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<title>ROAD TRANSPORT - Transportweekly.Com</title> 
<link>http://www.transportweekly.com</link> 
<description>ROAD TRANSPORT</description> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Daimler AG and LEHNKERING GmbH sign a general agreement ]]></title>
        <pubDate>30.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Hubertus Troska, head of Mercedes-Benz trucks, and Cees van Gent, CEO of LEHNKERING GmbH, signed a general agreement for the delivery of 220 Mercedes-Benz trucks and a comprehensive service-leasing package for LEHNKERING’s Road Logisitics & Services Division (RLS) at LEHNKERING's headquarters in Duisburg. The general agreement is for four years, ending in 2013. The first Actros truck unit is due to be delivered as early as this October.Hubertus Troska on the signing: “The logistics service provider LEHNKERING and Mercedes-Benz are linked by more than 60 years of partnership. I am pleased that LEHNKERING has once again chosen our trucks and comprehensive range of services. Both companies have a long tradition that connects us just as much as our customers' demands for high quality do - demands we also make on ourselves.”Cees van Gent, CEO of LEHNKERING GmbH: “In Mercedes-Benz, we have a strong partner at our side, where LEHNKERING's principles and core values concerning quality, environmental responsibility, health, safety and transparency are reflected in the services provided. This step brings us much closer to our goal of realizing our full potential by 2013.”“We were convinced by Mercedes-Benz’ overall concept. The combination of reliable service, the coverage of service stations, the training and further qualification of our drivers and the possibility of making seasonal and cyclical adjustments to the fleet size are exactly tailored to the needs of LEHNKERING,” said Hans van den Bosch, Managing Director of LEHNKERING Chemical Transport GmbH, part of the group's Road Logistics & Services Division.Under the terms of the general agreement, 220 Mercedes-Benz Actros truck units will be built over the next four years at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and delivered to various LEHNKERING sites in Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Approximately two-thirds of the trucks will be used for chemical transport and around a third of the trucks for steel. All vehicles are fitted with the TopSafety package complete with every available Mercedes-Benz safety feature including the latest version of the Active Brake Assist system. With BlueTec engines from Mercedes-Benz, the trucks meet both the Euro5 emission guidelines and the voluntary EEV (Enhanced Environmental Friendly Vehicle) standards.The general agreement also includes the full service package from Mercedes-Benz.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74363/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74363/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Two major orders ]]></title>
        <pubDate>30.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ MAN Nutzfahrzeuge has been awarded two major orders totaling 131 city buses. The modern MAN Lion's City low-floor buses will be going into operation on the streets of Warsaw (Poland) and Halmstad (Sweden). The order from Warsaw's public transport authority is for 70 MAN city buses to be delivered by the end of the year. Warsaw is acquiring 18-meter long low-floor articulated buses in the eco-friendly EEV version. The buses are designed for ease of use by the physically challenged and are also equipped with high-performance air-conditioning systems as well as automatic counting systems for passengers getting on and off.&nbsp; In Sweden, MAN is to deliver 61 MAN Lion's City buses to Arriva, a private transportation company. Thirty of them will be delivered with especially eco-friendly natural-gas engines. The buses will be going into operation in the Swedish city of Halmstad, where Arriva has taken over responsibility for the local public transportation system. This means that all routes in Halmstad will be exclusively served by MAN buses. According to Arriva, the decision to acquire MAN buses was made because of their excellent economy and eco-friendliness, good service, and MAN's outstanding competence in the field of bus engines. Arriva is Europe's second-largest private transportation company, operating a fleet of 16,000 buses. ]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74352/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74352/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ PPG Fabrications and Edbro develop light-weight tipper solution for Lafarge contracts]]></title>
        <pubDate>30.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ PPG will be showing its latest Smoothline Insulated tipper body at the Tip-Ex show in Harrogate this week; built to incorporate the full Lafarge specification, including fixed front-mounted access ladders and an impressive 200 kg in weight reduction over competing tipper body designs. Key to the weight reduction and meeting the tough technical criteria laid down by Lafarge is the latest Edbro CX14 tipping cylinder; the company’s new CX14 model reduces weight substantially while improving strength and performance.The first complete vehicle off the production line was revealed to the public at Tip-Ex, it has been built on an 8 wheel DAF CF85 chassis with a 5.7m wheel base. Owner and driver Dave Phillips of Dave PhillipsTransport chose the new PPG design for both economic and practical reasons; the lighter weight design and the full Lafarge spec will allow him to fulfil his Lafarge contracts quickly and efficiently, while being versatile and easy to access to clean and use for other jobs. The weight reduction provides additional carrying capacity and the Edbro lifting gear adds easier, safer handling.The PPG Smoothline Insulated Body employs double-skinned aluminium walls and a hardened aluminium floor, all packed with the latest thermal fibre insulation material in order to maintain working temperatures, starting between 180 and 220 degrees, for as long as possible while ensuring a touch-safe temperature on the outside. The overhang at the back and the optimum tyre dimensions ensure maximum compatibility with current road laying machines. The rivet-less side panel construction also provides a good sign writing surface and is easy to clean.The new CX14 hydraulic tipping cylinder was tested alongside the body design, and both performed extremely well in field trials. The new body is being assembled at the PPG works facility in Peterborough and provides the ultimate in reliability and strength. The overall weight of the body, tipping gear and sheet system is only just over 2,000kg an amazing achievement for a 