Worldwide sales by Daimler Buses in 2007 totaled 39,000 units from the Mercedes-Benz, Setra, and Orion brands, which corresponds to an eight-percent increase from the high sales figure recorded in the prior year. Bus chassis increased its sales by 9.5% to 26,600 (2006: 24,300) units, while complete buses business achieved a sales increase of 4% to 12,400 (2006: 11,900) units.
“We set a new sales record once again in 2007,” says Harald Landmann, head of Daimler Buses. “And we successfully defended our position as the global leader for buses over eight tons GVW, while maintaining our leadership in all core markets. This outstanding sales result was largely due to the launch of new products.”
In Europe, where the overall market for buses remained stable, Daimler Buses increased sales by around five percent to 9,100 units (2006: 8,700), boosting its market share from 21 percent to 22 percent. The unit also further consolidated its leading position on the in total weaker German bus market, by increasing its market share from 52 percent in 2006 to 55 percent last year, with sales in Germany rising nearly eight percent to 2,800 units (2006: 2,600).