IAA 2012 - world's largest commercial vehicle trade fair - opens in Hannover / Wissmann: Secure industrial basis in Europe

Hannover (ots) - The world's largest trade fair for mobility,
transport and logistics has begun. At the opening ceremony for the
64th IAA Commercial Vehicles, Matthias Wissmann, President of the
German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), told an audience
of around 700 high-ranking guests from politics and business, "This
IAA is an impressive demonstration of the drive for innovation
throughout the commercial vehicle industry. The new vehicles are
becoming even more efficient in terms of consumption, even safer and
even cleaner. Over 350 world premieres - two thirds of them by
suppliers - document the progress made in reducing CO2, in
aerodynamics, optimising classical drive trains and developing
alternative drive trains." With 1,904 exhibitors from 46 countries,
the IAA has also become even more international. Over 2,000
journalists from 56 countries are reporting on the IAA, which runs
until 27 September.

"Our exhibitors are presenting their innovations on an area of
260,000 square metres - which is equal to 44 football pitches. They
have trucks that already meet the coming Euro VI standard. They are
cleaner than ever before: nitrogen oxide emissions are down by 80 per
cent, and particulates are down by two thirds. The slogan of the IAA,
'Commercial Vehicles - Driving the Future,' is therefore virtually
tailor-made for this trade fair," Wissmann said. He added that major
topics were the optimisation of aerodynamics and vehicles with
alternative drive trains. "With less drag, and with hybrid and
electric motors, all the way to fuel cells, commercial vehicles will
in future use even less fuel and therefore have lower CO2 output,"
the VDA president underlined. New driver-assistance systems were
making commercial vehicles even safer, he said, and trucks were
already leading innovation, for example with the emergency braking
assistant.

After two very successful years, in 2012 the conditions have
turned tougher, Wissmann emphasised, referring to the state of the
commercial vehicle business. The industry was feeling the effects of
the national debt crisis in some Southern European countries, while
the Western European market for heavy trucks (over 6t) had shrunk to
250,000 units in the current year. "Yet we must not restrict our view
to Europe. The global market for heavy trucks (over 6t) - which is
relevant for the German commercial vehicle manufacturers - is
remaining stable in 2012. The growing US market can compensate for
the fall in Western Europe. In 2012 the US market will expand by up
to 20 per cent, to over 350,000 units. This will benefit German
manufacturers, who take around 30 per cent of the market for trucks
in classes 4 to 8 (over 6.3t) in the United States. And we should not
forget the Russian market. This year it will grow by one quarter and
at over 160,000 vehicles it is almost twice the size of the German
market."

The 64th IAA Commercial Vehicles was opened by the German Federal
Minister of Transport, Dr Peter Ramsauer. The State Premier of Lower
Saxony, David McAllister, gave a welcoming address, as did Stephan
Weil, Mayor of the state capital Hannover.

In his speech Wissmann stressed, "Mobility is the foundation for
prosperity in our society and is a prerequisite for a successful
industrial sector. Germany generates over one quarter (27 per cent)
of the gross industrial value-added in the EU - which is more than
the United Kingdom and France taken together." The VDA president said
it was "dangerous" that the industrial value-added in European
countries was drifting further and further apart: "In Germany, in
recent years in particular, we have seen that it is manufacturing
that keeps the wheels turning in difficult times. Germany, with its
strong industrial base, has escaped the crisis and is in a more
robust position than many other EU states. No other country in Europe
invests as much in research and development. And around one third of
total German investment in research and development is borne by the
automotive industry. Only with such enormous investments can Germany
maintain its lead in technology. Our companies know that those who
stop improving have stopped being good," Wissmann stated.

However, he continued, the commercial vehicle industry and the
transport business also needed politicians to provide a reliable
framework and a sound basis for planning. Wissmann stressed, "This
applies above all to decisions in the transport business to invest in
new Euro VI trucks. The effectiveness of a more favourable toll class
for the market launch of especially environmentally friendly trucks
became apparent several years ago when the Euro V vehicles were
introduced. This opportunity should now also swiftly be used for Euro
VI."

The VDA president pointed out that the IAA - alongside the
exhibits - was also a significant communication platform: "The
programme includes far more than 30 IAA specialist events and IAA
congresses. They range from load securing and hazardous goods
transport, the digital factory, advice on purchasing telematics, and
CO2 reduction, all the way to financial services for the commercial
vehicle business. Furthermore, the IAA is a major recruiting fair
with events such as the VDA's GoIng, WorkING and the schoolchildren?s
programme, dedicated to the upcoming generation of engineers. "One
thing is certain: the world-wide commercial vehicle market will
continue to grow in the medium and long term. And the German
commercial vehicle industry will do everything it can to continue
expanding its market share around the globe. And for this we need the
best minds," Wissmann emphasised.

Contact:
Eckehart Rotter
VDA - Press Department
Tel.: +49 30 897842-120
Email: rotter@vda.de