20,650kg payload.Nick Elliot, National Transport Manager at Lafarge, has been instrumental in developing the new PPG tipper and is responsible for the current weight saving initiative; he explains, “We have set up a joint project between the various suppliers who contribute towards an 8x4 tipper vehicle. The overall goal is to achieve a 21 tonne payload. This will result in improved revenue for hauliers, an increase in the efficiency of our fleet, a reduction of our carbon footprint, which is an important part of our overall sustainability strategy and something which is becoming increasingly significant in winning major contracts.”Peter Smith, Sales & Marketing Director at Edbro adds, “This is a great example of how Edbro works to support both our direct customer, in this instance the body builder PPG, the contractor, and his ultimate customer Lafarge. It is only by large companies such as Lafarge and truck manufacturers themselves laying down more demanding specifications that we are able to invest and improve our technology to achieve a common goal. We are finding that the areas of the market that are strong and growing are not focussed on reduced part costs, but on driving-up overall efficiency and improving reliability, which pay far higher dividends down the line.”]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74330/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74330/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ IHS Automotive truck seminar at the IAA]]></title>
        <pubDate>29.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Following the severe setback in the autumn of 2008, the commercial vehicle industry is now on course for recovery world-wide. But will the sudden upturn in the industry continue steadily, or is it just a flash in the pan? The forecasters IHS Automotive will explore this question in a seminar on 23 September, the official opening day of the 63rd IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hannover. The seminar is aimed at an international audience – including journalists – and will therefore be held in English. The experts from IHS Automotive will also provide answers to other topical questions concerning the industry: Which key markets will generate growth in the future?Will the consolidation process in the industry continue?How sustainable is the commercial vehicle boom in China? In addition, a specialist lecture will be dedicated to the rapidly expanding Indonesian commercial vehicle market. The industry’s technological developments and new mobility concepts will also be examined in detail. The speakers will be Roman Mathyssek, Director and Head of Truck Research/Advisory, Timo Klein, Senior Economist, Christoph Domke, Senior Truck Market Analyst, and Tom de Vleesschauwer, Director Consulting. IHS Automotive resulted from the merger of the Automotive Group of IHS Global Insight and CSM Worldwide.The seminar is being organised in co-operation with the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and will take place in the Convention Center, Room Bonn, at the Hannover trade fair grounds, beginning at 9.30 h. ]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74327/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74327/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Fuso posts sales record in Indonesia]]></title>
        <pubDate>29.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), an integral part of Daimler Trucks, announced that it has achieved its highest ever first half sales in Indonesia, the company’s largest export market. In the first six months of 2010, sales of Fuso trucks in Indonesia increased 89.7 percent to 24,312 units, compared to 12,816 units in the same period of 2009. This result is exceeding even that of the same period in the record year of 2008, when Fuso sold 21,720 units in the first half.“Mitsubishi Fuso continues to post very strong sales in Indonesia, reflecting the overall positive momentum in the international truck markets,” said Dr. Albert Kirchmann, President and CEO of MFTBC. “As one of our most important export markets and the largest truck market overall in Southeast Asia, Indonesia plays a key role in the success of our international business.” MFTBC has the leading market share of 49.1 percent in the overall truck and bus segment in Indonesia. In the past five years, Fuso has sold more than 168,000 commercial vehicles in Indonesia, including light-duty trucks, medium-duty trucks, and light-duty bus chassis.Southeast Asia is the largest export region for Fuso trucks. Products such as the Fuso Canter and a comprehensive service network have made Fuso the leading commercial vehicle brand in Southeast Asia. In April MFTBC announced that it would expand its global product offensive in Southeast Asia as well; the company introduced the latest generation light-duty Fuso Canter in Malaysia and the Philippines. “Southeast Asia is one of the most promising commercial vehicle markets worldwide, and it is of great importance to us in view of the continued challenges of the global economy,” said Kirchmann.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74322/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74322/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Commercial Vehicles sees clear upward trend]]></title>
        <pubDate>29.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ The MAN Group performed well in the second quarter; the timid signs of recovery at the beginning of the year were confirmed and strengthened. Better macroeconomic developments and reduced uncertainty in the financial sector and in manufacturing industry had a positive effect on the transportation and energy markets. MAN’s key performance indicators have improved significantly compared with the difficult year 2009. At the same time, many areas still have a long way to go to return to the high levels of capacity utilization in previous record years. In the second quarter of 2010, MAN received orders worth €3.7 billion — up 6% on Q1 and 64% more than in the prior-year quarter. Orders in the first six months totaled €7.3 billion, a yearon- year increase of 59%. This growth was driven by both business areas, with Commercial Vehicles up 70% year-on-year in the first half of 2010 and Power Engineering recording 39% more orders. Above all, the steady upward trend at MAN Nutzfahrzeuge is boosting our expectations of a sustained improvement. Order intake at MAN Latin America in the second quarter exceeded the historic high achieved in Q1. MAN Diesel & Turbo recorded year-on-year growth in order intake of 41% in the second quarter and 28% in the first six months. At €7.7 billion, the MAN Group’s order backlog in H1 was 4% higher than at the end of 2009. Revenue rose by 16% in the second quarter to a total