Senegal’s Ministry of Defence will be one of the recipients of locally assembled Daimler Truck vehicles, along with the country’s fire brigade and police.
This is according to Germany’s Daimler Truck, which on 1 July announced a letter of intent had been signed with Senegal’s government and Global Truck Systems (GTS) for vehicle assembly in the West African nation.
“Daimler Truck will support the two partners in setting up an assembly plant in Senegal and then supply vehicle component sets (CKD, Completely Knocked Down). The assembly of the trucks will be carried out entirely under the leadership of the Senegalese government in cooperation with Global Truck Systems on site,” Daimler Truck said.
The Senegalese government and GTS have established a joint venture to implement the project. Daimler Truck is supporting the merger as the supplier and technology partner of the planned assembly plant. Vehicles from there are scheduled to go to customers next year.
The assembly of various Mercedes-Benz truck model series is planned. In future, these vehicles will be used, among other things, for the logistics requirements of the Senegalese Ministry of Defence, for the modernisation of the fleet of fire brigades and police, as well as for use as waste collection vehicles, in the construction sector and in the logistics and transport industry.
“With this project, our vehicles will enter the Senegalese market in close coordination with the German Federal Government. The delivery of CKD kits for on-site assembly, the transfer of know-how and comprehensive technical advice are our contributions to a successful, partnership-based cooperation,” said Franziska Cusumano, CEO Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
“By signing this letter of intent, we are sending out a strong signal of our long-term commitment to West Africa. We are pleased to officially start industrial cooperation together with the government of Senegal and Global Truck System. With the relocation of the assembly plant, the creation of qualified jobs and the transfer of technological competences, we will be able to make a joint contribution to economic value creation in the region,” said Michael Dietz, CEO Daimler Truck Middle East/Africa.
Daimler Truck said Senegal has been a partner country of German development cooperation for decades. “Since 2019, Germany has been supporting economic and social development in Senegal within the framework of the so-called bilateral reform partnership. In 2023, development cooperation was transformed into a climate and development partnership with the Just Energy Transition Partnership. The CKD assembly project is an example of the close relationships between the two countries and the approach to driving economic development through local industrial value creation. The Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany is supporting the project.”
In addition to financial participation, the Senegalese government provides industrial land, grants tax and customs relief for CKD imports and supports the training of local specialists. The project is part of the country’s overarching industrial policy and marks a milestone for the establishment of locally anchored automotive production in West Africa. At the same time, mobility needs are met in a targeted manner by special vehicles for defence, civil protection and municipal tasks, Daimler Truck explained.
The GTS enterprise is responsible for the technical, economic and industrial implementation of the project. This includes local recruitment processes and the qualification of production personnel as well as the planning of production facilities, the assembly of complete vehicles from CKD kits and the equipment with specific bodies such as container frames, cranes or recovery units. GTS is also responsible for the sales of the vehicles.
“As part of the supply of CKD kits for various Mercedes-Benz trucks, Daimler Truck ensures a reliable supply chain. Comprehensive quality assurance and technology transfer control measures are also implemented. The objective is to provide high-quality conditions for locally assembled vehicles, including long-term service support. With the commitment of Daimler Truck, the two local partners can create new jobs on site and thus contribute to the country’s value creation and economic development,” Daimler Truck concluded.
Daimler Truck currently has locations on the continent in South Africa and Kenya. In South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, which are delivered in parts from Germany, are also assembled. Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) is headquartered in Pretoria and assembles vehicles in its East London production plant. In August 2024 it assembled its 800 000th CKD unit.
“Being able to produce our products from CKD kits instead of importing fully built units has a major cost advantage for our customers, and allows DTSA to remain competitive within the market,” said DTSA sales and marketing VP Olaf Petersen at the time.
Employing about 300 people, the East London plant is currently one of the biggest CKD-plants for Daimler Truck outside of Europe. The Actros, Arocs and Atego model series are built at the facility, as well as the Econic, Unimog and Zetros.
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