SPECIAL FORCES

In her new role as Head of MercedesBenz Special Trucks she is in charge of the development, production and sales of the Mercedes-Benz models Unimog, Econic and Zetros based in the German city of Wörth, as well as the Custom Tailored Trucks (CTT) business unit in Molsheim, Alsace/France, for individual customer conversions.

Franziska Cusumano joined the Daimler group in 2008. She started in the operations field of the company’s foundry business in Mannheim, Germany and also in South Africa. This was followed by various positions in research and development at the Fuso Global Hybrid Centre in Japan, as well as Product Management Mercedes-Benz and Platform Management for Engines and Axles. In 2018, Franziska took on the role as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Daimler Truck. In addition, she became Chief of Staff and Head of Corporate Office. With the spin-off of the truck division in 2021 Franziska also became responsible for the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board and its committees. Besides her Bachelor’s degree in International Business, Franziska holds a Master of Science from the Columbia University, New York, having specialised in transportation and future mobility as well as environment and sustainability.

Although there might be a perception, understandable to a point, that many of the applications for these vehicles are for off road use, the Special Trucks division is involved at the leading edge of low and zero emissions technologies.

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog has been very successful for a long time in many parts of the globe and very recently a prototype version powered by a hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine has been undergoing practical assessments.

Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has also recently been instrumental in the development of the eEconic as a practical battery powered urban refuse collection vehicle that was showcased at the Brisbane Truck Show, along with the Mercedes-Benz eActros with which it shares its electric drivetrain.

“With the eEconic we are very confident we have a very good product we are going to develop further over the next months and years,” says Franziska. “It is our big new baby and we are really proud of it. It’s the first product in our Special Trucks portfolio that we are taking to the zero emission world. It’s not just about a different drivetrain, we are entering into a new ecosystem.” Unlike the current situation in Australia, charging infrastructures and financial subsidies are being put in place in many European countries to encourage the take up of zero emission vehicles. “We see movement in each of these factors right now and we are trying to influence from our side as much as we can by working together with government and municipalities who put the infrastructure in place and also provide subsidies,” notes Franziska. “The eEconic did change the game a little bit and there was some hesitation in the market because it needs a much bigger ecosystem of support.”

At the production site in Wörth/Rhein, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has been combining its expertise in flexible smallseries truck production for specialised industries such as municipal, firefighting, and agricultural applications for more than 20 years. Currently, total production is around 5,000 trucks per year with an anticipation of further increases in the next few years. This also includes the Custom Tailored Trucks (CTT) business unit located in Molsheim, Alsace/France where CTT provides complex, individual customer solutions for bodies and conversions. Within Mercedes-Benz Trucks, CTT is the key account for special customer requests and with its expertise has the capabilities for precisely fitting and unique solutions.

A strength of the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks operation is its ability to be nimble yet that feature also presents some of its main challenges.

“It’s also the scale and how long it takes for the development. We have to be much faster a lot of the time because the volumes are much smaller,” says Franziska. “If there is a tender for 50 or 100 trucks you need to have different processes to quickly adapt to those very specific and different enablers. With Special Trucks every customer is special.”

Franziska is pragmatic about future developments in vehicle battery technologies as well as the necessary infrastructures to accommodate the increasing use of zero emission commercial vehicles.

“The battery cell chemistries that we are using at the moment come with a lot of advantages, but also disadvantages like energy density,” she says. “Going forward, for the next couple of evolution steps we are looking at different cell chemistries and from that there will be a jump in the range. There are some other batteries currently in the research phase which all the big cell manufacturers are looking into.” But range is not going to double.

Franziska makes that very clear.

“We all remember when we were back in high school learning the Periodic Table in chemistry where the maximum you can go is from the upper left corner to the lower right corner,” she says. “That is the maximum number of elements in the world that can possibly be put together in a chemical chain to create a battery cell. In long haul applications a big challenge is the infrastructure, because without that in place, either for battery-electric or hydrogen, you’re not going to have the trucks on the road.”

While heavily invested in the zero emission future and as passionate to convey its importance as anyone, Franziska, at the same time, acknowledges there are fundamental challenges ahead.

“No one buys a truck because they want to buy a truck, people buy a truck because they need to make money with it,” says Franziska. “If it’s not getting to a business case and if it’s not going to reach cost parity going forward, it’s also not going to be something that’s viable for the future.”

Despite her relatively young age Franziska has the confidence of Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks, who observes a great leader with broad expertise.

“I am convinced that with her passion and dedication to deliver the best products and solutions for our customers she will continue to build on the success of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and take the business to the next level,” says Karin.

TOYOTA TO ADD ‘MILD HYBRID’ 48-VOLT TECHNOLOGY FOR 2024 HILUX

Toyota is set to offer approximately 10 per cent fuel economy improvement for certain HiLux models. This is in comparison to the current 2.8-litre turbo diesel variants, when upgraded versions fitted with 48-Volt Technology arrive in the first half of 2024.

The 48-Volt Technology will be combined with the 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission and comprises an additional 48-Volt battery, small electric motor-generator and other components required to control the hybrid driveline.

In addition to delivering improved fuel economy, 48-Volt Technology will also enable a stop/start system, improved driveability and reduced noise, vibration and harshness.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the introduction of 48Volt Technology to HiLux demonstrated Toyota’s commitment to reducing the fuel consumption of its vehicles without compromising on the performance and capability demanded by customers. “We are continually striving to reduce the fuel consumption of our vehicles to help reduce on-going costs for customers, as well as helping reduce our environmental impact, and the addition of 48-Volt Technology to our biggest-selling vehicle line will contribute to this,” Hanley said.

