VOLVO TRUCKS :

PENETRATING THE US
MARKET

TEAM MEMBERS:
Aamir Ansari
SMBA13074
Himanshu Saigal
SMBA13021
Krishna Priya
SMBA13027
Case Contents
 Volvo introduction.
 Mission / Goals.
 Trucking industry.
 US / European market.
 Major Players
 Environmental factors.
 Volvo Truck Group
 Vertical/Horizontal growth
 Volvo Business Approaches.
 Volvo Market Growth/Decline
 Case Questions
 Recommendation.
 Volvo Introduction
 Global truck manufacturer based in Gothenburg,
Sweden.
 World’s second largest heavy duty brand.
 Volvo manufactured its first automobiles in 1927.
 Volvo Group Trucks company include Renault
Trucks, Mack Trucks and UD Trucks (Nissan Diesel
Trucks).
 Its main parts distribution centre is located in
Ghent, Belgium.
 Among some smaller facilities Volvo has assembly
plants in Sweden (Gothenburg - also the Head
Office), Belgium, USA, Brazil, South Africa,
Australia, China, India and Russia, making it a truly
global producer.
 Mission Goals

Leader in World's heavy

truck industry.

Producing high reliability. To break 12% market share

barrier on the way towards
Safety trucks for business 20%.
users, individuals and
households. To raise profitability.

Establishing higher
throughout the value chain.
 World truck industry

Heavy weight
Medium truck Light weight truck
GVW class 8
GVW class 5-7 GVW 1-4
or over 15 tons
Trucking Industry In Europe/US

US Europe
Conventional Cab – over
Trucks trucks
 PEST Factors
 Economic environment:

 like cyclical industry.

 Increasing cost of other factors.
 Increasing crude oil price.

 Social environment:
 US market dominated by conventional trucks.
 US have independent companies with small chains
selling different brands
Continued…
 Political and Legal environment.

 Restriction on truck length.

 Restriction on weight.
 Major Players

US Europe

Freightliner (Daimler Benz) Daimler Benz

Paccar (kenworth and Renault (RVI)
peterbilt) Scania
Navistar (International MAN
brand) Iveco
Mack (RVI) DAF
 Porters Five Forces Model
 Threat of new entrants.
 Bargaining power of suppliers.
 Bargaining power of buyers.
 Threat of substitute products.
 Rivalry among existing firms(competitors).
Volvo Truck Group
US Market

• Entered market in 1975 with medium segment

Trucks.
• Channel: Existing Dealer Network for
distribution of Volvo passenger cars.
• 1978-Teamed up with Freightliner for US
distribution and service of Volvo trucks.
• 1979- Freightliner goes up for sale due to
Market decline
Vertical Growth
 Backward integration:
 Developed and produced major components including
engines.
 Established Assemblies in different parts of US.

 Forward Integration:
 No Exclusive Distributors

 Mainly sold through dealers.

Horizontal growth
ACQUISITIONS

White Motor Corporation

 1981- Acquired white motor corporation for $70million.
 Strategic Decisions
1. Improve Dealer and Customer relations.
2. White’s New Family program:
 1981-Volvo White Introduced the Integral sleeper.
 1983-Introduced Volvo “slash” on front of the truck,
maintaining the White/Auto car nameplates.
 Closed Whites ‘ Utah Assembly Plant and moved to
Virginia.
Horizontal growth
ACQUISITIONS
GM heavy Truck Corporation
 In 1988, Volvo acquired GM’s heavy Truck Business.
 Volvo Headquarters in North Carolina.
Strategic Decisions:
 New Brand: WHITEGMC
 Consolidated Dealer network by dropping dealers in
areas of GM and Volvo White.
 Closed Michigan Plant and shifted to VWTC Facilities.
 New Assembly plant in Ohio.
 External Fit

 Choice of customers:
 Trucking Companies
 Construction Companies Distribution Companies
 Specialized Builders
 Major Brigadier customers

 Choice of products:
 American Conventional Trucks(VN and 770 series)
 Medium Distance Delivery Trucks
 White GMC
 Integral Sleeper(Volvo White)
External Fit

 Distribution
 Independent Companies and Small Chains
 Existing Distributors of Volvo and White Motor Corp.

