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

Momentum’s Tailgate System Designed for Refuse Trucks

Momentum Fuel Technologies has added a 115 diesel gallon equivalent tailgate system to its lineup of compressed natural gas fuel system solutions for Class 6-8 trucks.

The tailgate system was designed for E-Z Pack, who had previously used five- and six-tank tailgate systems on its refuse bodies. Momentum was able to produce a system that increased capacity while reducing the number of tanks to three.

The system is 400 pounds lighter than E-Z Pack's previous system and is designed to be scalable, with a smaller, two-tank 75DGE system available as well.

With safety and convenience in mind, the system features a visible pressure gauge so drivers and technicians can see the pressure in the tank from ground level. The system's tanks are at least seven feet off the ground with a steel guard structure around the base, designed to be safer in the event of a rear impact. Further, the tailgate system keeps a lower profile than other CNG configurations, for enhanced safety of refuse vehicles.

All E-Z Pack units include a vertical fuel management module (FMM), which houses the electronics, fuel filter and fuel-fill receptacles and works in conjunction with the Rush Truck Centers' telematics platform, allowing fleet managers to monitor usage and manage fuel consumption. The vertical FMM is narrower than the version used in other Momentum configurations, taking up less valuable space on smaller truck bodies.

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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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