of €3.6 billion. In the first half of 2010, it was up by 19% yearon- year to €6.7 billion. This is primarily attributable to the second quarter in the Commercial Vehicles business area, while revenue in the Power Engineering business area declined slightly. Business was down by 23% in the Engines & Marine Systems strategic business unit and by 5% in the Turbo Machinery strategic business unit. This decrease was partially offset by the 57% increase in revenue in the Power Plants strategic business unit. The upturn in business in the Commercial Vehicles business area led to a sharp rise in the MAN Group’s operating profit, from €244 million in the first half of 2009 to €404 million in H1/2010. The Power Engineering business area continues to account for the majority of this figure, at €245 million. MAN Diesel & Turbo and Renk again achieved high double-digit returns on sales. At 6%, the figure for the MAN Group as a whole has already returned to a respectable level. The sometimes extremely diverse performance of the Commercial Vehicles and Power Engineering business areas shows that MAN is well balanced from a cyclical perspective: In 2009, the weakness in the Commercial Vehicles business area was offset by the high order backlog in the Power Engineering business area, and now the growing momentum in the commercial vehicles markets will act as a counterbalance. This balance also applies to the regional breakdown of our business. While Europe is set for relatively low growth rates in the long term, key emerging economies are returning to their past growth momentum. The transportation and energy markets in particular are currently recording high growth and continue to offer significant potential. Our Company already has a very strong presence especially in the high-growth BRIC countries. This enables MAN to achieve higher profitable growth, additional synergies, and better risk diversification. The uncertainty on the global markets has not yet disappeared completely. Nevertheless, we believe that stronger domestic and international demand will be the basis for positive growth beyond 2010. Due to the continued growth in Brazil, MAN Latin America will remain a stable earnings driver. The order situation in the Power Engineering business area will remain low but stable. The business area’s high order backlog should again allow it to aim for a double-digit return. We expect the MAN Group’s return on sales to match the level for the first six months. ]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74310/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74310/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Continental gains speed on the road to success]]></title>
        <pubDate>29.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ In the first half of 2010, the Continental Corporation’s EBIT topped the pre-crisis level of the first half of 2008. Borne by the continuing recovery of the auto markets and the increased operational performance, the international automotive supplier achieved EBIT of more than €1 billion and thus nearly €100 million more than in the first six months of 2008. At the same time, consolidated sales in the first six months rose by a good €3.5 billion, or 40%, to €12.7 billion, compared to the figure for the same period of 2009. Sales however still remained €600 million below the value for the first half of 2008. At 8.0%, the EBIT margin in the first half of 2010 also climbed above the pre-crisis level: in the first six months of 2008, there was an EBIT margin of 6.9%.“As already announced, Continental is well on its way to emerging from the crisis stronger than before, as demonstrated by the successes achieved in operations with the very positive development of EBIT and the EBIT margin that exceeded the pre-crisis margin. This is also however obvious from our balance sheet, which we have improved substantially since the beginning of the year with the capital increase and the equally successful placement of an initial bond, as announced. With this basis, we are tackling the upcoming tasks brimming with confidence,” said Continental Executive Board chairman Dr. Elmar Degenhart on Thursday, on the publication of the half-year financial report. “We were also able to reduce our net indebtedness further and significantly improve key financial figures such as the gearing ratio and the leverage ratio of net indebtedness to EBITDA.”Consolidated sales for the first six months of 2010 jumped 39.6% year-on-year to €12,654.4 million (PY: €9,063.2 million). Before changes in the scope of consolidation and exchange rate effects, sales were up 36.4%. The adjusted EBIT for the corporation was up in the first six months of 2010 compared with the same period of 2009 by €1,057.4 million, or 425.2%, to €1,306.1 million (PY: €248.7 million), equivalent to 10.4% (PY: 2.8%) of adjusted sales. In the first half of 2010, consolidated EBIT was up €1,137.3 million on the previous year to €1,011.1 million (PY: -€126.2 million), an increase of 901.2%. The return on sales was higher at 8.0% (PY: -1.4%). Net income attributable to the shareholders of the parent rose 176.3% to €348.9 million (PY: -€457.1 million), with earnings per share higher at €1.74 (PY: -€2.70). Here, the write-down of tax loss carry forwards totaling €88.0 million had a negative impact in the second quarter in particular.At €8,016.9 million, net indebtedness on June 30 was €878.6 million lower than on December 31, 2009, and €1,729.7 million lower than on June 30, 2009. Since the end of 2007, Continental has been able to reduce the net indebtedness by more than €2.8 billion. This reduction can be attributed in particular to the capital increase implemented in January 2010, which resulted in net proceeds of a good €1 billion, in addition to the strong free cash flow in the past two years. The resulting strengthening of the company’s capital base (equity ratio 24.6%) in conjunction with the reduction of net indebtedness produced a gearing ratio of 133%, a major improvement in comparison to the ratio for the same period of 2009 (186%). With the most recent finance measures, it was also possible to further improve the maturities profile of the company's indebtedness.At -€321.9 million, net interest expense improved slightly by €7.3 million in the first half of 2010 compared with the same period of last year (PY: -€329.2 million). This decrease was due, among other things, to positive (mostly non-cash) effects of exchange rate changes. The interest expenses, which resulted primarily from the utilization of the VDO loan, rose only slightly by €0.4 million year-on-year to approximately €353 million. “Thanks to the lower market interest rate as well as the substantial reduction in net indebtedness, we were able to keep interest expense at the