Mitsubishi Fuso to make new truck for Sterling

TOKYO, (July 7, 2005) — Sterling Trucks will roll out a new mid-sized truck based on the platform of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck’s Canter cabover vehicle.

Mitsubishi Fuso — majority owned by Sterling parent company DaimlerChrysler –announced it will provide Sterling with the trucks to be sold in the North American market next spring, reports Japanese news agency Kyodo.

The deal is expected to lift Mitsubishi Fuso capacity utilization. The company’s Asian sales have plunged since several executives were arrested for vehicle defect cover-up scandals last year.

Since Mitsubishi Fuso has already put the Canter into the North American market on its own, it will slightly change the design of the trucks for Redford, Mich.-based Sterling, the company stated.

DaimlerChrysler said the deal would opening a new market for Sterling and reduce costs through vertical integration between its divisions.

— from Kyodo