Traton Group unites 9,000 engineers in new R&D unit
The new joint Research & Development organisation started operations on 1 July, bringing together approximately 9,000 employees from its brands Scania, MAN, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. The initiative marks what Traton calls “a new chapter in the collaboration of its brands”, aiming to accelerate development processes, enhance modularity, and reduce duplication of work across its global portfolio. The Group R&D unit is headed by Niklas Klingenberg, Executive Board member responsible for Research & Development in the Traton Group.
The Group R&D teams will also collaborate closely with around 3,000 engineers working on brand-specific innovations within Brand Identity Development (BID). Traton emphasises that the integration will enable it to leverage the ‘Traton Modular System’ more intensively, a strategy designed to develop components that can be shared across brands while covering different performance requirements to meet diverse customer needs. The TMS comprises components such as axles, suspension, frame, motor and batteries for electric trucks. Modular components that can be used in different brands are expected to save billions through synergy effects.
“The forthcoming closer cooperation in Research & Development will make us both quicker and more efficient, enabling us to develop more precisely targeted innovations and bring products to market earlier,” said Klingenberg. “This approach means we can avoid duplication of work and, at the same time, consistently tailor our product portfolio optimally to the needs of different customers across all our brands.”
Klingenberg highlighted: “Every single engineer and talent in our organisation is indispensable in ensuring the bright future of the Traton Group. Our success depends on their expertise.”
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