Melbourne-based DAF Trucks Australia is celebrating a record heavy-duty sales result in 2021.
DAF posted a very encouraging 5.2 per cent heavy-duty market share result with a best-ever 682 trucks delivered from its Bayswater plant, good enough for sixth position overall on the Australian ladder.
The numbers also reflect DAF’s commitment to local production with three prime mover variants on the market in 2021: the CF 450 FTT with sleeper cab, CF 480 FTT with sleeper cab and CF 530 FTT with sleeper cab, as well as a locally engineered and produced 8×4 rigid cab/chassis model – CF 340 FAD with day cab.
Overall, the production of DAF trucks reached 60,000 units worldwide, a clear reflection of the high demand for transport as a result of the strong recovery in the economy, said a media release from the Eindhoven truck manufacturer.
The undoubted highlight was the introduction of the New Generation DAF XF, XG and XG⁺, which resulted in a full order book.
The New Generation XF, XG and XG⁺ were voted ‘International Truck of the Year 2022’. In addition, the DAF XF H2 concept truck with hydrogen combustion engine, won the coveted ‘Truck Innovation Award 2022’.
“It goes without saying that, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 was also a very challenging year for DAF, largely due to the scarcity of parts,” the statement added.
“In fact, it was not the demand for trucks that ultimately determined the production numbers but rather the availability of chips and other components. In 2021, about 49,000 heavy and medium duty CF and XF trucks came off the production line (compared with 37,600 in 2020) as well as about 11,000 LF distribution trucks (9000 in 2020).”
DAF also ended 2021 as the market leader in six European countries and an overall market share in Europe of 15.9 per cent.
DAF sold 8600 trucks outside the European Union in 2021, compared with 5900 in 2020, with the in-roads in Australia singled out for special mention.
“Thanks to the upturn in the economy, there is an increasing demand for trucks in Europe and with the New Generation DAF XF, XG and XG⁺ DAF has an excellent product on its hands,” said Harry Wolters, president of DAF Trucks.
“These are the first and only trucks on the market to comply with the new European regulations for vehicle masses and dimensions. This means that the XF, XG and XG⁺ set a new benchmark in the areas of efficiency, safety and driver comfort.
“We expect the European truck market to reach somewhere between 260,000 and 300,000 vehicles in 2022. Thanks to our industry-leading model programme and first-class services, we are ready, together with our professional dealers, to achieve further growth.”