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New Zealand Trucking / July 2018 This month’s Top Truck award is fitting recognition of one man’s hard work and determination, turning his one-truck owner-driver operation into a major logistics organisation, built on relationships and meeting customer requirements. Les Harrison started his working career leaving school aged 15, to face the university of life and hard knocks. His first job was at the Horotiu Freezing Works where he stayed for 15 years. It was an opportunity to purchase a small truck from Davies Transport and run as an owner-driver for them that allowed Les to finally fulfil his childhood dream of driving trucks. After five years Les could see opportunities to pursue, so made the decision to go it alone. Discussions with a local building supply company in 1999 led to Les acquiring their crane truck, and with the assistance of his eldest son, Mark, he began managing their client deliveries. The best part of two decades later, Les Harrison Transport Group has evolved into an organisation with a team of hardworking individuals equipped with a modern fleet that includes all manner of crane trucks, container transporters, swing lifts, heavy haulage transporters, as well as curtainsiders, including this month’s Top Truck. Mike Stephens has been appointed driver of the big 9-axle H-plated Isuzu 530 CYJ. Mike is a man a lot like Les who has a passion for trucks and driving that goes back to childhood. Mike’s driving career started out with early mornings as a NZ Herald delivery van driver for Len Mason on Auckland’s North Shore. Len then offered Mike a step up helping him gain his class 2 licence, and from there moving on to a small 4x2 that handled magazine delivery duties. Wanting to try his hand at slightly bigger gear, Mike spent time with a couple of well-known Auckland earthmoving companies where he experienced 6x2 rigid tippers as well as tipulators. However, it was a miserable Auckland winter’s day when Mike decided he was over playing in the mud, and started investigating other opportunities. This decision led him to the mighty Waikato and into the cab of a Volvo curtainside truck and trailer unit. After a year, and with change in the wind, Mike spent a day cold-calling Waikato-based transport companies. A call back from Les Harrison and a conversation between the two men had Mike in the driver’s seat near immediately. Now four years later Mike is loving the challenges and variety that he experiences on a daily basis as a driver at Les Harrison Transport. The big Isuzu is powered by the company ’s 15.6 litre 6WG1TCS motor rated at 395kW (530hp), matched to the MUX16 AMT. “ There is never a dull day on the job here,” said Mike, “and I really enjoy the ability to get out of town and see the country, and the privilege of piloting this rig just makes it that much sweeter.” About as sweet as a win on the paddock for the Mike’s mighty Mooloos we would think? .

Kenworth Trucks Australia / July 17, 2018 At Kenworth, protecting the driver, vehicle, payload and other road users against unexpected hazards, has always been a paramount consideration. .

Isuzu Trucks Australia / July 19, 2018 .

Diesel News Australia / July 2018 The question on the lips for many Mack enthusiasts in Australia is when does Mack Anthem arrive in Australia? “The date for Anthem in Australia is still fluid for us,” says Dean Bestwick, Vice President, Mack Sales Australia.. “As soon as I can get the quality secure. The key is securing the quality. Most of it has been validated already on North American roads, so we’ve got a good platform to go to the next level. “We need to ensure the flexibility in the cab and sleeper are not compromised in our rough conditions, because we will also be putting Anthem components on some of our bigger models at higher gross combined masses (GCM). “Within our project, the scope for us is not just the Anthem model. The scope is to integrate the sleeper across our other models. What it gives us is the sleeper and dashboard across the range. “We know the cooling’s fine. It’s the peripheries we have to work on. Our driveline has been as solid as a rock since 2007. The base MP8, MP10 and the mDrive are now awesome. It’s the peripheries, like little brackets and things like that. We won’t deliver anything which compromises on our quality. If I have to prolong development to maintain quality, we will.” The basic components around the driveline to be used in Australia are the heaviest duty version used in the US. Mack in Australia will get major components such as the complete knock down (CKD) form for the Anthem sleeper components, but all of the trim will be done by Mack in Australia. Overall labour content will go up but basic component prices will come down. Dean is confident the new model will not jeopardise Mack’s current Australian Made status. “The bonnets and the sleeper cabs will be coming in, but we will still make our Superliner, Trident and Metroliner bonnets locally,” says Dean. “They won’t change.” As to timing, Dean suggests the most probable date for the release is sometime in 2020. This would be a launch for the Anthem model itself but also the introduction of elements from Anthem elsewhere in the Mack range. “There are some things which can’t be rushed,” says Dean. “When you hook strain gauges up on a chassis, you have got to get some kilometres up.” All of these things take time and, meanwhile Kenworth have clear water with their current high roof sleeper, with the T610 design likely to appear in a similar form in both T4 and T9 models in the near future. It has taken some time for Mack to get to the point where they genuinely have a highway option that fits the bill. Now they have come up with a design that looks like the real thing. There have been many Mack enthusiasts champing at the bit looking for a better sleeper cabin on the Mack. Importantly, with the arrival of the Anthem product and design, Mack will now be in the mix as an option for so many more applications. The short BBC B-double prime mover market is one in which every truck manufacturer needs to play. The Anthem model and the introduction of Anthem architecture elsewhere in the range will see Mack become a viable contender in areas in which it has struggled in the past. .