previous year level,” commented Continental CFO Wolfgang Schäfer. This was impacted, however, by a higher margin level resulting from the decline in our rating during the course of 2009, as well as the renegotiation of the terms of the VDO loan in December 2009.In the first half of 2010, free cash flow stood at -€43.9 million (PY: €689.8 million). Negative effects in the first half of 2010 resulted in particular from the higher working capital owing to substantial increases in sales in all business fields as well as higher tax payments and cash outflow for investment activities in comparison to the first half of 2009. These negative effects were not offset by any comparable positive effects in the period under review.In the first two quarters of 2010, €430.1 million (PY: €413.7 million) was invested in property, plant, equipment and software, The capital expenditure ratio after six months thus amounted to 3.4% (PY: 4.6%). In the first half of 2010, research and development expenses rose by 3.3% compared with the same period of 2009 to €754.4 million (PY: €730.6 million), representing 6.0% (PY: 8.1%) of sales.At the end of the second quarter of 2010, the corporation's employees numbered 142,765, an increase of 8,331 compared with the end of 2009 and of 12,231 compared with the prior-year period.A look at the two groups of the Continental Corporation confirms the recovery of the global automotive markets as well as the effectiveness of the cost-cutting programs initiated already in 2009. In the first half-year, the Automotive Group generated sales of €7.86 billion and reported EBIT of €360.7 million (PY: -€440.7 million). This corresponds to a margin of 4.6%, following -8.2% a year earlier. The adjusted EBIT margin is 7.7%, after -2.1% a year ago. “So after a very good start to the year in the Automotive Group, the positive trend continues. If business continues to thrive, break-even point for the Powertrain division will be within reach by as early as the end of this year,” Degenhart explained.In the first six months, the Rubber Group generated sales of a good €4.8 billion and reported EBIT of €690.7 million (PY: €338.3 million). The margin amounted to 14.4%, compared with 9.1% the year before. “In the first six months of this year, we already felt the effect of raw material costs, which have been rising since last year. It has however been possible to mitigate this effect with higher sales volumes on the whole. We are, though, expecting to be burdened further with roughly €250 million from rising raw material costs in the second half of 2010 alone," Degenhart added.Outlook: Significant increase in adjusted EBIT expectedContinental Executive Board chairman Degenhart confirms the outlook that was adjusted at the beginning of July. “In view of the development of Continental’s most important sales markets, we are upping our sales forecast from at least 5% to about 15% for 2010. We still expect a significant year-on-year increase in adjusted* EBIT. From the current perspective, we anticipate that the adjusted* EBIT margin will be in the range of 8.0% to 8.5% for 2010. Here, we expect to be burdened with roughly an additional €250 million from rising raw material costs in the second half of 2010 alone. Special effects, which amounted to €70 million in the first half of 2010, are expected to total about €100 million for the whole year.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74296/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74296/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Royal Dutch Shell Board appoints new non-executive director ]]></title>
        <pubDate>29.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ The Board of Royal Dutch Shell plc today announced the appointment of Guy Elliott, Chief Financial Officer of Rio Tinto since 2002, as non executive director and member of the Audit Committee of the Board, with effect from 1st September 2010. Mr Elliott will together with other directors stand for election at the Annual General Meeting in 2011.&nbsp; Prior to becoming CFO of Rio Tinto, Guy occupied a number of positions in marketing, strategy and general management at Rio Tinto and served as president of Rio Tinto Brazil. He has been a non-executive director, chairman of the audit committee and senior independent director of Cadbury plc prior to the acquisition by Kraft.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74295/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74295/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ First double-clutch transmission in a truck]]></title>
        <pubDate>28.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Fuso is the first manufacturer worldwide to present a double-clutch transmission in commercial vehicles.Known as the "Duonic", this double-clutch transmission combines automated driving with the advantages of a manual transmission.As with a fully automatic transmission it is a two-pedal system, there is an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal and a selector lever. The selector lever allows automatic or manual gearshift mode to be selected.The M038S6 "Duonic transmission" has six forward gears and a reverse gear. The P-function ensures safe parking by preventing the vehicle from rolling away. "Duonic" features a non-wearing wet clutch, which lowers maintenance costs by eliminating the need to replace worn clutch discs. A creep function has been added to the wet clutch, as is usual for automatic transmission with a torque converter. This enables the vehicle’s speed to be easily controlled when moving slowly – for example when manoeuvring or in stop-and-go traffic – and hill-starts are also made easier.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74273/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74273/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ ZF Road Test 2010 has a Winner: the Land Rover Freelander]]></title>
