Daimler Sees Truck Sales Rebounding by ’09

DaimlerChrysler AG expects U.S. sales of heavy-duty trucks to recover to last year’s level by 2009 after falling more than 40% this year, Bloomberg reported.

U.S. Class 8 truck sales will rise to 235,000 units next year and 270,000 in 2009, the world’s largest truck maker said late Friday, Bloomberg reported.

DaimlerChrysler is the parent of U.S. market leader Freightliner trucks, and the Sterling and Western Star brands. It forecast a decline to 160,000 this year because buyers sped up purchases last year because of tougher emissions rules that took effect in January.

The company’s commercial-truck unit had record sales last year and trailed only its Mercedes unit in profit.

Andreas Renschler, who heads Daimler’s truck business, said in February that it would remain profitable this year even with the expected drop in U.S. sales, Bloomberg reported.