Geoff Middleton, Truck Sales Australia / July 20, 2018 We take a couple of loaded UD Quons on a great drive through northern NSW to Brisbane If there’s a good way to give a truck a workout on a day run, the trip from Tamworth to Brisbane via the New England Highway would have to rank highly. Most would know it’s a run of about 570 clicks and it has a good swag of varying terrain to really get your teeth into and give a truck a solid workout. And that’s precisely where we took the new UD Quon for this test. On hand we had a pair of Quon GW 26 460s. One was set up with a tri-axle trailer while the other was a tipper with a three-axle dog. Both were loaded to a GCM of 41 tonnes. We first saw the new Quon at last year’s Brisbane Truck Show in a ‘soft’ release. It was then fully released in November with trucks turning up on our roads from December. From there it has gone from strength to strength in the marketplace, with wide acceptance across a broad range of applications in the heavy trucking sector. According to Vice President of UD Trucks Australia, Mark Strambi, who we spoke to prior to our drive, the Quon fits neatly into many roles including tipper and dog, tautliner, refrigerated trucks, and B-doubles with GCMs up to about 60 tonnes. Nuts and bolts The Quon is powered by an 11-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel developing up to 460hp and 2200Nm of torque. This drives through a 12-speed ESCOT VI automated transmission. As part of the Volvo Group, UD has been able to dip into the European manufacturer’s parts bin and come up with some outstanding safety and convenience features. Not the least of which is the radar cruise control – in fact, the Quon has two cruise controls you can choose from, the regular cruise that all know, or what the company calls Traffic Eye cruise control. Traffic Eye is a radar-controlled cruise that lets the driver set the speed as well as the distance between the truck and the vehicle in front. If the vehicle in front slows, so will the Quon; as the vehicle speeds up again, the Traffic Eye will detect this and speed up to the nominated speed again. It’s very handy and, combined with the automated transmission, takes a lot of pressure off the driver. The switch gear for the Traffic Eye Cruise is all on the right-hand side of the four-spoke steering wheel where it’s easy and intuitive to use. The Quon is also fitted with lane-departure warning which alerts the driver if he has wandered out of his lane without indicating. This can be cancelled also by a switch on the right-hand side of the wheel although, if you’re driving properly, you shouldn’t have to cancel it… Another big safety tick is the Quon's braking system, which features discs all round. According to Strambi, the Quon is the first Japanese heavy-duty truck to have disc brakes on all axles. The brakes are mated to an ABS system that also has UD’s Emergency Braking System that will pull you up under full brakes if the Traffic Eye system detects that you’re too close to the vehicle in front and you’re about to have a crash. Traffic Eye will warn you that you are close without intervening, but if you don’t take action, it will. UD is also offering its stability control, which goes under the acronym of UDSC. If the UDSC sensor detects conditions where the truck could become unstable, such as tight bends or slippery road surfaces, the system applies control appropriate to engine 2output and braking power to each wheel to maintain stability. In combinations, all these systems make the Quon a very safe truck indeed. Inside So what does it all mean? It’s all very well to have a safe truck that’s going to protect you, but it’s of no use if it’s uncomfortable and nobody wants to drive it. Not so with the Quon. Step up into the cab and you find a very Euro-looking cab for a Japanese vehicle. The ambience is inviting with the wrap-around dash dominated by a four-spoke wheel which, in the case of our prime mover, was leather wrapped with wood highlights. The buttons on the wheel are well spaced and semi-flush with the spokes. To the left is the shifter for the ESCOT VI transmission with the park brake behind. The HVAC controls are above the gearshift and the screen for navigation and audio etc is beautifully integrated above that. The main instrument panel is really well laid out with the speedo and tacho flanking the central five-inch screen which is controlled using the switches on the right-hand side of the steering wheel. This screen flashes up all manner of information to the driver and it is arranged in a logical and easy-to-read manner. Below is another screen giving info about cruise control, gear position and a readout for the four-position auxiliary brake. There are cup holders within easy reach and storage abounds. Vision is excellent from the driver’s perch and the mirrors are comprehensive, and heated. Overall, the Quon’s cabin is a really nice place to work. And it's comfortable, ergonomically sound and has the feeling that it will last. On the road On our particular winter’s morning, in Tamworth we were up early and out of town before six. It was dark with a few showers that, although not enough to wipe the grimaces from the farmers’ faces, was enough to make visibility poor and the road as greasy as a pork chop. Thankfully, the standard lights on the Quon are excellent LED jobs that put out a bright, white light and cut through the dark and light up the road ahead better than just about anything we’ve driven lately. Our prime mover was hooked to a tri-axle trailer and though we could feel the load and the rig's 41-tonne GCM, the Quon had no trouble getting up to speed and cruising along out of Tamworth. Some of the steep climbs up to our breakfast stop at Guyra had us down to 10th or so but still holding reasonable speeds of around 60km/h. The retarder worked well down the hills and I soon got a feel for it and figured out how many of the four stages I needed to help us slow for descents or towns. I could also down-shift using the buttons on the side of the gearshift and hold the box in gears if needed, but really the auto trans was remarkably effective when left to its own devices. From Guyra we had a quick 270km or so to Warwick where we grabbed a coffee and topped off the tanks before the short 150km hop to Brisbane. Cunningham’s Gap is a great test for any truck whether you’re going up or down, and the Quon took it in its stride on the way down. I held it back in seventh gear with the retarder maxed out, and I barely had to touch the service brakes to get us safely down the hill. Then it was onto the flat stuff and the cruise on the Cunningham Highway and the motorway into Volvo’s home base at Wacol. The feedback we got from the telemetry told us that the trip took just over eight hours (we weren’t rushing and had a leisurely breakfast and a coffee and fuel stop). Our average speed was 71km/h and we used 49.61 litres/100km – that's a smidge over 2.0km/litre. It was a good workout for the two trucks with the truck and dog using slightly less fuel at 46.68 litres/100km (2.14km/litre). Both handled the trip with relative ease, and we got to the other end feeling fresh and unstressed. The highlights of these trucks for me were certainly the comfort level and the ease of driving. The auto transmission works beautifully with the 11-litre engine, and in combination with the retarder means the driver can sit back and relax in the comfort of the climate-controlled cab. The only gripe I did have was the intrusion of the thermo fan into the quiet ambience of the cabin, which is probably speaking volumes to how well insulated the cabin actually is. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable drive in a decidedly un-Japanese Japanese truck. Specifications: UD Quon 26 460 Engine: GH11TD Description: In-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel with intercooler Displacement: 10,837cc Transmission: UD ESCOT VI, 12-speed automated manual Front suspension: Parabolic leaf spring Rear suspension: Eight air bag electronically controlled or parabolic leaf spring with rubber cushion Front axle: 8200kg Rear Axle: 21,000kg (air bag suspension) Axle ratio: 4.13 or 4.50 Brakes: Disc brakes all round with 430mm rotors, Electronic Braking System (EBS) Fuel: 400 litre aluminium tank with optional 200 litres on RHS Tyres: 295/80R22.5 (front) 11R22.5 (rear) Cab: Sleeper .

