The supply of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based products by EvoBus (UK) will be unaffected by parent Daimler Buses’ decision to sell Dortmund-based Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH to investment group AEQUITA and focus on its core business of heavier vehicles.
A spokesperson for the Coventry-based dealership says that it will remain “business as usual between EvoBus (UK) and the Dortmund plant,” adding that the importer “looks forward” to working with the AEQUITA team.
Daimler Buses says the sale will allow it to focus on the manufacture of coaches and buses of 8,000kg GVW and over and chassis. AEQUITA will both continue to produce Mercedes-Benz minibuses in the Dortmund plant and “further develop the facility,” the seller says. The transaction is expected to be completed on 1 January 2022 and the two businesses will retain what Daimler Buses adds will be “a continued close partnership… in the areas of sales and aftersales.”
Comments Head of Daimler Buses and Managing Director of EvoBus GmbH Till Oberwörder: “We are on the road to the CO2-neutral mobility of the future and will be investing heavily in the electrification of our product range and the digitalisation of services and company processes in the coming years.
“In light of the related considerable future investments, we want to concentrate even more than in the past on our core business and our strengths. This involves a strong focus on chassis and complete vehicles over [8,000kg].
“In this context, we will even more consistently implement measures to increase efficiency and cost savings, as well as streamline our European production network at the same time. The sale of our minibus plant in Dortmund takes an important step towards that direction.”
AEQUITA Group Managing Partner Dr.-Ing Axel Geuer adds that the Mercedes-Benz minibus business “has very good growth opportunities that we will tackle together in a long-term partnership with Daimler.”
