September 13, 2011

Tatra demonstrated its new truck, the Phoenix, to the press last Thursday.  It has a modern two-or three-seat cabin, the unique innovative Tatra chassis with a new auxiliary gearbox and air suspension on all axles.  Thanks to water-cooled engine and an output of 265 to 375 kW, the car can easily handle even the toughest terrain with gradients up to 35 degrees.  During Thursday’s demonstration at the polygon car went out without any problems paved the way for the slope angle of 45 degrees.

Maximum speed on road is 85 kilometers per hour. “With the unique concept of Tatra chassis do not need intermediate frame, which saves on weight, so the vehicle can carry over the competition by 550 to 1250 kg more The largest version can carry up to 32 tons. The truck is meant to be used in construction, mining, forestry, oil and gas and other industrial sectors.

The new model is the result of collaboration with Tatra world’s leading producer of trucks, the Dutch company DAF Trucks NV, which will deliver Tatra cabins and engines.  Five trucks  of the new model were presented to journalists last Thursday on Kopřivnice polygon.

Later this month Tatra will start production of the new Phoenix, Tatra said at the Phoenix’ European launch. The company assumes that the end of September the first ten vehicles will be finished.   The cab and engine are supplied by DAF.

Recently, a DAF participation of 19% was agreed after both parties worked a long time on the development of the Phoenix.

The CF85-cab for the new Tatra truck will be fully furnished – including trim – supplied by DAF in Westerlo, Belgium. The opening angle of the door will however be bigger than the CF85.  Only the front with Tatra logo will be manufactured on site.  Tatra expects to produce  this year 200 units and 1000 to 1500 copies in 2012, depending on orders.  About 1480 trucks can be produced in a single-shift; If there is higher interest, we are ready to start more shifts, Tatra said. In the further future, Tatra targets to build 2400 units a year, of which about 50 percent will go to dealers.  The old model will be gradually phased out, with about 300 units per year.

The Middle East, Africa and India are considered as major markets for the new vehicle, particularly for military purposes.  In Europe, he had a fire or for the construction industry are offered.  Phoenix basic model will be the 4×4 version with three-sided kipper.

At first, the Phoenix will be marketed in Germany and Russia.  Later other countries will follow.  In the Benelux, depending on demand,  the Phoenix will be sold through selected DAF dealers.

According to the manufacturer its prize is comparable to a premium truck.  According to tests, the total cost of ownership over a period of three years will be between 20,000 and 50,000 Euros less than a comparable competitor.

While in previous years Tatra had to fire people due to lack of demand, now recruiting of new employees started.  Tatra expects at this stage a gradual increase of approximately 400 employees.  At the beginning of April Tatra employed 1731 men and women and currently employs 1,812 people.

Phoenix photos: http://www.auto.cz/tatra-phoenix-prvni-kontakt-s-novinkou-z-koprivnice-61473

Phoenix Video: http://www.novinky.cz/ekonomika/244135-automobilka-tatra-chce-uz-letos-vyrobit-200-novych-vozu-phoenix.html?ref=stalo-se

You are offered an unique opportunity to see the new Tatra Phoenix.

It will be exhibted in the Tatra  museum this weekend 9th – 11th September 2011.

Let’s visit our museum!

The Prague stock reacted positively on the announcement of Tatra’s cooperation with DAF with a rise of 7.8 % on August 3.  Due to the world’s debt crisis, the value of the Tatra shares today dropped  to the old level before the Tatra – DAF announcement however; the average share at the Prague stock exchange dropped by 10 % in the same period though.

Graf a historie – kurzy akcie TATRA, Burza Praha, RM-Systém

Earlier this week an agreement was announced between Tatra and DAF, according to which the Dutch truck maker will deliver CF cabins and engine to Tatra. It was also announced that a DAF of 19% stake in Czech truck builder does.

We have learned that the shares are acquired from Tatra Holding (once the Blue River’ Fund), a group that owns 91 percent of Tatra. This investment group took over the truck builder in 2006 by the American Terex Group. Tatra Holding was set up specifically by the then British Vectra Group, the Belgian KBC Private Equity,  American Sam Eyde and Czech Meadow Hill (a company of CEO Ronald Adams and his wife). A spokesman from KBC is the participation of the various shareholders roughly the same size.

