Daimler AG has announced the split-up of the company in two independent business units, effective from 01 October 2021. Mercedes-Benz AG will be in charge for the development, production and distribution of passenger cars and vans, while and Daimler Truck AG will concentrate on the lorry business. Daimler Mobility AG will be merged into the other two companies. Chairman of the Board of Management of the higher-revenue Mercedes-Benz AG will be Ola Källenius. Daimler Truck AG will continue to be led by Martin Daum.
Since 2019, three subsidiaries had operated under the umbrella of Daimler AG. These were Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck AG and Daimler Mobility AG for financing and mobility solutions. There were numerous interdependencies and joint activities between the three subsidiaries in areas such as sales, research and human resources.
Daimler Trucks will continue to include Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (MBS), which is responsible for manufacturing the UNIMOG, ZETROS and ECONIC trucks, configuring them according to customer requirements and selling them. This also includes the variants that are equipped according to military requirements and are grouped under Mercedes-Benz Military Vehicles. Whether and how the military versions of the G-Class can be assigned here has not yet been conclusively clarified.
Reasons for Daimler AG to be Divided
The division of the group into two independent companies is intended to increase customer proximity and efficiency. The customer base for Mercedes-Benz is primarily made up of private customers, while Daimler Trucks is primarily geared towards customers from companies, organisations and authorities. At present, joint undertakings and property (documents, real estate and the Mercedes-Benz Museum) are being split up and assigned to the new owners.
For customers, changes result from the fact that the sales organisations are being reorganised and in some cases rebuilt. Contracts have to be concluded for contacts between the companies, as between two completely foreign companies. (Informal) agreements are also no longer permissible for antitrust reasons. Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler AG are to be listed in the DAX 40 on 01 December 2021.
