Daimler India Commercial Vehicle integrates Mercedes Benz Bus Division

Daimler India Commercial Vehicle, ( DICV) a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG on Monday announced the integration of Mercedes Benz Bus Division with itself.

The sales of Mercedes Benz buses was handled by Mercedes Benz India Private Limited, post the integration DICV will take over the responsibility. The organisation for Buses has been transferred to DICV and will now operate from DICV's manufacturing plant at Oragadam, near Chennai. The Daimler Bus division at DICV is headed by Markus Villinger.

Llistosella, MD & CEO, DICV said, "The alignment of the Bus division with DICV is a logical step in integrating the Commercial Vehicle divisions of Daimler into one cohesive unit. This is in line with our global practice to ensure better synergies in various business verticals. With this alignment Daimler will be able to expand its presence in India through a dealer network oriented and trained in the operations of Commercial Vehicles".

With the current integration with DICV, Mercedes-Benz buses will now be promoted using the growing network of created for BharatBenz. While the sale of the buses will be carried out directly by DICV, the service of these buses will be carried out by select dealers of BharatBenz. MB India has sold over 300 buses since 2008, with the coach builder is M/s Sutlej.

All BharatBenz dealers have been planned with the capacity necessary to handle the bus business. However, initially only 7 dealers along with 2 other dealers who have been servicing MB buses through MB India will handle the service of buses. These dealers have been selected based on the market regions where our Bus business is currently focused. However, as expansion takes place, other dealers of the DICV network will be nominated.

Daimler Financial Services (DFS), another Daimler organization which is focused on captive finance for Daimler customers, will support the Bus business through its tailored financial product "Mercedes-Benz Financial". Further tie-ups through the existing relationship between DICV and various other Financial Institutions will also be explored.