Truck Sales Australia / July 20, 2018 Big fleet order for Queensland contract Cleanaway Waste Management Limited is Australia’s largest total waste management solutions company, employing over 5500 people across Australia. The company recently took delivery of 18 new Scania 6x4 prime movers (six G 480s and 12 R 560 V8s) to service a new contract with a major council in Queensland, to transport general waste from four recovery stations to landfill sites. In order to meet the conditions of the contract, Cleanaway needed prime movers capable of managing the 22-tonne payloads for the single trailer rear ejectors, and the 33-tonne payloads for the high-volume side tipper B-double trailers. The criteria for the prime mover selection included reliability, flexibility of the trucks to undertake a wide variety of tasks, plus allow for an increase in payload as the amount of waste increases over time, in line with population growth. According to Cleanaway’s Doug Hughes, Scania was able to meet the critical criteria, which also included a one-stop shop for servicing and maintaining the new trailers as well as the trucks. “We wanted trucks that were capable of coping with growth, flexible enough to run different trailer set ups if we need, and also have a conveniently located servicing outlet, as we planned to have the servicing of trailers and trucks completed at the same time,” Mr Hughes said. “We have specified trucks that are able to pull single, B-double or A-double trailers if needed, and they are powerful and capable. They are also comfortable, which is important for our drivers.” “For the G 480s pulling the single rear ejector trailers, the drivers need to exit the vehicle for loading and unloading, so easy access is important for them. The drivers in the R 560 V8s can operate the side loaders from inside the vehicles, including the powered roll-tarps,” he said. Safety was also a priority for Cleanaway, so the trucks have a full suite of features including Electronic Stability Program, Advanced Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning. “These vehicles will be on the road approximately 10 hours a day Monday to Friday with some operating on Saturdays, and the volume of material to be transported to landfill sites is consistent, so we need the vehicles to have high availability,” Mr Hughes said. “We don’t travel significant distances annually, perhaps 100,000km at most per vehicle per year, but the trucks will be in stop-start traffic when loaded, plus the PTOs will be working hard to run the hydraulics of the rear-ejector rams or the side tippers. We anticipate an eight-year working life for the vehicles. “We have chosen higher capacity trailers than have been used previously which will give us some additional flexibility with the benefit of fewer journeys each day to transport the waste,” Mr Hughes said. “One of the attractions of Scania was the Driver Support System that scores the drivers on their driving smoothness and anticipation. We are also using the Scania Communicator and vehicle monitoring system to be able to analyse how the vehicles are being used and how well the drivers are performing. “There has been positive feedback from the drivers on the star rating system on the dashboard, and we can see a direct correlation between the ability to provide performance feedback to drivers where needed, and a reduction in fuel use and wear and tear, which leads to a cost improvement,” he said. According to Ben Arthur, Cleanaway’s Alliance Operations Manager who will manage the new contract, Scania trucks have already proven themselves to be solid, stable and reliable work vehicles for other waste removal contracts the company undertakes in South-East Queensland. “The Cleanaway fleet in SE QLD is considerable, including lighter units for kerbside collections. We utilise some Scanias already for heavy duty hook lift, and front loader services,” Mr Arthur said. “The Scanias perform very well. They are very reliable, and solidly built, and well suited to heavyweight work applications.” According to Steven Alberse, Scania National Fleet Manager, the selection of Scania prime movers for the contract makes a lot of sense. “Around the world Scania is a significant partner with waste transport companies at all levels, from rear load, front load or hook lift collection to bulk industrial waste transport. Our trucks are engineered to cope with these payloads and duty-cycles, and we are confident the 18 new trucks will serve Cleanaway very well in Queensland,” he said. .