“This new technology will not only improve fuel consumption, but customers will also benefit from enhanced on and off-road performance, making the HiLux even more appealing for a weekend away or longer term excursion into the outback,” he said. The 48-Volt Technology will be fitted as standard to all 4x4 SR5 and Rogue Double Cab models and be available as an option for 4x4 SR Double Cab. The addition of 48-Volt Technology will not have any impact on the capability of the HiLux with the 4x4 models, maintaining their 3500kg braked towing capacity.

Toyota confirmed further details will be provided closer to launch in 2024.

Australia Post Opens New Ballarat Facility

Australia Post has just opened its new parcel delivery centre in Ballarat, deepening its long-term investment into the key regional hub.

The modern 13,024 square-metre centre, built to accomodate parcel volume growth in the region, will improve turnaround times and help process more than 8,000 parcels a day – and up to 20,000 during peak periods like Christmas.

According to Australia Post, the new parcel delivery centre has also been built with future expansion in mind.

The Ballarat centre will introduce the latest in automated parcel sortation technology, which will be installed early next year. This new sorter will reportedly have the ability to sort a further 3,000 parcels per hours, boosting the site’s overall capacity.

The automation will also reduce manual handling and improve safety for team members.

Australia Post Executive General Manager Network Operations, Rod Barnes, said the multi-million-dollar investment into Ballarat and its surroundings reflects Australia Post’s commitment to improving services for the community.

“As one of Victoria’s biggest regional cities, we’ve seen parcel delivery volumes increase by 80 per cent over the past three years, with data indicating that four in five Ballarat households are now shopping online,” he said.

“We expect this trend to continue, as the needs of local and other ecommerce businesses grow.

“Our new centre will enable faster parcel processing and turnaround times, getting deliveries to customers’ doors sooner.”

Replacing two former temporary delivery centres at Bakery Hill and Wendouree, the larger, consolidated centre provides Australia Post team members with indoor space to load their vans and get parcels efficiently on the road to customers.

Minister for Infrastructure and Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, who officially opened the new parcel deliver centre today, said Australia Post’s latest investment was a vote of confidence in the future of Australia Post in regional Victoria.

“Australia Post and its hardworking staff have been at the heart of the Ballarat community since our first Post Office opened in a tent in Golden Point way back in 1851,” she said.

“This investment will give local Ballarat workers the facilities they deserve, as well as helping ensure our parcels and letters arrive safely and on time.”

DHL Supply Chain has announced the appointment of Brindha Pillay as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), who will now succeed Craig Roberts.

The contract logistics solutions company said Roberts had been an invaluable member of the DHL Group for almost three decades and he will relocate to undertake a DHL role overseeing Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Pillay, who has been a strong contributor to the organisation for more than 15 years, started her DHL career as National Finance Manager.

“I have every confidence in Brindha’s abilities to step into the CFO role with her strong business acumen, developed in key finance roles both in Australia and internationally,” said Kwok-wai Lee, CFO, Asia Pacific, DHL Supply Chain. “I have worked closely with Brindha and Craig over the years and have seen first-hand their excellent contributions to the DHL Supply Chain business.”

Prior to this role, Pillay was the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Accounting and Process Digitalisation Finance at DHL.

“I am excited to take on the role of CFO for DHL Supply Chain in ANZ and continue to champion excellence in the office of finance across the business,” she said in a statement.

“Craig has built a strong finance organisation, and I’m committed to driving value for the organisation – focusing on strong financial performance, process innovation, and

Mazda Deepens Partnership With Panasonic Energy

Panasonic Energy and Mazda Motor Corporation have agreed to enter into discussions on establishing a medium- to long-term partnership to meet demand for battery EVs and automotive batteries in a rapidly expanding market. Panasonic Energy and Mazda will commence concrete discussions with a view toward Panasonic Energy supplying Mazda with automotive cylindrical lithium-ion batteries manufactured at Panasonic Energy’s plants in Japan and North America.

Mazda, meanwhile, will, as part of the arrangement, look to install batteries procured from Panasonic Energy in battery EVs scheduled to be launched in the latter half of the decade.

“As the automotive industry rapidly advances electrification and is leading in this technology, collaboration with Mazda will be a major step toward the achievement of our mission of realising a society in which the pursuit of happiness and a sustainable environment are harmonised,” said Kazuo Tadanobu, President, CEO of Panasonic Energy. “With our superior technology and extensive experience,

transformative growth.”

Pillay has, during her time at DHL, championed several strategic initiatives, including the creation and implementation of the first key milestones of the overall strategy for the Accounting Function, globally.

“It gives me great pleasure to pass the torch to Brindha, whose exceptional skills and dedication will undoubtedly drive continued success for DHL Supply Chain in ANZ,” said Roberts.

“I couldn’t think of a better person to succeed me and have full confidence in her ability to continue driving strategic value for the business. I’ve been working very closely with Brindha to ensure a smooth and successful transition.” we will drive growth of the lithium-ion battery industry and further accelerate our efforts to achieve zero emissions.” As part of its electrification initiatives, Mazda is working with its partners in three phases to flexibly respond to changes in regulatory trends, consumer needs, and other areas. “We are delighted to collaborate with Panasonic Energy, which has been a pioneer in automotive lithium-ion batteries, and developing high-quality products. We will keep contributing to curbing global warming through various initiatives including our electrification strategy,” said Masahiro Moro, Mazda Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer.

Roberts has been a valued member of the DHL group for nearly 30 years, first joining in 1995 as a Financial Accountant in South Africa. He held various CFO positions in APAC and EMEA before relocating to Australia in 2017 to lead the financial operations across ANZ.

The Panasonic Group and Mazda have built a relationship over many years. In 2012 Mazda installed Panasonic batteries in its Demio EV, a vehicle the company had leased in Japan.