        <pubDate>28.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ ZF's second road test has a clear winner: With an overall grade of 1.96, the Land Rover Freelander prevails against 23 competitors from the compact SUV category. In the benchmark test organized by ZF Friedrichshafen AG and AUTO TEST, the monthly buyers' guide in the German Car Magazine Auto Bild, 30,000 car enthusiasts chose their ten favorites from 24 models. They were put to the acid test by ten randomly chosen participants in thesurvey. AUTO TEST readers can win the best vehicle in a competition in edition 8/2010.The independent jury voted the VW Tiguan as runner-up with the overall grade of 2.14, rank three goes to the Ford Kuga with a grade of 2.16. On the road, the first three compact SUVs were still neck-and-neck in terms of handling where they all had a grade of 2.1. On the off-road course, the Land Rover Freelander left its competitors far behind: "On rough terrain, the Freelander is first choice", is how reader Helmut Kubisch describes his experience.On the whole, the Land Rover convinces the test drivers with its robust quality and a harmonious overall design and leads the field with a 2.0.Car testing as an adventure: the ZF Road TestThe ZF Road Test is the only car test in Germany where the car drivers determine the winner. They decide which cars are tested: Approx. 30,000 AUTO TEST readers voted in the ZF Road Test 2010 which SUVs would reach the finals and should be tested under the toughest of conditions on the Nürburgring. Test editors and test drivers provided instructions on how the readers could reach the vehicles' limits. This is where the best fine-tuning ofcontrol systems (roll control, downhill control), the best traction, ground clearance, and torsional flexing were unveiled. On the handling course at the driver training center, the focus was placed on qualities regarding driving dynamics, vehicle handling, the finetuning of control systems, such as traction control or ESP, and thecars' motoring comfort. The static evaluation focused on workmanship/quality, material, space, and ergonomics.Favorites with ZF technologyThe winning model of the ZF Road Test 2010 convinced the test drivers particularly by its excellent driving properties in off-road terrain. To this end, also the suspension components from ZF, which the Land Rover Freelander 2 has on board as a standard, play their part. Also in many winning models: the dual-massflywheel from ZF Sachs which compensates for vibrations in the driveline and allows for lower engine speeds, as well as shock absorbers and spring struts. ZF's economical and comfortable, second-generation 6-speed automatic transmission or the 6-speed manual transmission support economy and comfort, both on- and off-road in the BMW X1 which came fourth. Both the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Skoda Yeti are equipped with the Servolectricelectric power steering system from ZF Lenksysteme, a joint venture of Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.Compared to hydraulic steering systems, this steering system saves up to 0.4 liters fuel in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) and up to 0.8 liters per 100 kilometers in city traffic. Another advantage is the expanded system integration capacity. It allows for further comfort and safety equipment, such as the tracking system or park distance control, and is also a prerequisite for hybrid and electric vehicles.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74263/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74263/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Export boom culminates at the Bremerhaven car terminal]]></title>
        <pubDate>28.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ The middle of July saw an unusual supply shortfall at the Bremerhaven car terminal. The imminent factory holidays at the manufacturers’ end meant the number of export vehicles rose drastically once again due to temporarily scheduled special production shifts. The higher than average number of port calls was too much for the permanent staff of the BLG terminal operator and the available staff of the port personnel provider, GHBV, to handle. Nine ships thus had to put up with waiting times in calendar week 28.While an average of 25 car ships normally call at Bremerhaven every week, there were up to 45 ships at the peak time. The staff shortage was, however, fully rectified within a week thanks to a newspaper advertisement. 270 assistant drivers were employed by the personnel provider and immediately trained in terminal operations. This saw the situation normalised within 10 days. Vehicle export is expected to retain its high level in 2010 after the factoryholidays. The production peak experienced during the month of July will not, however, be repeated.After an initially sluggish start in January, vehicle exports at the Bremerhaven car terminal drastically increased over the following months. Due to the high demand in Asia, and also once again in the USA, exports during the first half of the year rose by 78 percent to 564,000 vehicles compared to the same time the previous year. However, imports once again fell back below the previous year’s already low level of 140,000, making them 60 percent below 2008’srecord.The total number of vehicles handled in Bremerhaven in the first half of the year was, at 704,000 units, 40 percent above the corresponding previous year’s figure.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74252/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74252/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Scania to facilitate borderless trade in Southeast Asia]]></title>
        <pubDate>26.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ The transport company TNT Express has selected Scania as a supplier of long haulage trucks for its Asia Road Network (ARN) express service covering Southeast Asia. Scania's strong presence in the region's countries paved the way for this pioneering business.The ARN currently links 6 countries and 127 cities across a distance of more than 7,650 kilometres."We are very excited to be involved in this very special project, which is seen as the first step towards realising borderless intra-ASEAN trade," says Peter Sjöblom, Managing Director of Scania South East Asia. "The fact that TNT has decided to go with Scania in this deal reaffirms Scania's position as the only manufacturer ableto support cross-border operations in this region.""In selecting a suitable partner to support the equipment needs of the Asia Road Network, we took into account several critical factors including quality of the equipment, suitability to local environments, reliability, fuel efficiency and aftermarket support," says David Stenberg, General Manager, Asia Road Network.The trucks, all 380 hp Scania R-series, will be used to haul express parcels and freight from TNT's main Regional Hub in Singapore through to its main hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand. Subsequently, additional vehicles will be deployed in the Indo-China region in the next phase of the partnership between TNTand Scania."The Scania R380 was chosen as the vehicle that best fits our requirements. The team from Scania showed a high level of flexibility and professionalism in their approach to developing a solution for our needs. Scania took the time to understand our vision for the ARN and worked with us to develop a unique solution, which is best inclass in the region," says David Stenberg.These new trucks represent the future of road transport in the region.&nbsp; TNT and Scania have collaborated closely on the design features which are unique to this region. Compared to the older trucks, these new trucks have a 20 percent greater load capacity, yet are some three tonnes lighter, which contributes to lower wearand tear. This also translates to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Safety and comfort for drivers were also strong considerations in choosing Scania over competitors."Not only did we exactly match the specification of the vehicle for TNT's requirements," says Alfons Reitsma, Senior Technical Product Manager for Scania South East Asia, "we were also able to ensure an extremely high uptime for the vehicles through a repair and maintenance programme that covers three countries."]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74173/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74173/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Bilfinger Berger to build part of the Warsaw ring road valued at €200 million]]></title>