VDR Truck Racing - http://www.vdrtruckracing.com/

Dieciocho Ruedas / July 18, 2018 Ford Trucks will enter the Dakar 2019 with two 4x4 Cargo trucks developed by Belgian team VDR Truck Racing. For the first time ever, Ford Motor Company will participated in the Dakar rally in the trucks category. Ford and Belgium's VDR Truck Racing team are working together on the construction of two specially prepared 4x4 Ford Cargo trucks that will participate in the under-10 liter engine displacement category. In other words, these Ford Cargos will compete head on with Japan's Hino team. The project is being overseen by Ford Turkey, where the Cargo is produced for Europe, Middle East and Asia. By January 2019, the two Ford Cargo race trucks will be in Peru to compete in the Dakar rally. The 9-liter engine that Ford will use is its own proprietary unit developed and manufactured at Ford-Otosan in Turkey. The race version of the 9-liter Ecotorq is expected to be rated around 700 horsepower. The Ford-sponsored truck racing team will consist of 2 race trucks plus 4x4 Ford Transit and 6x6 Cargo support vehicles. Ford's presence in the 2019 Dakar rally is related to the truckmaker's worldwide expansion of its heavy truck range with the new flagship H62X making its global debut at the IAA show in September. .

International Trucks Press Release / July 19, 2018 Welcome to the new International Truck. This is uptime, like never before. .

Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 19, 2018 Daimler Trucks North America is recalling more than 18,000 model year 2018-2019 Freightliner Cascadia tractors for an issue with the brake calipers, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to NHTSA, the brake caliper mounting bolts on approximately 18,105 Cascadias manufactured between Jan. 2, 2017, and May 19, 2018, may not have been properly tightened, which could result in the caliper detaching. This would reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash. Daimler says it will begin notifying owners on Aug. 13, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper mounting bolts and tighten if necessary for free. DTNA estimates that 25 percent of the recalled trucks have the defect. Owners of affected rigs can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-775. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-411.

Fleet Owner / July 18, 2018 The first electric refuse trucks to operate in the Pacific Northwest region are on their way to Seattle, according to BYD (Build Your Dreams), which made the announcement this week. Two of BYD’s 8R Class-8 battery-electric refuse trucks, fitted with New Way Viper Rear Loader refuse bodies, will be delivered to Recology in Seattle for use in residential solid waste pick up. BYD says its zero-emission battery-electric Class-8 truck chassis boasts optimal efficiency with regenerative braking and best-in-class power and torque. The electric trucks are quiet and clean, the OEM adds, which has an immediate impact on quality of life for the communities they serve. “We are excited to be the first to deploy electric refuse trucks to the Pacific Northwest region, demonstrating that clean, zero-emissions technology is the smart, sustainable choice for heavy industry,” said BYD Motors President, Stella Li. New Way, a family-owned business since 1971, manufactures a complete line of refuse equipment including the Viper mid-compaction Rear Loader bodies in Scranton, IA. With outside cylinders and operating valve, New Way’s streamlined Viper design offers increased efficiency, safety and value. “By combining the innovative design of our Viper Rear Loader body with BYD’s zero-emissions battery-electric technology, we can produce the most efficient and sustainable refuse truck available on the market today,” said Don Ross, New Way Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Recology, an employee-owned company with more than 100 years’ experience in the waste industry, provides service to communities up and down the West Coast. The Recology mission represents a fundamental shift from traditional waste management to resource recovery. The vision at Recology is to create a world without waste by developing and discovering sustainable resource recovery practices that can be implemented globally. Recology’s electric trucks will serve customers in the City of Seattle and mark an important step in realizing climate impacts that address the region’s growing need to prioritize resiliency. Especially for collection services that require heavy-duty trucks to frequent roads in these communities on a daily basis, electric trucks present a sustainable solution that both Recology and its customers can feel good about. “Together with our industry partners, BYD and New Way, we can be a catalyst to affect positive, sustainable change, setting the stage for what a 21st century refuse truck should look like,” said Derek Ruckman, vice president and group manager in the Pacific Northwest at Recology. The electric refuse trucks are scheduled to be delivered in the first half of 2019. .

