Daimler Truck Southern Africa marked a significant milestone with the celebration and handover of its 150 000th locally assembled truck, a Mercedes Be
Daimler Truck Southern Africa marked a significant milestone with the celebration and handover of its 150 000th locally assembled truck, a Mercedes Benz Actros 2645LS/33 at its East London assembly plant.
The milestone vehicle was delivered to a valued customer, TT Group Holding, underscoring the strong partnerships and customer trust that continue to drive the company’s success.
Commenting on this exciting customer handover, Olaf Petersen, Vice President for sales and marketing says: “The trucking industry is built on strong, enduring relationships. We don’t simply hand over a truck, we partner with our customers and support them throughout their journey. It is especially meaningful to deliver our 150 000th locally built truck to TT Group Holding, a valued customer who shares our commitment to performance and excellence. This milestone is a reflection of our product strength and trust and collaboration that drive our business and the business of our customers forward.”
The first truck, a L-Type Mercedes-Benz Truck rolled off the DTSA Assembly Plant in East London in 1962 marking the start of local production of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and local truck production in South Africa. Over 60 years later the 150 000th truck rolls off the same line underscoring decades of excellence and commitment to driving the local production in the Southern Africa region forward.
The DTSA Assembly Plant continues to play a crucial role in supporting the company’s promise of delivering reliable, efficient and fit-for-purpose transport solutions to its customers. Beyond production, the plant has been instrumental in driving localisation, job creation and skills development, reinforcing DTSA’s long-term commitment to South Africa and the broader region. These milestones reflect growth in volume and advancements in manufacturing standards, safety and sustainability.
Other key milestones
In 2022, the East London Assembly Plant proudly celebrated 60 years of production, marking six decades of local manufacturing excellence. Over the years, the facility has achieved several significant milestones emphasising its contribution to both the South African and global Daimler Truck network.
In 2010, Mercedes Benz Buses assembled OH bus chassis in support of the FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa. This was followed in 2015 by the assembly of the 125 000th truck in the East London assembly plant. The plant continued to build on this legacy with the production of the 750 000th CKD unit and the 800 000th unit from the Wörth plant in 2019 and 2024 respectively. In 2023, Mercedes Benz Trucks also celebrated 25 years of the Actros in South Africa and its assembly in East London.
These achievements culminate in the celebration of the 150 000th locally built truck in 2026, coinciding with global milestones including 130 years since the first Mercedes Benz truck, 30 years of the Actros in Europe and 80 years of the iconic Mercedes Benz Unimog.
