Freightliner sells American LaFrance to investment firm

LADSON, S.C. — DaimlerChrysler’s Freightliner LLC subsidiary has reached an agreement to transfer ownership of its fire apparatus and emergency vehicles business unit, American LaFrance, to the New York-based investment firm, Patriarch Partners LLC.

Freightliner will hold on to the American LaFrance plant until ’07

American LaFrance is the country’s fifth-largest fire and emergency services vehicle producer with a heritage dating back 173 years. It produces and distributes a comprehensive line of fire and emergency apparatus including chassis, aerials, ambulances, pumpers, rescues and tankers.

In addition to the purchase of all operating assets, Patriarch will maintain American LaFrance’s manufacturing facilities and corporate-owned dealer locations across the United States. The Ladson, S.C. corporate office and assembly facility, which is not part of the sale, remains a DaimlerChrysler asset. It will continue to be utilized in part by American LaFrance until 2007.

DaimlerChrysler recently announced it would be dedicating the 460,000-square-foot facility to assembly of the next-generation Dodge Sprinter van in response to growing demand in the North American markets. Initially, 220 employees will be engaged in the production process when the plant assembles its first van at the end of the fourth quarter 2006. Through November 2005, 26,000 Sprinter vans were sold in the NAFTA region (full year 2004: 18,900 units).

“Patriarch Partners and its related entities have a successful track record in complex industries and we felt they were a perfect fit with American LaFrance’s dedicated workforce and can-do attitude” said Chris Patterson, Freightliner president and CEO.