The Numbers In Q2 2018, sales (deliveries) from Volvo Group’s truck operations amounted to 59,571 units, up 14 percent from 52,058 units in Q2 2017.  Q2 2018 Volvo brand truck sales (overall) rose to 33,933 units globally, up 19 percent from 28,510 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Volvo brand truck sales in North America rose to 8,204 units, up 45 percent from 5,665 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Volvo brand truck sales in Europe rose to 16,018 units, up 2 percent from 15,745 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Volvo brand truck sales in Africa/Oceania (includes Australia, New Zealand) rose to 1,648 units, up 23 percent from 1,345 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Mack brand truck sales (overall) rose to 6,300 units globally, up 14 percent from 5,507 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Mack brand truck sales in North America rose to 5,840 units, up 16 percent from 5,023 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Mack brand truck sales in South America declined to 182 units, down 18 percent from 221 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Mack brand truck sales in Africa/Oceania (includes Australia, New Zealand) rose to 278 units, up 6 percent from 263 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand sales (overall) rose to 14,212 units globally, up 8 percent from 13,110 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand sales in Europe rose to 12,897 units, up 8 percent from 11,941 units in Q2 2017. (Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand medium/heavy truck sales in Europe rose to 8,258 units, up 6 percent from 7,808 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand light truck sales in Europe rose to 4,639 units, up 12 percent from 4,133 units in Q2 2017.) Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand truck sales in South America rose to 129 units, up 126 percent from 57 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand truck sales in Asia rose to 496 units, up 8 percent from 458 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 Renault Truck brand truck sales in Africa/Oceania (includes Australia, New Zealand) rose to 647 units, up 4 percent from 624 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 UD (Nissan Diesel) brand sales (overall) rose to 5,126 units, up 4 percent from 4,931 units in Q2 2017. Q2 2018 UD (Nissan Diesel) brand sales in Asia rose slightly to 4,037 units from 4,021 units in Q2 2017. Total Global Deliveries by Brand Q2 2018 Q2 2017 % Change Volvo 33,933 28,510 19  Renault Trucks 14,212 13,110 8 UD (Nissan Diesel) 5,126 4,931 4 Mack 6,300 5,507 14 Total Deliveries 59,571 52,058 14 Total Global Deliveries by Truck Size Q2 2018 Q2 2017 % Change Heavy Duty (>16 metric tons) 50,961 44,075 16 Medium Duty (7-16 metric tons) 3,846 3,762 2 Light Duty (<7 metric tons) 4,764 4,221 13 Total Deliveries 59,571 52,058 14  Total Global Deliveries by Region Q2 2018 Q2 2017 % Change Europe 28,915 27,686 4 Heavy & medium 24,276 23,553 3 Light duty 4,639 4,133 12 North America 14,114 10,720 32 South America 3,857 2,692 43 Asia 9,077 7,823 16 Africa & Oceania* 3,608 3,137 15  Total Deliveries 59,571 52,058 14  * includes Australia, New Zealand

