THE LOCKWOOD REPORT

December 7, 2011 Vol. 7, No. 29

It’s been a quiet week here in North America, such things being relative, though there are a couple of exceptions. One is the re-naming of this newsletter. For seven years now it’s been called Lockwood’s Product Watch, but those days are done. Not really my choice, oddly enough, but now it’s to be called The Lockwood Report. No big deal one way or the other, as the keyboard hasn’t changed.

News of a much more significant sort arises out of Michigan and Ohio where the long-term marketing and product-support relationship — nearly two decades old — between Dana and Eaton is coming to an end.

Earlier this week the two outfits jointly announced that their formal relationship will end, quite amicably, by the middle of 2012. Over the next six months, each company will be preparing to bring products to market and service their customers independently of each other.
 
Eaton and Dana executives say they’re committed to making this "a seamless transition" for OEM, dealer, and fleet customers.
 
Eaton will continue to provide field services and support for all Eaton and Dana products through the middle of 2012 under the Roadranger brand, after which Dana will have the systems in place to support its customers independently.
 
“Going to market independently will afford Dana greater opportunity to communicate with customers directly and to better understand their needs,” said Mark Wallace, president of Dana’s On-Highway Driveline Technologies business. “This closer, direct relationship with customers will, in turn, provide the foundation for innovation and technology in Dana’s core axle, driveshaft, wheel end, and tire management systems.”

“Eaton intends to continue operating the Roadranger marketing organization as we have in the past – focused exclusively on serving our customers,” countered Tim Sinden, president of Eaton’s truck operations in North America. “We will continue to collaborate with our OEM customers, Dana and other powertrain providers on virtually integrated powertrain systems for the North American commercial vehicle marketplace.”

Based in Maumee, Ohio, Dana employs approximately 24,000 people in 26 countries and reported 2010 sales of US$6.1 billion. Eaton, 100 years old as of this year, is somewhat larger, with 73,000 employees and sales in 2010 of $13.7 billion.

You can follow the transition process via these two websites: www.roadranger.com/alliance or www.dana.com/cv

OK, now we’re moving offshore to Germany where Daimler has been quite busy of late.

FIRST OFF, THE NEW ACTROS CABOVER from Mercedes-Benz has been named European ‘Truck of the Year 2012’. It’s the fourth time an Actros model has won the award, dating back to its introduction in 1996. The truck’s next two successors also won the competition, in 2004 and then again in 2009.

With over 700,000 units sold since its launch, the Actros is the most successful heavy-duty truck in the world, says Mercedes-Benz. The new model was launched this past fall after an investment of more than two billion euros after 22 million road-test kilometres.

The Truck of the Year competition is judged by a jury of trucking journalists from 24 European countries. They’re looking for innovations in economy, emissions, safety, driveability, and comfort.