        <pubDate>26.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ A consortium managed by Bilfinger Berger has been awarded the contract to build a 12.6-kilometer section of the new ring road around Warsaw, the Polish capital. The section will connect the city's international airport with the A2 highway; it will have three lanes in each direction and will entail the construction of 15 bridges and 18 kilometers of noise barriers.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74169/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74169/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Edbro launches a new range of skiploader and hooklift systems]]></title>
        <pubDate>26.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Hydraulic truck tipping hoist and waste management equipment specialist Edbro has launched a new telescopic arm skiploader and a powerful, lightweight hooklift system, meeting modern requirements for increased productivity, optimum chassis utilisation and maximum safety. The MB14T telescopic arm skiploader provides alift capacity of up to 14 tonnes, while the TH23 power hook provides a lift capacity up to 23 tonnes. Both offer a fast lift-off facility to dramatically reduce the lifting cycle.Designed for use with 18 tonne & 23 GVW chassis, the MB14T telescopic arm skiploader provides a lift capacity of up to 14 tonnes. Lightweight and fast operating, the MB14T skiploader provides side and front adjustable bin stops, giving it the flexibility to accommodate container sizes from 3.82 to 12.23m3 capacity, and base lengths from 1.83 to 2.31m. It offers independent and sequence arm control for increased flexibility in operation.The compact, robust rear end design offers maximum protection for rear light clusters, increasing equipment durability in the most arduous and challenging waste handling operations. For increased stability on uneven ground, the MB14T features independent jack legs, and both pivoted flat foot and roller options are available.Operator safety is assured through a range of protection features, including dead-man control for increased driver safety.The skiploader offers ultimate ease of servicing in line with Edbro’s renowned ‘fit and forget’ reputation, so users can be assured of ultimate long-term profitability throughout the lifetime of the equipment.The TH23 power hook is a powerful, lightweight hooklift system designed for use with up to 32 tonne GVW chassis. Weighing in at just 2980kg, the lightweight design gives an extremely high power to weight ratio, with the TH23 providing a maximum lift capacity of up to 23 tonnes, and a maximum tipping angle of 46 degrees. The fast lift facility reduces the lift cycle by as much as 33% compared with conventional equipment, dramatically increasing overall productivity. Further optimising returnon investment, the TH23 has been designed utilising fewer moving components than typical alternatives, so increasing reliability, minimising downtime and simplifying servicing.The power hook is constructed from high strength steel to give the optimum combination of high durability and low weight. Large rear rollers ensure safe and accurate bin guiding, while the unique hook profile eliminates the possibility of bin dismount during operation. For increased safety, the fully interlocked design prevents misuse or out of sequence operation, and an in-cab warning system maximises operator safety.An extensive selection of high performance accessories are available to complement and enhance the complete range of Edbro waste handing equipment, further optimising operational productivity and safety. All components supplied come with the peace of mind that the Edbro name brings, while an extensive network of specialist spares and service agents deliver the very best in servicing and support.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74159/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74159/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Dumpers for construction of ring road]]></title>
        <pubDate>23.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ OAO Leasing Company KAMAZ delivered 20 KAMAZ-65115 dumpers for construction of the fourth ring road in Moscow, according to a company statement.The vehicles were delivered according to the contract signed by Leasing Company KAMAZ and OOO DorMost – one of the leading subdivisions of Moscow’s town-planning policy and construction complex.KAMAZ-65115 all-purpose dumper with payload of 15 tonnes and body space of 10 cubic meters is used in all spheres of economic activity where transportation of loose goods is required – from agribusiness to road-building sector. This unique KAMAZ vehicle enjoys unfailing popularity both on the territory of the Russian Federation and in countries of the near and far abroad.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74134/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74134/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Scania and MAN seek industrial collaboration]]></title>
        <pubDate>23.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Scania AB is together with MAN SE studying the potential for collaboration on component supply and pre-development.The companies are conducting feasibility studies regarding four strategic areas that are not brand-related. The studies cover the potential for:&nbsp; · Scania to adapt its manual gearbox for use in MAN trucks&nbsp; · Scania to use MAN's rear axle for heavy applications (36-40 tonnes) and its transfer cases in Scania trucks&nbsp; · Commodities without affecting brand identity&nbsp; · Scania and MAN to pursue joint research on hybrid components for heavy trucks and busesDetailed evaluations to determine the potential for cost savings will be carried out in the course of further talks.Leif Östling, President and CEO of Scania, comments:"After a preliminary analysis, we have concluded that with this kind of joint component supply there are potential synergies without jeopardising our strong brand identities and the individuality of our products. Both companies and all shareholders should profit from the collaboration."A final collaboration agreement between Scania AB and MAN SE will be subject the approval of the Scania board of directors.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74121/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74121/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ International passenger car business has dynamic first half-year]]></title>