Volvo Group Press Release / October 20, 2017 In Q2 2018 net sales increased by 18% to SEK 103.6 billion (87.9). Adjusted for currency movements and acquired and divested units sales increased by 16%. Adjusted operating income amounted to SEK 11,519 M (8,402), corresponding to an adjusted operating margin of 11.1% (9.6). Adjusted operating income in Q2 2018 excludes a capital gain of SEK 818 M. Reported operating income amounted to SEK 12,337 M (8,402). Currency movements had a positive impact on operating income of SEK 672 M. Diluted earnings per share of SEK 4.53 (2.86). Operating cash flow in the Industrial Operations amounted to SEK 8.3 billion (11.9). CEO’S Comments Demand in our main markets was solid in the second quarter of 2018, and both our vehicle and service business continued to grow at a good pace. Our net sales increased by 18% to SEK 104 billion, we improved the adjusted operating income by SEK 3 billion to SEK 11.5 billion and we reached an adjusted operating margin of 11.1% (9.6). This is the first time that the Volvo Group’s sales have exceeded SEK 100 billion in a single quarter and it is also the first time the operating margin is above 10%. With an operating cash flow of SEK 8.3 billion in the Industrial Operations we continue to have a strong financial position. Our truck business had a good sales development and increased profitability despite a continued stretched situation in parts of the supply chain, primarily in North America. Truck deliveries increased by 14% and net sales by 16% to SEK 65.2 billion. All truck business areas improved their profitability, which contributed to increasing the operating income to SEK 7.2 billion (5.3) with an operating margin of 11.1% (9.4). Demand in the European truck market continued to be on a good level with high freight activity, which supports our customers’ profitability. In North America demand increased strongly, primarily driven by growth in the highway segment. In total, net order intake for trucks increased by 10% globally. Together with our suppliers we are working hard to meet demand and reduce delivery times to our customers. However, given the strong demand, we expect the supply-chain constraints to remain in the near-term. Construction Equipment continued the solid development with both increased sales and improved profitability. High demand in most markets in combination with competitive products contributed to the order intake increase of 41%. Net sales rose by 32% to SEK 24.4 billion and the adjusted operating margin improved to 15.1% (13.3). The increased sales volumes and maintained cost level resulted in a substantial profit increase. Buses’ sales of SEK 6.9 billion were on about the same level as in the preceding year while the operating margin amounted to 3.8% (4.6). Volvo Penta’s sales continued to increase and the growth is paired with improved profitability. Net sales increased by 15% to SEK 3.6 billion and the operating margin improved to 19.9% (15.5) during the seasonally strong second quarter. Our customer financing operations in Financial Services increased the new financing volume and continued to have low credit losses as a result of strict credit approvals and good customer profitability. Return on equity increased to 15.0% (14.0). We continue to invest in new products and technologies to the benefit of our customers. In the second quarter the activity level was high. Among the news was that Mack Trucks will have a fully electric refuse truck in operation in 2019 at one of our major customers in North America, New York City Department of Sanitation. Renault Trucks presented their second generation of fully electric vehicles with a complete range from 3.5 to 26 tonnes for use in cities. Volvo Buses launched the biggest renewal of the European product portfolio for long-distance coaches in more than 20 years. In the US we showcased platooning together with FedEx on a highway in North Carolina. This was the first on-highway demonstration of platooning technology between a major truck manufacturer and a transportation company in the U.S. Volvo Penta demonstrated an advanced system for self-docking; a solution for one of boating’s most stressful maneuvers, with a planned launch in 2020. All of these new products will strengthen our future competitiveness. Our strategy of growing in services is also generating results, and in the quarter the currency-adjusted service sales grew by 8%, with all our business segments improving their performance. We see further potential for growth on the back of investments in increased workshop capacity, growing vehicle populations and higher penetration of service contracts. The Volvo Group is well-invested with strong assets and our strategy serves both our customers and ourselves well. We continue our efforts to improve efficiency in all parts of the Group and in the entire supply chain, and even though we are moving in the right direction there is still potential for improvement. Finding the balance between investing in new technologies and areas with good potential while at the same time maintaining cost consciousness and flexibility will continue to be in focus during the year. Martin Lundstedt President and CEO Volvo Group 2nd Quarter Report - Volvo-Q2-2018--PDF-(PDF, 1.1 MB)

