Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

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to falling exports but also to significantly lower levels of
investment activity in the Chinese business sector. One
positive exception here was the Chinese bus market, driven
upward by growing urbanization and the introduction
of a new standard for school buses within China, as well
as by rising exports.
In this challenging market environment, Knorr-Bremse
was able to improve its position in the Chinese commercial
vehicle market. After providing an extensive range of
components for the H3 generation of trucks from Chinese
manufacturer Foton, early in 2012 Knorr-Bremse began
supplying initial pedal units, power clutches and handbrake
valves for the manufacturer’s new H4 platform. Foton
is building this heavy truck series for export to Europe
and the Americas.
The Indian commercial vehicle market was unable to
maintain the growth of previous years. Owing to the
fraught economic situation in the second half-year in particular,
output of trucks (over 6 t) fell 16% to 256,000 units.
In the Japanese commercial vehicle sector, by contrast,
the pattern of growth continued, as truck production
moved ahead 26% to 207,000 units. Including bus production,
the number of commercial vehicles built in 2012
rose by 21% compared to the previous year.
To ensure a continuing appropriate response to the rapidly
increasing importance of the Asia-Pacific region for
both divisions of Knorr-Bremse, as well as to the specific
requirements of their customers, 2012 saw the onset of
preparations for the Knorr-Bremse Technology Center India
− as a joint strategic initiative by Knorr-Bremse Rail
Vehicle Systems and Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle
Systems. The Technology Center in Pune will enable
Knorr-Bremse to recruit the qualified engineers who will
take the Group’s product portfolio forward in close
collaboration with the other R&D Centers of Competence
around the world.
Americas 24.9%
Asia/Australia 24.4%
Europe 50.7%
Consolidated sales by region