Daimler Chief Unfazed by NAFTA Talk

Photo: John G. Smith

MADRAS, Ore. – Roger Nielsen, the recently named president and chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks North America, doesn't seem concerned by talk about renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement – even though its manufacturing footprint includes Mexico.

“We're a global company, and globally we believe in free trade. And we're prepared to engage everybody and anybody in discussions,” he said during his first media briefing. “I don't anticipate any major changes in the NAFTA.”

The company has reserve manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and Mexico, he noted. The supply chain is also dual-sourced. “They have the ability to source worldwide or source domestically.”

Daimler's global presence was recently punctuated when Nielsen's predecessor, Martin Daum, was promoted to lead Daimler Trucks and Buses worldwide. Then Nielsen received the call that put him in his current role.

“I was absolutely in shock,” he says. “I never really thought that would be the next step in my life.” But he earned the role, and there have been several executive promotions at the company since, many of which were set up by Daum.

Nielsen himself served as the company's chief operating officer since 2001. And he clearly likes to keep in close touch with staff and products alike. He often grabs a truck on display in front of the company's corporate headquarters to head out for lunch. And he makes random calls to the call center to see if the answers align with corporate approaches.

Aspects of his previous role will undeniably influence the work he does today. “I bring in a view of being responsible for product quality,” he says. “Quality in the factory is service quality.”

But the role of president and CEO is undeniably different. “I now understand my opinion counts,” he says, illustrating the comment by referring to a Tweet he questioned. ...Read the rest of this story

Finnish Companies to Develop Hybrid Powertrain For Heavy Trucks

The new hybrid-electric drive system is designed to work with Mercedes Benz diesel-powered Sisu Polar truck models. Photo: Sisu Auto

Finland is not usually associated with being a hotbed of cutting-edge automotive design. But Europe is leading the charge on a wide range of new transportation technologies. And the Finns are certainly playing their part in the tech wave sweeping trucking today.

Two Finnish companies, Visedo and Sisu Auto, have developed a hybrid-electric parallel power system they say produces 1,140 horsepower and 3,687 lbs.-ft. of torque. Sisu is a Finnish truck manufacturer. Visedo is a Finnish manufacturer of heavy-duty hybrid and electric power systems that says it developed the electric power system as a proof-of-concept vehicle that integrates the parallel hybrid drive, which draws power from both an electric motor and a diesel engine connected via the same axle.

The new system is designed to work with Mercedes-Benz OM471 and OM473 diesel engines. Diesel is the primary power source, with the electric motor kicking in during peak energy demand periods. When needed, auxiliary power is delivered by a Visedo permanent-magnet electric motor, while the mechanical powertrain is controlled by a Visedo inverter and PowerBoost DC-DC converter. Excess energy is stored in a supercapacitor, with the entire system designed to be customizable with simple vehicle integration to meet customer needs. Additional power and charging requirements are initiated automatically, allowing the driver to concentrate on the road, although an in-cab monitor allows the driver to track of the system's functions and take control of it if needed.

The main objective for Visedo and Sisu was to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions, the companies said. However, they noted that the hybrid system also boosts available low-speed torque for heavy duty trucks and also enables the use of the vehicle with or without electric power since the drive ...Read the rest of this story

Kit Designed to Clean Spills Around Large Trucks

Eco-Absorbent Technologies Large Truck Kit includes everything that is needed to quickly and effectively deal with unexpected spills.

Designed to be an effective green spill response kit, the Large Truck Kit includes one bag of Eco-Absorb lightweight absorbent, 10 hazmat absorbent pads, three hazmat absorbent socks, one large and three small wooden plugs, one container of 10-ounce putty, two pairs of latex gloves, and a trash bag for disposal. The Eco-Absorb absorbent is made for indoor spills with a formula that absorbs spills without leaving residue behind.

The Large Truck Kit is designed for use with commercial vehicles, emergency response vehicles, fleet management companies, and maintenance shops.

Eco-Absorbent Technologies' products are designed to be non-toxic to humans and do not contain crystalline silica which is a carcinogen found in clay based products, according to the company.

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