 Manufacturing/Assemblies
 Cab Trucks Manufacturing in Ohio
 Volvo White Assembly Plant in Virginia
 Volvo Business
Approaches
 Actions to upgrade, build or acquire competitively
important resources and capabilities
o Started producing major drive-train components,
including engines and transmissions
o Product Quality and manufacturing process were at par
with industry Standards
o Safety and Environmental Performance.
o Upgraded White Production plant of Cab in Ohio and
moved Utah Assembly Plant to Virginia.
o Acquired GM’s Heavy Truck business with
manufacturing plant.
 Volvo Business
Approaches
 Managing R&D , Production, Sales and marketing,
finance etc. :
o Established Volvo truck Finance North America in 1995
o Invested $500 million in Production, marketing &
Operational Changes to launch new VN series
o Improved Communication to convey changed ownership
and better quality.
o Reconsolidation of Dealer Network into three regions
with 240 Dealerships.
o Increased Production Capacity in 1995 to support sales
of over 30000 units per year.
 Volvo Business Approaches
 Actions to Gain sales and Market Share with lower
prices on lower cost.
o Increased Proportion of Volvo Engines results in:
 Higher profit on Engines
 After sales Service and Spare parts Revenue be
increased
 Economies of scale to reduce cost in Engines
o Modular Concept reduced the costs of warehousing,
purchasing and shipping.
o Resulted in meeting with customer demands easily.
Volvo FSA’s: International Strategy
 Technology: Efficient Engines and Driven components

 Research and Development

 Brand name-Volvo
Volvo Sales & Production

Even though major production was in the Europe, the

Revenues from Sales came from US.
Market Growth
 Volvo in U.S
PERIODS Market Share Market
(%) Growth (%)
1996 9 - 18

1998 12 39

2000 11 - 13

•Very volatile market

•5th rank in U.S ( Dominated by competitors )
Market share
Market share
Market share
ANSWERS TO CASE
QUESTIONS ??
1.DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND EUROPE TRUCK
INDUSTRY?HOW DID VOLVO HANDLE THEM ?
US EUROPE
CONVENTIONAL TYPE WAS PREFERRED CAB OVER WAS PREFERRED
(VN,770 SERIES) BETTER VISIBILITY
SHORTER TURNING RADIUS & OVERALL
LENGTH
(FH & FL SERIES :CAB OVER
NH : CONVENTIONAL)
GASOLINE ENGINES CONVENTIONAL ENGINES

NON EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

MORE OF ASSEMBLERS – PLATFORM DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS

CONCEPT

ACQUISITION WITH WHITE MOTOR CORP REMAINED AS VOLVO

& HEAVY TRUCK DIVISION OF
GM(GENERAL MOTORS)
DEREGULATION : NO PRICING CONTROLS REGULATED RULES: REGULATIONS
, INCREASED COMPETITION DIFFER IN TERMS OF TOTAL LENGTH OF
THE TRUCK AND THE ACCEPTABLE
WEIGHT OF THE TRUCK
 HOW DID VOLVO HANDLE THEM?
 Volvo was one of the leading truck manufacturers in
Europe .
 They made multiple attempts to enter the US market in
1975 but failed .
 Later they entered through acquisition of White motor
corporation & GM(Heavy truck division)
 Volvo had only 12 % market share and profitability was
near breakeven .
 Due to Deregulation they faced increased competition
from other players in the market .
Continued…
 They made use of the:
1. Brown field Strategy & wherein Volvo tried to target
host market (US) by taking the advantage of existing
brand name & networks( through distributors).
2. Vertical FDI (extending existing business value
chain):involves high trade costs, plants enjoy
economies of scale & specialised plants.
3. Faced Challenges in terms of Insiderisation & Psychic
distance.
Volvo( only 12%
market share)
Conglomerate to Concentrate
 Initially Volvo was into diversified businesses apart
from cars & truck industry , like sea foods etc .

 In few years they reversed from conglomerate &

focused into their core business.

 Later they adopted Concentrate strategy and expanded

their existing business across boundaries .
2. Market Penetration Strategy in
US
 Maintain dealership, acquisition, integration &
producing premium products.
 Customer focus Strategy by improving customer &
dealer relations.
 Integral sleeper vehicles( driver & sleeper
compartments).
 Maintained White/Auto cars Name plate to portray US
brand.
 Communication strategy to convey VWMC’s
ownership & changed quality.
3. Overall Fit In Global Strategy
 Acquiring GM truck business to push sales in 1988.
 Introduction of Volvo financial services in 1995
focusing on flexible finance & lease options for
dealers & customers.
 Invested in production , marketing for the launch of
new VN series.
 Increased proportion of Volvo engines in the
market.
 Why truck industry is slow in
globalising
1. The major player in this industry skipped large
emerging markets .
2. Large number of players outweighs market
growth-detrimental effect for pricing
3. Limitation to which the truck can be shipped
4. Commercial viability of standardised truck
across the region
5. Necessity of industrial tie ups
6. Standardised models not suitable for all
regions.
7. Manufacturers failed to contrasts market
growth vs new entrants.
Recommendations
 Enter further into global markets such
as Asia and Africa
 Collaboration with new local business
partners : local manufacturing, sales
and distribution
 Provide full-service leases, finance
leases, contract maintenance
agreements and rentals.
References
 http://www.slideshare.net/pooja5611/volvo-
15955051

 http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Trucking-Industry-
Overview---History-of-Trucking

 http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc1/TruckingDeregu
lation.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMiKvLbYP
PE - THIS VIDEO COVERS ALL THE
FEATURES OF THE VOLVO TRUCKS
THANK YOU