Mercedes-Benz Vans back on track to success: Sales, revenues, and EBIT up sharply in first half of 2010

• More than 106,000 vans sold worldwide since the beginning of the year

• EBIT of €191 million (January-June 2009: minus €101 million)

• Return on sales of 5.2% one of the highest in the vans industry

• Clear strategy for opening up additional growth markets and areas

• Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans: "After the exceptionally difficult year of 2009, we are now back on track to success. Our goal is to be as successful worldwide in the medium term as we are now in Europe".

The economy rebounded in all of the key markets worldwide in the first half of 2010, leading to a growing demand for consumer goods and therefore to an increase in transport volume. In line with these developments, the demand for vans also recovered substantially in many of the core markets.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has greatly benefited from this development, raising sales to over 106,000 vehicles in the first six months of the year, an increase of more than 50% over the same period of 2009. This increase was mainly due to the rapidly growing economies in Latin America (sales up by 51% to approximately 6,000 vans) and the most important sales market of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Western Europe (sales up by 39% to 76,200 vehicles). Higher sales in France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands contributed especially to this growth. Sales in Germany were up slightly to 28,700 units (+12%). The Vans unit also recorded strong sales growth in Eastern Europe, where the results improved by 26% to 6,700 units. In the NAFTA region, the new sales organization of Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. and Canada got off to a resounding start, boosting sales to 5,200 units (January-June 2009: 300 units).

Revenues rose by 33% in the first half of 2010, to €3,674 million. EBIT grew substantially from minus €101 million in the first half of 2009 to €191 million between January and June of this year. This improvement in earnings was primarily the result of higher sales compared to the previous year, particularly in Western Europe. Thanks to a return on sales of 5.2% in the first half of the year, Mercedes-Benz Vans is among the leaders in profitability in the vans sector.

Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, talked today in Stuttgart about the business development of Mercedes-Benz Vans in the first half of 2010 and the strategy of the division. Commenting on the results, Mornhinweg said: "We really took off in the first six months of 2010 and are now clearly back on track. Our results for the key financial figures of sales, earnings and return on sales speak for themselves, particularly after the difficult situation we faced in 2009. Our current market share of 17.4% makes us the clear market leader in the segment for mid-size and full-size vans in the European Union.

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