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Hebe is ousted
By
Dave Scott
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Jim Hebe, ex-President of Freightliner LLC in the USA. As an 'ex', he is very much alive but has been ousted and replaced by Rainer Schmückle of DaimlerChrysler who is known for his 'turnaround' expertise.
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I was stunned to hear that Jim Hebe, President of Freightliner LLC, was ousted from his position as mother trucker of heavy truck manufacturing in the USA. After all, Jim arrived in South Africa just recently to 21-gun salutes wherever he went and addressed the exclusive RFA club at it's annual gathering of the lions of South African road transport at their annual feasting in Skukuza. It is so sad that he had to return to a DaimlerChrysler firing squad.
After breaking all sales records for Freightliner and positioning them as the leading brand for Class 8 (6x4) heavy trucks in the USA, it seems as if an old business principle caught up with Jim Hebe: "Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity and cash is reality". It appears that Freightliner LLC is drowning in a lake of USA used trucks.
In echoing the problem of Freightliner used inventories, USA competitor Paccar, which has Peterbilt and Kenworth in its stable, issued a statement that it does not respond to statements about individual competitors.
However, take note of what Paccar did say in an internet report. "For over a decade there has been a concern that the North American trucking industry was vulnerable due to disruptive pricing and unrealistic residual valuations. Looking forward, it is envisioned that pricing stability will return to the marketplace."
When I look around at used heavy truck inventories in South Africa, I sense a similar foreboding that our over-traded marketplace has a swamp of used 6x4 stock that is going to sink some local truck manufacturers. Which CEO will receive a large package to get out - wait and see?
In the meantime, South Africa will miss you Jim - we don't get too many people with your trucking stature visiting us. And you did give us the best forward-control USA cab in the business on the new Argosy. And you were supportive of our small heavy truck industry. May your severance package allow you to resurface and keep on trucking!
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| Jim Hebe
makes a point at a press conference during his recent South
African tour while Geoff du Plessis of DaimlerChrysler looks
on. Speaking at the opening of the new Freightliner Truck
Centre in Zandfontein, Hebe said: "If you are not in
the used truck business, you should not be in this
business". It seems that severe experience was talking
in this comment. In addition, Hebe commented: "Major
mergers and acquisitions are just about over. With the USA
downturn, there is no room for manoeuvring". FleetWatch
will observe the world truck manufacturers with interest. |
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Big
Move for Freightliner