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FOR SCANIA 2008: LOWER BUS SALES, BUT ALL-TIME HIGH

Scania have released their 2008 year end report. Results on group level included an all time high operating income of SEK 12,512m (2007: SEK 12,164) and a net sales increase of 5% to SEK 88,977m (2007: SEK 84,486). Despite success on group level, figures for Scania buses and coaches were less positive.

MAN RESULTS POSITIVE ON 2008 BUS SALES

The Commercial Vehicles division of MAN has reported an operating profit up to Euros 1,062m for the fiscal year 2008, compared with Euros 1,039m for 2007. The operating profit on the bus operations went from a negative figure of Euros13m in 2007 to a positive figure of Euros19m at the end of 2008

2008 WAS RECORD YEAR FOR DAIMLER BUSES

In 2008 Daimler Buses achieved its best ever sales results, with 40,600 Mercedes-Benz, Setra and Orion buses and coaches sold worldwide, an increase of 4% on the previous record set in 2007. Sales of minibuses based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis  grew 18% to 1,100 units.

KINGLONG EXPORTED 3088 BUSES IN 2008

Xiamen King Long United Automotive Industry Co Ltd, a Xiamen-based bus and coach manufacturer, already announced in December last year that she expected her export revenue to rise by more than 90% year on year to $200 million in 2008. She now claims having exported 3088 complete buses in 2008, which means a jump of 98.97% compared with 2007, representing an export sales volume 1.35 billion yuan.

VOLVO BUSES: LOWER PROFIT OVER FOURTH QUARTER 2008

Volvo Buses recorded in the fourth quarter of 2008 an operating income of 72m Swedish crowns, compared with 93m over the same oeriod of 2007. According to the company, this lower profit resulted from the effect of currency exchange rates and continued high activity within research and development. Net sales in the period increased by 6% to 5,481m crowns (2007: 5,173 crowns); adjusted for changed exchange rates, net sales was up by 2%.