Daimler Truck targets €1 billion defence sales by 2028

German commercial‑vehicle maker Daimler Truck has created a new umbrella brand, Daimler Truck Defence, to consolidate its worldwide defence activities. The company announced a goal of generating €1 billion in defence‑related revenue by 2028, up from a mid triple‑digit‑million euro turnover in the previous year. Defence sales currently represent a low single‑digit percentage of overall vehicle sales, which remain dominated by conventional trucks and buses.

The expansion plan includes enlarging development, production, sales and service capacities, particularly at the Wörth‑am‑Rhein site in Rhineland‑Palatinate, where more than 100 new staff will be added to a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees in the defence segment. Daimler Truck Defence will adapt proven civilian platforms such as the Unimog and Arocs for military use and will also draw on partner collaborations.

The move comes as Daimler Truck’s profitability has weakened, with net profit falling 34 % year‑on‑year to €2 billion and a further 80 % drop in the first quarter, pressured by US tariffs and weak demand in North America. The company has already launched a “Cost Down Europe” savings programme to improve competitiveness.