Less than one year after consolidating its North American commercial brands into one corporate structure, DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America reports that it's on the way to a 50% increase in sales in 2002 compared to 2001.

Andy Strecker, president and CEO of DC Commercial Buses North America, said combined sales from its Orion, Thomas Dennis and Setra companies will exceed 1,150 units in 2002 with $285 million in revenue. Employment at the North American commercial bus unit also expanded more than 50% to 1,300 people to meet increased sales, customer service and production demands.

"It looks like we're absolutely on the right track," Strecker said. Part of the credit, he added, is due to the company's restructured sales channel that saw the number of dealers reduced from 48 to 24. Sharing of leads among the three sister companies also helped to bolster sales, he said.

Strecker cited increased diversity in the product line for increased sales. "We continue to work on the product side to provide more variance for the customer," he said. As an example, he mentioned the Mercedes 906 engine, which can be spec'd into the SLF 232 and 235 models. "This is a big customer benefit," he said. "The Mercedes engine is an excellent addition to the marketplace."

Strecker added that the Mercedes engine will be serviced by Detroit Diesel dealers. "This is a good example of how fast DaimlerChrysler can reach everybody in the country," he said.

Strecker expects another 50% growth in sales in 2003. "We have built a tremendous foundation for long-term success in the North American commercial bus market," he said.