Kolkata: DaimlerChrysler India managing director and CEO Wilfried G Aulbur, stated that the company will start making its high-tonnage Actros trucks at its subsisting plant at Chikhali, Pune by the end of this current fiscal (2007).

Mr. Aulbur, who was in Kolkata to launch the premium Mercedes Benz CL-Class car, told, “We will start manufacturing trucks at our rented facility at Chikhali. Later, we will shift the entire truck production line to our upcoming facility at Chakna, which is also located in Pune.”

DaimlerChrysler is establishing its own plant at Chakna with a total investment of 50 million. Covering up more than 100 acres, the plant will manufacture both cars and commercial vehicles.

The company has introduced Actros trucks in India. It imports the trucks as complete built units (CBUs) from its abroad plants. Two versions - Actros 4040K and Actros 4840K, are already available in India. The trucks have a strong build with a 12-litre engine with delivery outturn of 400 horsepower at an RPM as low as 1800.

Prices of these trucks range between Rs 60-61 lakh. "We introduced Actros trucks in mid-2006. Till date, we've sold around 100 units," Mr Aulbur said.

However, Mr. Aulbur didn’t disclose the quantity of trucks, which will be fabricated at Chakna. He added that the Chakna plant will make 5,000 premium Mercedes Benz E-Class, S-Class and C-Class cars every year.

The plant will start construction from the first quarter of 2009. DaimlerChrysler will also bring in its luxury buses in India in early 2008. It has signed a partnership deal with Sutlej Motors, a Jalandhar-based maker of buses, for the fabrication of its luxury buses.

Suhas Kadlaskar, DaimlerChrysler director (corporate affairs), said, “We will manufacture the chassis at our Pune facility and send them to Jalandhar to build the body.”

Till August 2007, the company has sold 1,681 cars. In 2006, the company sold 2,120 cars.

Mr Aulbur stated, “We have witnessed a 22 % increase in sales till August this year compared to the previous year.”