Reuters / July 19, 2018 STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish truckmaker AB Volvo beat second-quarter profit estimates on Thursday, managing to lift margins despite bottlenecks in the supply chain as demand for trucks remained strong. Volvo, like European rivals Daimler and Volkswagen, is experiencing rapid growth as construction fleet buyers step up purchases, but parts of the supply chain are struggling to cope, causing raw material, transport and labor costs to climb. Costs have also increased for some vehicle parts, autos machinery and raw materials used by automakers as Beijing and Washington slap tariffs on goods imported from each other as part of the escalating trade war. Chief Executive Martin Lundstedt said Volvo was seeing a gradual stabilization in the supply of brakes and other powertrain items in Europe, but in the United States there were still supply bottlenecks and a new shortage of workers. Tariffs imposed by the United States had also inflated the cost of some products it imported and increased prices for some locally-sourced raw materials, he added. Volvo, which has cut 10 billion crowns of costs in recent years to boost profitability, sill saw its quarterly operating margin surpass its 10 percent target for the first time. Lundstedt said there was “still potential” for further cost savings. He said Volvo was compensating for some of the tariff-related raw material cost rises by negotiating with suppliers and was passing the rest on through its supply chain. “We have a cost increase related to the tariffs... but we’ve been working on moving that forward... in the delivery chain because this is something that we cannot take,” he said, adding that Volvo expected to be able to do that for the rest of 2018. CFO Jan Gurander said that the company had also built up some excess inventory to mitigate supply chain disturbances. “In this type of strong market, both in Europe and North America, it would be strange if you didn’t have these problems in the supply chain. But they are handling it pretty well,” Handelsbanken Capital Markets analyst Hampus Engellau said. Volvo’s shares, which have faltered since it highlighted the acute bottlenecks and related costs in first-quarter results, rose as much as 3.4 percent before paring gains to trade up 1.6 percent at 151 Swedish crowns at 0902 GMT. UNEASY OWNERSHIP During the second quarter, which ended in June, China’s Geely completed its purchase of a 14.9 percent voting stake in the truckmaker. Geely also recently bought a stake of almost 10 percent in Germany’s Daimler but the rationale for becoming the main shareholder in the two rivals remains unclear. Volvo’s underlying business remained strong. Operating profit jumped to 12.3 billion crowns ($1.4 billion) from 8.4 billion crowns a year ago, coming in well ahead of the 10.8 billion crowns forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts. Profit was, as expected, partly boosted by a capital gain from the sale of a Chinese subsidiary. The company’s order intake of trucks, which sells under brands Volvo, Mack, Renault and UD Trucks, grew to 60,656 units from 52,265 units a year ago, missing expectations of 63,201 units. Lundstedt said this was due to some product mix changes and also customers’ buying decisions being affected by some of the price increases it had introduced. Volvo maintained its full-year forecast for truck markets in North America and Europe but also hiked the outlook for medium and heavy duty trucks in India and heavy-duty trucks in China.

Fleet Owner / July 18, 2018 By enhancing performance and efficiency across an engine’s operating range, the company says, 2-Step VVA can help engine manufacturers further improve fuel consumption and reduce tailpipe emissions, as well as deliver a range of other benefits. Jacobs Vehicle Systems, a manufacturer of heavy-duty diesel engine retarding systems and valve actuation mechanisms, has launched a new 2-Step Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) system. By enhancing performance and efficiency across an engine’s operating range, the company says, 2-Step VVA can help engine manufacturers further improve fuel consumption and reduce tailpipe emissions, as well as deliver a range of other benefits. The introduction of 2-Step VVA is a progression from Jacobs’ VVA intake and exhaust system, which has given major engine manufacturers more than two decades of reliable service. The new system’s relative simplicity reflects years of research and development on flexible VVA to yield an optimized two-position system that provides a large portion of the benefits in a more cost-efficient way. 2-Step VVA provides the combustion engineer with the ability to optimize valve timing at two operating points instead of the traditional single-timing option when they are driven from a fixed cam. “By simplifying our variable valve technology, we have made a commercially desirable trade-off, only slightly reducing some of the performance benefits of fully-flexible VVA but greatly reducing calibration complexity and cost," said Steve Ernest, vice president of engineering and business development. "Jacobs offers tailored solutions based around an individual customer’s engine architecture and the problems they are looking to solve. We’re giving engine designers the ability to add some VVA flexibility without having to make significant base-engine changes.” Jacobs has many years’ experience of opening and closing valves to enable engine braking. As market demand grew for increased fuel economy and exhaust gas after-treatment control, it was a logical progression for Jacobs, both in engineering expertise and commercial positioning, to also offer customers similar valvetrain flexibility during positive power. Many small but cumulatively-significant performance benefits Thousands of hours of successful engine testing, on the bench and in vehicles, have shown the benefits of 2-Step VVA. Early or late intake valve closing reduces fuel consumption, optimizes compression ratio versus load, improves transient response and start-up, and improves emissions by keeping the after-treatment system hot during low load operation. Early exhaust valve opening enables faster warm-up of the engine and after-treatment system, improves transient turbocharger response and emissions by keeping the after-treatment system hot during low load operation. It can also be an in-cylinder solution for helping with diesel particulate filter regeneration by replacing expensive and low-reliability exhaust heaters and dosers. Internal exhaust gas recirculation stabilizes cold start-up combustion, shortens engine warm-up time, improves after-treatment performance, and lowers emissions by keeping the aftertreatment system hot during low load operation. This system is available in both exhaust or intake valve opening variants, responds faster than external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, and enables the downsizing or elimination of external EGR systems. In more technical detail: 2 Step VVA Systems Early intake valve closing is achieved by operating on an early closing profile main event with the auxiliary valve motion (normal closing) deactivated. Late intake valve closing is achieved with a late-closing cam profile activated on the auxiliary rocker arm to hold the valve open longer. Both early and late 2-Position VVA systems have mechanical start-up without oil pressure. Early exhaust valve opening is achieved with an early-opening cam profile on the auxiliary rocker arm, or lost motion system, and actuated on demand with engine oil. Auxiliary events for internal exhaust gas recirculation and compression release braking are conveyed in the same manner as intake or exhaust 2-Position VVA systems. Cylinder deactivation is also possible through the use of Jacobs’ Lost Motion Valve Bridge technology.

