Daimler plans direct sale of Actros trucks

Daimler Chrysler, the manufacturer of Mercedes Benz, plans to sell its high tonnage trucks - Actros - in India directly till a dedicated dealership network is put in place.

Daimler Chrysler India executives said the decision to sell trucks was prompted by the lack of experience of selling high tech, high tonnage trucks in India.

The company has decided to take the truck dealers to Germany for training. The truck dealership was expected to be in place in a couple of years, they added. Till an active dealer base is set up, a customer could place an order or ask for service and repairs by calling the company's corporate office in Pune.

Mercedes Benz Actros are expected to hit the Indian roads in the begining of 2006 even though it initially planned to launch the trucks in June this year.

"The company had planned to launch 15-tonne trucks to begin with and gradually introduce higher tonnage trucks. Now, the decision is to simultaneously launch all trucks. The change in plan has caused the delay, " said the executive.

Actros, having 15 to 50 tonnage capacity, are expected to be priced around Rs 40-55 lakh, said market sources. Mercedes will import the completely built unit (CBU) of the truck from its overseas plants.

The company would market its trucks by conducting road shows in selected pockets of the country. "We are eyeing mines and surrounding places for selling our tipper and dumper variety of trucks," said the Mercedes executive.