D-B rules out Daf link
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• German truck giant DaimlerBenz has ruled out an alliance with Daf because it would be "too costly", but discussions on exchanging components are continuing.
The German group's finance director Gerhard Liener says: "We do not have any intention of becoming a shareholder".
Daimler-Benz's decision will be a blow to ailing Daf, which is now in its third year of suffering heavy losses.
Mercedes-Benz CV orders in Germany have fallen by up to 50% since July. Its share of the UK market is down 4.9% to the end of October, compared with last year. The German group's commercial vehicle plants stopped production last week and will resort to short-time working for six months starting in the new year with 32 production days being cut at the van and truck plants in Dusseldorf and Worth.
Mercedes-Benz worldwide CV production is expected to fall to 270,000 next year from 280,000 this year: production last year was 296,000 units.