June 21st was a momentous day for MAN Truck and Bus for it was on this day – 100 years ago – that the company came into being.
The history of MAN trucks and buses began 100 years ago when, on June 21, 1915, the “Lastwagenwerke M.A.N.-Saurer”, the M.A.N. Saurer truck factory, was entered in the commercial register of the city of Nuremberg – a reason to celebrate for the Munich-based company.
100 years of MAN trucks and buses gives its 34 000 employees world-wide – including in South Africa – plenty of reason to celebrate this great anniversary. Joachim Drees, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus, sums up the historic significance of this important date:
“MAN can look back on an eventful past with periods of new beginnings, success but also very challenging times. We are now in a period of reorientation which is a great opportunity for our company. In the light of this, our 100 year anniversary celebrations are, from my point of view, clearly marked by the slogan: Under the Volkswagen umbrella, with strong roots in a successful past.”
Drees emphasises the importance of this for customers and employees: “100 years mean a wealth of exciting and interesting stories from customers and partners, some of whom we have been dealing with for several generations. And of course there are also the experiences of our employees, some of whom have worked for MAN for as long as 50 years. The ‘My-MAN stories’ recount these stories and share them with others, bringing our history to life.”
Family days at plants around the world include family members in the celebrations. The largest event will take place at MAN’s headquarters in Munich where they are expecting about 25 000 people. It was 60 years ago that the Munich plant was founded following the relocation of commercial vehicle production from Nuremberg.
A digital journey back in time
To mark its centenary, MAN Truck & Bus is launching a centennial website: www.100years.man.eu – a digital journey back in time through 100 years of commercial vehicle production at MAN.
This site tells a lot of fascinating stories that show how MAN has played a decisive role in shaping the future of mobility in the commercial vehicle sector over the past 100 years.
The focus is on the values MAN stands for, such as efficiency, customer proximity and product enthusiasm. More stories and milestones will follow over the course of the Centenary year.
Special editions for customers
To mark its product anniversary, MAN has released a special highlight: the “100 Years Edition” MAN TGX D38. The flagship model, offering 520 or 560 HP and its excellent equipment level, is aimed particularly at customers who are enthusiastic about MAN products: mirror polished stainless steel front and side bars with integrated LED accent lighting, the solid roof bridge truss with halogen high-beam headlights and two flaming lions which extend over the doors and the sides of the vehicle on both sides. The special edition truck is available now. Bus customers also have something to get excited about: the anniversary, “100 Years Edition” MAN Lion’s Coach, will be presented to the public at the Busworld 2015 trade fair in October.
A 320-page illustrated book for fans of the MAN brand who are eager to find out more about the history of MAN trucks and buses will be published by August.
Dreesbach Verlag. “MAN – One Century” tells the story of commercial vehicle construction at MAN with short texts and hundreds of pictures taken from the historic MAN Truck & Bus archive, most of which are being published for the first time.
The book will be available in bookshops overseas from mid-July 2015 as well as online and will cost approximately 50 euros.
From those early mills, breweries, building companies and timber transporters in Bavaria MAN today provides tailored services to meet the needs of its customers at 580 sales centres and 1 500 workshops worldwide. MAN has significantly influenced the development of trucks and buses with advanced innovations for the last 100 years – and is continuing to do so.
From all of us at FleetWatch, we extend a hearty congratulations to MAN Truck and Bus on this milestone celebration. For our readers, you can delve into the stories of a century of MAN trucks and buses at www.100years.man.eu.
