Daimler Truck Southern Africa recently celebrated a remarkable manufacturing milestone with the handover of its 150,000th locally assembled truck. The landmark vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2645LS/33, rolled off the production line at the company’s East London assembly plant before being delivered to long standing customer TT Group Holding.
The achievement reflects more than six decades of local manufacturing excellence and highlights the enduring partnerships that have helped shape the company’s growth across Southern Africa.
Commenting on the milestone, Olaf Petersen, Vice President for Sales and Marketing, said the occasion represents both a manufacturing achievement and a celebration of customer relationships.
“The transport industry is built on long term partnerships based on trust and shared success. Our commitment extends far beyond handing over a truck. We work closely with our customers throughout their journey, supporting their operations and helping them succeed. Delivering our 150,000th locally assembled truck to TT Group Holding is particularly meaningful because it reflects a relationship founded on performance, reliability and excellence. This milestone demonstrates not only the strength of our products but also the confidence our customers continue to place in our business.”
The story of truck manufacturing at Daimler Truck Southern Africa began in 1962 when the first L-Type Mercedes-Benz truck was assembled at the East London facility. More than sixty years later, the same production line has reached another historic milestone with the completion of the 150,000th locally built truck.
Throughout its history, the East London assembly plant has remained central to the company’s manufacturing operations, producing vehicles designed to meet the demanding transport requirements of Southern Africa. The facility has also played an important role in advancing localisation, creating employment opportunities and developing technical skills within South Africa’s automotive manufacturing sector.
Over the decades, continuous investment in manufacturing technologies, production processes and quality standards has strengthened the plant’s ability to deliver reliable, efficient and fit for purpose transport solutions while supporting improvements in safety, sustainability and operational excellence.
Gladstone Mtyoko, Vice President of Manufacturing, credited the achievement to the dedication of the workforce behind every vehicle produced.
“The production of our 150,000th truck represents much more than a number. It reflects the commitment, craftsmanship and passion of every member of our manufacturing team. This milestone demonstrates the strength of our production capabilities and our unwavering focus on quality, efficiency and continuous improvement. It also highlights the important contribution our plant makes towards powering mobility and keeping Africa moving. I am extremely proud of our people, whose dedication continues to set new standards for manufacturing excellence.
The East London assembly plant has celebrated several notable milestones throughout its history.
In 2022, the facility marked sixty years of continuous truck production, celebrating six decades of local manufacturing expertise. Earlier achievements include the assembly of Mercedes-Benz OH bus chassis in 2010 to support transport operations during the FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa.
The plant reached another important milestone in 2015 with the production of its 125,000th locally assembled truck. It continued to expand its manufacturing legacy by producing its 750,000th completely knocked down unit in 2019 and its 800,000th CKD unit sourced from the Wörth plant in 2024.
In 2023, Mercedes-Benz Trucks also celebrated twenty five years of the Actros in South Africa, recognizing one of the country’s most successful heavy duty truck models.
The latest milestone coincides with several important anniversaries across the global Daimler Truck network, including 130 years since the world’s first Mercedes-Benz truck, 30 years of the Actros in Europe and 80 years of the iconic Mercedes-Benz Unimog.
While celebrating the production of its 150,000th locally assembled truck, Daimler Truck Southern Africa remains focused firmly on the future. The company continues to invest in advanced manufacturing, product innovation and workforce development to meet the evolving needs of the transport and logistics industry.
As transport continues to transform through new technologies and changing customer requirements, the East London assembly plant remains a strategic manufacturing hub, reinforcing Daimler Truck Southern Africa’s commitment to delivering world class transport solutions while contributing to industrial development, employment creation and sustainable economic growth across the region.
