLC to address confusion and better connect to its parent company, Daimler A.G.

“Our business changed dramatically in the past decade, and our name should reflect that reality,” President and CEO Chris Patterson said in a statement. “This time [was] right to implement a name change that reflects both our global DNA and our broad responsibilities within the NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] region.”   

The Freightliner name caused confusion because it was both the company’s name and a truck brand, COO Roger Nielsen explains. “We had one logo on the truck, and one that represented our company,” he says.

Nielsen notes the separation of Daimler and Chrysler in 2007 and the change of DaimlerChrysler A.G.’s name to Daimler “presented the perfect opportunity to change our name, as well."  

Also, earlier this year, the company announced plans to relocate approximately 350 members of its corporate staff from its headquarters in Portland, Ore., to Ft. Mill, S.C., by July. “About 80 percent of our trucks are sold east of the Mississippi, and most of the [manufacturing] work is being done on the East Coast,” he explains.

The purpose is to give our corporate staff more face time,” he says. “They will be able to see customers more on a regular basis, as well as interact with our major manufacturing plants,” three of which are located in the Carolinas.

New Products
DTNA strives to introduce innovative and high-quality products to stay competitive in the automotive industry. In 2007, it presented a new truck, called Cascadia, which will “overtake the market,” Nielsen predicts. Part of its Freightliner line, the trucks are its biggest and features bigger doors, a 13.5-foot-wide roof – 10 to 14 inches wider than its largest truck – and a six-foot-long sleeping unit.

“The living space is much larger and there is more shoulder room,” he adds. “There is more room for the growing driver, such as more belly room. The sleeping quarters are also larger and you can stand as you walk. There is also more room to store things, like clothing.

“There is also better visibility in the front windshield and improved fuel efficiency,” he adds.

The new truck line also incorporates “traditional” Freightliner characteristics, such as durability and reliability, he adds. To date, the company has sold almost 10,000 Cascadias.

Also, earlier this year, Daimler began ramping up production of Detroit Diesel’s new DD15 engine, and will continue to increase production until 2009. The heavy-duty engine will be the work horse of most of its fleets, he says. “We have thousands in backlog, and it is taking off strongly.”

Meeting Clients’ Needs
Daimler Trucks spends at least a year speaking with customers before it starts developing a new product. “We talk about their needs, and see what’s out there in the marketplace that doesn’t meet needs,” Nielsen says. “We just interview drivers and customers to see what they are looking for.”

Fuel costs are the No. 1 concern for customers. For drivers of major fleets, fuel mileage can make or break profits.

“Over the years, [other companies] have been more and more successful in passing fuel costs to customers, and truck drivers have to pay more,” he says. “We have strived to provide a better fuel economy in our products.”

Environmental concerns are also a priority and DTNA has also taken steps to make its facilities more environmentally friendly.