Daimler takes a crack at Africa with Nairobi office

Daimler Trucks

What you need to know:

  • Daimler Trucks and Buses chief executive Dr Wolfgang Bernhard said the massive investments in road and railway construction created demand for trucks and buses that would enhance end to end transport services that will supplement the SGR services.

  • Dr Bernhard said Kenya’s prospects as a regional hub created a ready market for Daimler to grow its three heavy commercial and passenger vehicles market.

  • The CEO spoke on Tuesday after he officially opened Africa’s first Daimler Trucks and Buses regional Sales and Service Centre at Westlands.

German automotive corporation Daimler AG has opened an Africa office for its trucks business in Nairobi, saying Kenya's transport hub status will power sales.

The company plans to use Nairobi as a base to push its products to 41 countries, where it works with general distributors.

The company is engaged in the development, production and distribution of cars, trucks and vans in Germany. Daimler Trucks distributes its trucks under the brand names Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, FUSO, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and BharatBenz.

Daimler Buses sells built-up buses under the brand names Mercedes-Benz and Setra.

A report by the Financial Times's FDI Markets last week showed that Nairobi last year received more foreign direct investments than any other city in Africa, including Johannesburg.

DEMAND FOR TRUCKS

Daimler Trucks and Buses chief executive Wolfgang Bernhard said the massive investments in road and railway construction created demand for trucks and buses that would enhance end-to-end transport services that would supplement the SGR services.

The CEO spoke on Tuesday after he officially opened Africa’s first Daimler Trucks and Buses regional sales and service centre in Westlands.

Dr Bernhard said Kenya’s prospects as a regional hub created a ready market for Daimler to grow its three heavy commercial and passenger vehicles market.

Dr Wolfgang Bernhard (second right), member of the board of management of Daimler AG responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses, and Mr Rajaram Krisnamurthy (right), head of the regional centre for Africa, cut a ribbon to officially open the office on February 9, 2016. PHOTO | DAIMLER

“Kenya is an East African hub with a road and rail network to as far as Central Africa. We have two assembly plants in Thika and in Mombasa that employ engineers, technicians and other skilled manpower locally who last year produced 6,000 vehicles that were sold to various countries,” he said.

The vehicles on offer are Mitsubishi, Fuso and Mercedes Benz Trucks.