The Tramagal plant is commemorating its eventful 50-year history, during which it has produced more than 200,000 vehicles. Today the plant is FUSO’s backbone in Europe. In a ceremony attended by Pedro Passos Coelho, the Prime Minister of Portugal, representatives of Daimler AG and the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), marked the 50th anniversary of the Tramagal plant and honored the facility as the central production location for the international best-seller FUSO Canter in Europe.
“The Tramagal plant is an outstanding example of Daimler Trucks’ international footprint. The Portuguese colleagues cooperate very closely with their partner plants in Japan and India. This exemplifies the successful cooperation between Europe and Asia. Thank you very much for this outstanding performance,” said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses, on the occasion of the anniversary.
“For decades, the employees in Tramagal have shown continued commitment to the plant. In a quite literal sense, the production of our flagship FUSO Canter is in good hands”, added Dr. Albert Kirchmann, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia and President and CEO of MFTBC.
Being an important employer in Portugal, Daimler Trucks is aware of its social responsibility towards the region’s people. Together with Dr. Bernhard and Dr. Kirchmann, Jorge Rosa, Head of the Tramagal plant, presented a FUSO Canter to the non-profit organization CRIA, which helps handicapped children and families in Portugal.
Investments in the facility and the product
The Tramagal plant is located about 150 kilometers northeast of Lisbon and extends over a surface of 39,900 square meters. Its more than 300 employees produce FUSO Canter trucks for around 30 European countries and Israel. In the course of the year, Morocco will expand the list of export markets. Already today, almost 95 percent of the vehicles are exported. The key sales markets are Germany, the UK, and France. While especially the South European markets went through a volatile economic development over the past years, sales of FUSO trucks in Europe last year rose to around 4,500 units. Availability of the new FUSO Canter with a gross vehicle weight of 8.55 tonnes should lead the brand to a further sales increase in Europe this year.
To prepare the plant for the future, Daimler Trucks has invested a total of roughly €27 million from 2011 to 2014 included, dedicated to the modernization of production operations and the further development of the FUSO Canter in Tramagal. Some €5.5 million out of this sum will be spent this year on new equipment and the development of the battery-electric FUSO Canter E-Cell. The Portuguese government is also supporting these measures with €3 million.
„The Portuguese government has implemented the right measures to return its economy on a path of growth. At times, the government has had to surmount resistance from many sides and made significant progress in balancing its trade and fiscal deficits. We want to be an active supporter of these huge efforts to boost the economy and therefore keep investing in our plant,” said Dr. Bernhard. “The investments also show that we are very proud of the success model FUSO Canter — especially because it reinforces Daimler Trucks’ technological lead in the area of alternative drives.”
Since 2012, Portugal has also produced the FUSO Canter Eco Hybrid, the hybrid version of the truck. This fuel-saving light-duty truck has already won several international awards, including the renowned award “Irish Green Commercial of the Year 2013.” In addition, the hybrid truck received the “European Transport Sustainability Prize 2014.”
FUSO Canter: Daimler Trucks’ international best-seller
The light-duty truck FUSO Canter is the best-selling vehicle in Daimler Trucks’ entire product range. Last year, almost 140,000 customers around the globe purchased this robust and economical best-seller. A stunning 3.8 million units have been sold since the vehicle was first presented in 1963, and the truck is now in its eighth generation.
The Tramagal facility is incorporated into Daimler Trucks’ global production network to enable the plant to meet the internationally valid quality standards for the FUSO Canter and exploit the advantages of collaboration. The main production plant Kawasaki primarily supplies the body panels, the axle parts, the steering system, the heating and climate-control systems, and the DUONIC dual-clutch transmission, as well as the electric drive components of the FUSO Canter Eco Hybrid. The Tramagal plant also benefits the local economy. In terms of monetary value, around 50 percent of the Canter’s parts are provided by 60 European suppliers; half of them are based in Portugal and Spain. These parts include the chassis, the engine, the axle components, the springs, the brakes, the tires, the headlights, the seats, and much of the interior trim.
A plant with an eventful history
The Tramagal plant has had an eventful history. It was founded in 1964 as a joint venture of the family-run Portuguese firm Duarte Ferreira and the former French truck manufacturer Berliet. The plant began with CKD assembly (completely knocked down) for Mitsubishi Fuso in 1980. In the following years, the Tramagal plant assembled the FUSO Canter light-duty truck for the Portuguese market, as well as the medium-duty Fighter truck, the Mitsubishi L 200 pickup truck, the L 300 van, and the Pajero SUV. Ten years later, the business was acquired by the Portuguese import company Mitsubishi Motors Portugal (MMP). In 1996, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation took over the plant and decided to focus production on the FUSO Canter. It became part of Daimler AG in 2004 after the automaker acquired the majority share of Mitsubishi Fuso.
50 years of the Tramagal plant — the milestones at a glance
1964 CKD assembly of the French Berliet truck begins
1980 Cooperation with Mitsubishi Fuso begins; CKD assembly of SUVs, vans, pickup
trucks, and the FUSO Canter light truck
1990 The plant is acquired by the Portuguese import company Mitsubishi Motors Portugal
(MMP)
1996 The plant is acquired by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation; assembly operations are
concentrated on the FUSO Canter
2004 Daimler AG acquires the majority share of Mitsubishi Fuso
2011 Launch of the current eighth generation of the FUSO Canter
2012 Series production of the FUSO Canter Eco Hybrid begins
2013 Launch of the new FUSO Canter Euro VI, including the new version with a permissible
gross vehicle weight of 8.55 t
