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by the Technical Editor
AFTER many rumours it was announced last week (CM July 19) that Klocknerhumboldt Deutz — the parent Company of Magirusdeutz -is to merge its commercial vehicle interests with Fiat of Italy. KHD's British subsidiary, Magirus Deutz (Great Britain) Ltd is based at Winsford in Cheshire. and the company is the only Continental manufacturer to actually assemble complete vehicles in Britain.
The new KHD-Fiat holding company is almost certain, for legal reasons, to be situated in Holland. Announcing this in Cologne, Dr Karl Heinz Sonne, chairman of the German half of the combine, said it was expected that the new company would commence trading next January I .
The Italian company would contribute the Fiat truck and bus interests from Italy together with those of Lancia and OM while 1.1N IC of France, another Fiat subsidiary, would also be involved in the merger.
From the German side, all the Magirus-Deutz commercial vehicle resources in eluding those in the UK and .Motormarket NV of Holland would be included.
The new company is claimed to be the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Europe, employing 40,000 workers and anticipating a turnover of £800 million for the first year.
Fiat will have a 75 per cent holding in the new company With the remaining 25 per cent going to K HD. Magirus-Deutz (Great Britain) Ltd and Fiat (England) Ltd are to continue as before in the UK with the marketing and sales networks operating independently.
Despite the merger, the work on the light commercial vehicle being developed jointly by the 'Club of Four' — Magirus-Deutz, Volvo, DAF and Saviem -will continue.
A delicately worded press release from K HD indicates that the possibility of equipping Fiat commercials in the light and medium-range with Deutz air-cooled engines had not been overlooked.