KBC is known to cut back its activities in Private Equity. Yet the 19% stake bought by DAF, is not KBC’s. According to a KBC spokesman the shares were sold by Tatra Holding and as a consequence the participation of all four shareholders was proportionately reduced.

According to a DAF spokesman the purchase of 19 percent is not a first step in a full acquisition of Tatra. “This is not an issue,” he said us.

The agreement between DAF and Tatras also provides that the Phoenix will also be sold by European dealers. The other models, which are not equipped with a DAF cab and engine, will not be sold by DAF dealers.

Tatra today introduced their newest truck with DAF cabin and engine.  It is available in 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 versions with matching engines. Tatra hopes they will win back their old clientele in the road construction and construction business.

Video: http://www.tatraphoenix.com/cs

Photos:  http://www.tatraphoenix.com/en/photo

Configurator: http://www.tatraphoenix.com/en/configurator

Technology:  http://www.tatraphoenix.com/en/technology

http://www.thenewtatra.com/cs

TATRA and DAF Trucks Sign Cooperation Agreements

Relationship is a “Quantum Leap for TATRA “, says CEO Ronald Adams

KOPŘIVNICE (August 2, 2011) – TATRA, a. s., a traditional producer of world-famous heavy-duty vehicles for commercial and defence segments, announces that it has concluded agreements on cooperation with DAF Trucks N.V. Main focus of the cooperation is the supply of DAF manufactured engines and cabs for a new range of TATRA vehicles, as well as the distribution of these TATRA products by leveraging the dealer networks of the two companies. Also, as part of the agreements, DAF will acquire 19% of the shares in TATRA a.s.

“We began with the goal to design a new TATRA vehicle featuring the newest innovations of the unique TATRA chassis and applying the state-of-the-art DAF cabins and PACCAR engines. The project has resulted in a much wider cooperation, one that perfectly cultivates TATRA’s global strategy and at the same time adds to DAF’s dealer product portfolio. The fruit of this is an outstanding vehicle which responds to the needs of our most demanding customers and which will be delivered through a stronger and expanded TATRA dealer network,” said Ronald Adams, TATRA’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“DAF has been consistently gaining market share in Europe and our class leading reputation for driver comfort, engine development and after sales support services has contributed significantly to that growth”, said Harrie Schippers, DAF Trucks president. “We are delighted that we are able to contribute to TATRA’s new, state-of-the-art truck, which also offers a great opportunity for our DAF dealers, as it expands their current product portfolio with an all-wheel drive, high mobility commercial truck.”

The new TATRA truck, designed and built in Kopřivnice, will gradually become TATRA’s flagship product in the commercial segments. With its innovative features, it will deliver uncompromising performance and unrivalled value to customers in construction, mining, forestry, oil & gas and other segments. With this standard-setting product and its availability through the enhanced dealer network, TATRA expects to enter new territories and reach thousands of new customers. To drive its global sales strategy, TATRA will leverage dealer networks of both DAF and TATRA and utilize special financing products available through PACCAR Financial Services.

TATRA CEO Adams said, “This relationship gives TATRA a quantum leap ahead in its commercial vehicle markets. It would take TATRA tens of years and many millions of Euros to build such a wide and successful network of dealers throughout Europe, not to mention the tens or even hundreds of millions of Euros which would have been required to develop such a world-class cabin and engine.“

Further details regarding the new TATRA truck will be available at www.thenewtatra.com.

Copyright © 2011, Tatra.cz

The German Tatra Register Deutschland published a real scoop in their latest magazin: the T158, featuring a DAF CF series cabin and proudly bearing the Tatra logo on its redesigned front.

Czech company Promet has acquired Tawesco, the daughter company of local truck manufacturer Tatra, for an undisclosed price. Tawesco supplies car parts to local OEM Skoda as well as to Benteler, Magna, Visteon, and Tatra. It specialises in components such as extrusions from iron and aluminium, as well as stamping instruments.

Promet supplies raw materials to steel mills and foundries in the Czech Republic as well as in neighbouring Austria, Germany and Poland. It also operates in the engineering sector.