I still like the Australian market product (which offered CAT engines). It’s evident that much time and effort was invested. Attractive trucks too.

One aspect, the Detroit/Mercedes-Benz powertrains are superior to the current Volvo product, e.g. Bosch fuel injection versus Delphi, and feature a proper common rail architecture.

Ford's LCV leader details strategy to build on strong sales start Nick Gibbs, Automotive News Europe / July 17, 2018 Ford claims brand leadership over PSA Group in Europe's van segment because of the popularity of its four-vehicle Transit model range, which includes everything from the Fiesta-size Transit Courier to the 2-ton Transit. Ford also leads the growing 1-ton pickup segment with its Ranger. Last year, just over a quarter of the brand's 1.36 million sales in the region were light commercial vehicles, a rise of 7.2 percent from 2016. The division is led by Dutchman Hans Schep, who was promoted to the position in 2016 after heading Ford’s marketing team in Europe. He spoke with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Nick Gibbs. Ford has had a strong start to the year for its sales of LCVs. Where are you getting the new customers? We've been very successful in some markets for a long time -- for example, in the UK. [Last year, a third of Ford's European LCV sales took place there.] But now we're No. 1 in seven markets in Europe, so we're not just dependent on the few markets. What is driving sales of vans? Moving goods is clearly an area of growth. There's an opportunity with [the rise of] internet ordering. How important are vans to Ford's bottom line? It's a significant part of profit contribution for us. Extending our leadership is an important part of our European plan. Are margins higher than cars? They're healthy. Does Ford have enough capacity in Spain, where you make the Transit Courier and Connect, and Turkey, where you build the Transit Custom and Transit, to reach your goals? We announced a capacity expansion in Turkey. Twice last year, we increased our capacity; and by the middle of this year, we will be at full capacity again in Turkey. That’s enough for our growth plans, but that's being constantly evaluated. You are not the only automaker pushing van growth. How do you stay ahead? A continued breadth of offering is key. In the next 18 months, we will be relaunching all our commercial-vehicle products; and we will have the freshest lineup, which is critical. We're working very hard to be leading on fuel economy and resale value — key drivers of cost of ownership. What technologies can you lean on to improve fuel economy? We recently introduced our brand new Panther diesel engine (EcoBlue), and that's a leading engine on fuel economy. You've got a plug-in hybrid Transit coming next year, and you have a tie-up with DHL's electric-vehicle vanmaker, StreetScooter. What are your electrification targets? There's a lot more than putting a battery in. It's linked to use case. For instance, if the battery results in less payload, requiring customers to change business models, then that's not the right solution. We are currently piloting the plug-in hybrid together with our customers and teaming up with DHL on StreetScooter to really understand how the last-mile delivery customers use their vehicles. We're convinced our world will look very different in a few years. What's next with StreetScooter? StreetScooter put its powertrain into our big Transit, and we're working together with them to optimize the product for their specific use case. We plan to build 2,800 vehicles this year, making it one of the largest EV van producers in Europe in 2018. What is the engineering overlap with cars in terms of van platforms? The two bigger vans share a dedicated van platform, but we share technologies — for example, the driver assistance features we are introducing. The smaller vans — the Courier and Connect — are shared with subcompact and compact cars, respectively. How little do the vans change when sold outside Europe? We have the global engineering facility for the Transit range in the UK, so that's the first scale opportunity. The big Transit is also manufactured in the U.S., and the 1-ton Custom is also sold in Asia. They are different by region, but they use the same platform everywhere in the world. So, the van is a true global product? The use cases are pretty similar around the world. Of course, there are differences. But everywhere you need to move stuff around, which allows us to look at global solutions. What is driving the growth of pickups in Europe? The growth is very much in the retail space. I guess customers are still looking for expressive vehicles, and pickups are really an exponent of that. What are the new trends with the delivery-van market? Within the next 18 months, we will be putting modems into our commercial vehicles, so 100 percent will be connected. Then we will be able offer our customers much more than products on wheels but solutions to improve their own businesses. We see significant opportunity there. We will be talking more about that this year. .

The "junk" that Navistar built for CAT was designed by......CAT. They were deeply involved in every detail. Interestingly, the US market CAT on-highway truck website is still up...........https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/equipment/on-highway-trucks.html As is the CAT Trucks Australia website, which is actually quite impressive..............http://www.cattrucks.com.au/

Call Watt's Mack, sponsor of the BMT website, at 1-888-304-6225.