        <pubDate>22.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Following the crisis year of 2009, global demand for automobiles showed renewed growth on many foreign markets in the first half of 2010. In particular, demand for passenger cars is developing very dynamically in the Asian countries. But the US market also recorded a marked rise in sales in the current year.For example, nearly one million light vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks) were sold in June in the US. The increase of 14 per cent continued the upward trend of recent months. However, the US market is still clearly a long way from its earlier record levels. In the first six months of 2010, US sales climbed by 17 per cent to 5.6 million light vehicles. This year sales of German brands have gone up by a massive 18 per cent so far – increasing their market share once more (by 7.5 per cent).As expected, in China the rapid growth seen last month slowed down somewhat. June sales of passenger cars did indeed go up by almost one fifth (+19 per cent), but this represents the lowest growth rate for over a year. Up to and including June, nearly 5.4 million cars were sold in China, which is almost 50 per cent more than in the same period in 2009. The German manufacturers, which are firmly anchored in the Chinese automotive sector due to their decades of commitment, were able to keep up with the dynamic trend in demand seen in recent months, and took nearly 18 per cent of the market.Last month passenger car sales also showed welcome developments in India. In June 2010 the sales figures exceeded those of June 2009 by 29 per cent despite a rise in vehicle prices. This means that in the first half of this year more than 1.1 million cars were sold in India (+31 per cent). The German OEMs in particular were able to benefit from the increasing demand and more than doubled their sales in the first six months of 2010.The Japanese automotive market remained dynamic in June. Around 377,200 units were sold, pushing up the number of new registrations by 18 per cent. In first half of the year almost 2.3 million passenger cars were sold in Japan – a rise of more than 23 per cent in comparison to the previous year.In Brazil demand for passenger cars fell in June for the second month in succession, following the end of the government’s economic stimulus programme in March. In the first six months of the current year nearly 1.5 million light vehicles were sold in Brazil, which was a year-on-year increase of 7 per cent. On the Russian passenger car market, the economic recovery and the scrapping bonus that has been in operation for some months now have given a clear boost to demand. Car sales rose by 45 per cent in June. In the first quarter of this year sales were still one quarter down on the previous year’s level, but the figures for the second quarter recorded a rise of almost one third. So in the first six months of 2010, 3 per cent more vehicles were sold in Russia than were sold in the same period in 2009. In Western Europe demand for passenger cars in June was, as expected, slightly down on the previous year. However, with around 1.3 million passenger cars sold, the volume of new registrations was, when seasonally adjusted, nearly 7 per cent up on the May figures. In the first half-year the Western European car market expanded by 2 per cent to 7.1 million vehicles, because the first quarter in particular was characterised by a lively incentive-related demand.In the new EU Member States, too, the number of new registrations in June was still slightly below that in the same month last year (-4 per cent), although for some months the drop in demand has been flattening out. In the first six months of the current year, however, sales showed a year-on-year fall of 14 per cent.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74091/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74091/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ IRU TIR-EPD provides TIR pre-declarations free of charge for external EU borders!]]></title>
        <pubDate>21.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Further to the launch of the IRU TIR electronic pre-declaration system, (IRU TIR-EPD) in both Latvia and Lithuania, it is now possible for all TIR Carnet holders to process their TIR data in advance and free-of-charge, via the internet, from 11 EU countries located along the eastern border (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).IRU Head of TIR Department, Marek Retelski, said, “This is a major achievement to further reinforce the computerisation and security of the TIR System worldwide, in the interest of the transport industry, customs authorities, trade and the end customer. Indeed, IRU TIR-EPD not only saves time and money but it provides customs authorities with a sound risk-management tool, as they receive all the necessary data far in advance of TIR operations.” As a result of intensive technical cooperation between the IRU, its national Member associations Latvijas Auto and LINAVA, as well as competent authorities of Latvia and Lithuania, the IRU TIR-EPD was successfully launched in these two additional countries, which are not only important users of the TIR System but are also neighbouring Belarus and the Russian Federation, two major TIR Contracting Parties outside the EU.“We can only congratulate the Latvian and Lithuanian customs for their role in this achievement and encourage other Contracting Parties within or outside of the EU to join the IRU TIR-EPD,” Marek Retelski added.The IRU TIR-EPD application allows road transport companies to save considerable amounts of time and money at border-crossings by rapidly providing all TIR data, free-of charge through a user-friendly internet platform to the relevant customs office, thus avoiding the very expensive services of intermediaries at the border.The IRU TIR-EPD also helps authorities implement the International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, reducing border waiting times by removing the necessity to process customs clearance at border-crossing points.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The IRU is currently working closely with numerous other countries to implement the TIR-EPD, including Belarus, France, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74055/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74055/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ KAMAZ’s representative office in Ukraine celebrates its anniversary]]></title>
