OREANDA-NEWS. Mercedes-Benz Vans successfully concluded business year 2013, with sales, revenues, and earnings surpassing the previous year's results. Even though developments on the world's markets varied widely last year, Daimler AG's vans division increased sales by 7% to over 270,000 vehicles (2012: 252,400). Revenues rose by 3% in 2013, to EUR 9.37 billion (2012: EUR 9.07 billion).  EBIT jumped by 16% to EUR 631 million (2012: EUR 543 million). In 2014 Mercedes-Benz Vans aims to substantially increase sales and keep EBIT at last year's level.

"We achieved a very good result in 2013. We managed to increase sales, even though our core market of Western Europe was weaker on the whole," says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. "At the same time, we achieved double-digit growth rates in China, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Moreover, our return on sales of 6.7% continues to make us the most profitable van manufacturer."

With its Sprinter, Vito, Vario, and Citan models as well as with the Viano in its last year of sales, the vans division successfully countered the difficult market environment in Western Europe, increasing sales there by 3% to 169,200 vehicles. At more than 71,500 vehicles, sales remained stable in Germany, the largest and most important market for star-brand vans. The development was especially favorable in the division's second-most important market, the United Kingdom, where the sales figure of 31,000 units was around 20% higher than in the previous year. Daimler's vans division was also successful in Eastern Europe, where sales rose by 12% to 26,000 units. With a market share of 17.4%, Mercedes-Benz Vans was once again the leader for medium-size and large vans in Europe, its most important sales market.

In Latin America, the division benefited from the high demand for large vans, which caused sales of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to rise by 40% to 19,600 units. The division was particularly successful in the large markets of Argentina and Brazil, where it increased its market share by 5.8 percentage points to 23.1%. These successes enabled Mercedes-Benz Vans to extend its lead in this region even more.

Mercedes-Benz Vans was once again successful in the U.S., which has become its third-most important sales market. The division sold 22,800 vehicles there in full-year 2013, representing an increase of 6% on the prior year. In the U.S., the division has successfully pursued a two-brand strategy, which allows customers to buy the Sprinter as either a Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner-branded vehicle.

In 2013 Mercedes-Benz Vans was also very successful on the Chinese market, where sales rose by 44% to 12,700 units. As a result, China is now the fifth-largest sales market for star-brand vans.