Ahead in the clouds MAN Truck & Bus

AHeAd in THe clouds

MAN Truck & Bus is a global leader in the development and manufacture of a wide range of commercial vehicles. Today the company is addressing the challenges posed by the digital transformation, by initiating the RIO Digital brand, an open, cloud-based platform for the entire transportation industry, as Philip Yorke reports.

Munich-based MAN Truck & Bus is one of the world’s best known commercial vehicle brands. It has an extensive global sales network and manufacturing facilities in Poland, Turkey, Russia and South Africa as well as in Germany and Austria. The company’s broad product portfolio comprises trucks, vans and buses, as well as dedicated services that include passenger and freight transportation operations.

In 2017 MAN Truck & Bus expanded its product range to include large vans, thus making it a truly full-range supplier of commercial vehicles of between 4 tons and 44 tons. These vehicles cover all areas of application and a special purpose vehicles with a grosstrain-weight of up to 250 tons. The all new MAN van has been given the model name, MAN TGE and compliments its entire expanded commercial vehicles portfolio. Currently the company is pursuing a targeted, future-orientated strategy by offering its customers an extensive range of services from a single source.

Driving up bus sales

MAN Truck & Bus is celebrating an extremely successful year in 2018 for its city bus and coach business. Last year the company achieved its highest ever amount of orders that totalled 8,301 units. Sales have also been notably high at 7,204 vehicles and is the second highest number of sales in the company’s history, and the highest since the financial crisis of 2008.

Goran Nyberg, Member of the Executive board for Sales and Marketing said, “In the last few years we have successfully developed the bus business from a former problem child into an extremely successful business sector. In 2018, we increased our market share in Europe to 14.5 per cent. Our customers appreciate our high levels of reliability and safety, as well as our outstanding design and in particular our innovative, cutting-edge technology. In addition we are offering unrivalled comfort and a comprehensive customer-orientated approach to sales and service”

Rudi Kutchta, Head of Bus Product & Sales at MAN added, “” With our new Neoplan Tourliner and MAN Lion’s Coach range, we have two top models in the commercial coach segment. We are also in the process of successfully bringing our new city bus generation of the MAN Lion’s City model onto the market. It is number one in terms of economy and unlike many of our competitors, it is pre-equipped for the new fullyelectric drive, which will be launched in 2020”

Advanced assistance systems

Slovakia’s largest transport company, BRING Trucking, has just taken delivery of 25 new TGX 18,500 4X2 BLS trucks from MAN. These offer the world’s most sophisticated driver assistance systems. Over the past five years BRING Trucking has purchased over 250 MAN vehicles. These advanced, high tech units are from the TGX Euro 6c model range. This model provides a power output of 500hp and comes with XLX cabs and a 3,900mm wheelbase.

This customer has also ordered MAN’s Adaptive Cruise Control facility, which offers a new Stop-and-Go feature, as well as a GPSenabled Efficient Cruise function. The BRING Trucking company

is based in Ziar-nad-Hronom in Slovakia, and began the year by refreshing its extensive fleet of vehicles. The latest 25 MAN vehicles were painted in its well-known bright green company livery.

Focus on individuality

In the spring of 2019, MAN Truck & Bus pooled its modification activities for trucks, buses and vans under the banner: MAN Individual. This title covers models ranging from diverse and industry–specific truck modifications to the cab, chassis and drive-line to tailored preparations for body manufacturers, right through to customised, special equipment and complete solutions for both bus and van applications. For customers who prefer to be owners of a vehicle with a unique appearance, MAN Individual holds a broad palette of vehicle refining options for interior and exterior design.

The requirements placed on freight transport and vehicles involved in it are extremely varied and the demand for special custom products which differ from the standard vehicles is increasing. An enhanced driver’s workplace with an exclusive design of the interior help operators to acquire employees and tie them to the company for the long term in times of increasing driver shortages. Owner drivers and smaller companies in particular are interested in customisation and refinement of the interior and exterior of their trucks. MAN Individual, addresses all these technical requirements and emotional motivations and offer customised solutions for the special wishes of each individual customer.

For operators, the added value is in the one-stop-shop option with a single invoice. In addition, the customer also benefits from the unrivalled quality of service from MAN as well as a comprehensive warranty.

Demand is growing steadily from over 2,000 modified trucks per year previously to over 4,000 trucks in 2017 and to more than 6,000 units in 2018. Further increases in orders for the foreseeable future is projected by the company. n

For further details of MAN Truck & Bus’s innovative products and services visit: www.mantruckandbus.com