        <pubDate>21.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Three years ago KAMAZ opened its trade office in Ukraine. These three years were difficult, but the Ukrainian sales and service network of OJSC KAMAZ celebrates its anniversary in 2010 confidently facing the future, according to a company statement.&nbsp;To date OJSC KAMAZ has got not only its trade office in Ukraine. The Russian corporation adopted a new scheme of production delivery to this country: via an official importer. A decision to establish the single importing company was announced at OJSC KAMAZ’s official dealers’ meeting which took place on April 28, 2010 in Kiev. KAMAZ’s strategy in the Ukrainian market included development of Chernigovsky Automobile Center KAMAZ on the basis of which it was decided to establish KAMAZ’s Trade Company – OJSC KAMAZ’s subsidiary. The whole KAMAZ trade and service network in Ukraine includes 9 dealer organizations and 10 authorized service centers. The consequences of the global financial crisis adversely affected OJSC KAMAZ’s clients’ and the Ukrainian customers’ purchasing power. However, specialists of the trade and service network managed to turn developments of the last two years to their own, KAMAZ’s and KAMAZ’s customers’ advantage working in close cooperation with the management of the main office. According to the data of AUTO-Consulting Information Analysis Group, in the first half-year 2010 the share of KAMAZ’s production made 31% in the Ukrainian market in the segment of trucks with payload of over 16t. More often such equipment is used in the agrarian sector strategically important for the Ukrainian economy. There are “stars” and “outsiders” among vehicles in this area. To the former belong KAMAZ vehicles the most popular of which is KAMAZ-45143. This model alone takes 13.2% of the Ukrainian market of trucks with payload of over 16t! KAMAZ’s production takes a bit smaller volume in the market of trucks with payload of 8-16t: in the first half-year it formed 17.2%. There is something to be proud of though: its increase made up 8% in comparison with the first half-year of 2009. ]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74044/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74044/</guid> 
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        <title><![CDATA[ Consolidation centre increases capacity by 20 per cent]]></title>
        <pubDate>21.07</pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[ Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, Oakland International is a third party logistics (3PL) services provider that specialises in ambient, chilled and frozen food storage and distribution.To keep pace with the growing demand for its services, the company recently reconfigured the internal layout of its 135,000 sq ft chilled storage facility to increase the amount of narrow aisle storage space within the building."Because of the premium costs involved in providing chilled storage, it is important that we make maximum use of the space we have available so it made sense to expand our narrow aisle store," explains Ed Ross, Oakland's general manager.Oakland's facility now features a mix of narrow and wide aisle storage. However, by putting more emphasis on its narrow aisle store, the company has been able to increase pallet capacity at the site by some 20 per cent. In all, the Redditch unit now holds over 8000 racked pallet locations, 2500 of which are within the expanded narrow aisle area.The company's greater commitment to a VNA storage solution meant that Oakland needed to increase its narrow aisle forklift truck fleet. But, because large parts of the facility remain designed around wide aisle racking, it was important to select a product that could function efficiently and safely in both areas of the warehouse.After an extensive evaluation of various possible solutions the company acquired a fleet of Flexi EURO articulated forklift trucks from Narrow Aisle Ltd. A compact four wheel truck, the Flexi EURO has the ability to lift 1600kg loads and offers lift heights of over 8 metres.The Flexi trucks have also allowed Oakland to optimise storage density while at the same time allowing individual pallet accessibility - which becomes a problem with many other forklift based high density storage systems.The Flexi trucks have enabled a lot of double handling to be eliminated at the Oakland site and have increased throughput to over 10 pallets per truck per hour - a move which has streamlined Oakland's operation and delivered significant cost reductions for the company.The electric-powered Flexi forklifts in operation at Oakland function in both chilled and freezer conditions to a maximum of 30 degrees, with all main components either stainless steel or zinc coated, any additional parts are cold store specified.Ed Ross commented: "Our investment reflects the company's overall approach to safe productive working, reducing costs and delivering improved value that will directly benefit Oakland customers. It also takes into account our desire to support Oakland employees, by providing state of the art equipment to help them undertake a range of materials handling operations, with the end result being improved operational functionality, flexibility and efficiency."Once we had decided that articulated forklift truck technology represented the best materials handling solution for us we reviewed and tested the various brands of articulated truck on the market. The case for the Flexi was, in our opinion particularly strong. One of the most impressive aspects of the truck's design was the ease with which batteries are changed which minimizes truck downtime between charges."John Maguire, sales and marketing director of Narrow Aisle Flexi, commented: "We are delighted to be working with Oakland to provide a solution for the company's materials handling needs. The Flexi truck is popular among 3PLs who need to maximise storage density and require safe and efficient throughput and Oakland were quick to realise the benefits that articulated truck technology could bring to their operation."]]></description>        <link>http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74036/</link>        <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.transportweekly.com/pages/en/news/articles/74036/</guid> 
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