Skip to main content

Volvo CE R&D to drive down product cost

New Volvo Construction Equipment president Martin Weissburg has revealed a new emphasis for the company’s future R&D strategy – and stressed ongoing work to boost profitability. Speaking during the Swedish manufacturer’s Conexpo 2014 press conference, Weissburg, who assumed his role in January 2014, said, “There will be greater allocation of our R&D dollars towards innovations that reduce product cost. This will not be at the expense of quality or durability.”
March 7, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Volvo CE president Martin Weissburg said the manufacturer will focus R&D dollars on innovation that drives down product cost
New 2394 Volvo Construction Equipment president Martin Weissburg has revealed a new emphasis for the company’s future R&D strategy – and stressed ongoing work to boost profitability.

Speaking during the Swedish manufacturer’s Conexpo 2014 press conference, Weissburg, who assumed his role in January 2014, said, “There will be greater allocation of our R&D dollars towards innovations that reduce product cost. This will not be at the expense of quality or durability.” 

Of Volvo CE’s current trading priorities, Weissburg added, “Volvo Construction Equipment has a focus on profit improvement. We are not pleased with recent results, and our focus, resources and energies are very much on gaining [market] share, improving profitability at the same time, and the continuous improvement programme that is already in place on operating efficiency, expense reduction and getting greener.

“We are in the process of improving our profitability as a global organisation. We are not and will not wait for market growth to solve this for us. We do not as of today see significant levels of growth. On a global basis, we see things as relatively flat.”

Volvo CE has used Conexpo 2014 to unveil its new range of Tier 4 machines including the E-Series excavators, G-Series articulated haulers and H-Series wheeled loaders.
www.volvoce.com

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Volvo CE is investing in its research and development
    May 20, 2014
    Volvo Construction Equipment has started work on its new test and development centre in Hapcheon, Korea. The facility lies close to the company’s existing excavator manufacturing facility in Changwon. The new facility doubles as Volvo CE’s excavator testing capacity in Korea and includes an all-weather test dome, reliability and noise test field, workshops, various complete machine performance test areas and a customer clinic. Engineers at the 253,515m2 site will focus on excavator product development, adva
  • Q2 sales down but market share up for Volvo Construction Europe
    July 19, 2016
    Volvo Construction Equipment reports share growth as overall market declines in Q2. Lower demand in most markets outside Europe weighed on Volvo CE’s second quarter 2016 revenue. But this was partially offset by gains in market share in the heavy equipment segment, according to a written statement from the Swedish manufacturer. Adjusted for currency movements, Volvo CE reported net sales down 7% in the second quarter of 2016, impacted by lower demand in most markets outside Europe. Weaker machine sal
  • Martin Weissburg is new Volvo Construction Equipment president
    November 19, 2013
    Martin Weissburg has been appointed new president of Volvo Construction Equipment. The 51-year-old is currently president of the Volvo Group’s customer finance company, Volvo Financial Services (VFS), and a member of the Group executive team. He will assume his new position on January 1, 2014, replacing Pat Olney. Weissburg has been the President of VFS since 2010, and prior to that served as president of Volvo Financial Services Americas from 2005 to 2010. Within his position at VFS, Weissburg has worked
  • CNH to build India and Brazil production sites
    January 6, 2017
    CNH is aiming to build new production facilities in India and Brazil for its New Holland Construction and Case Construction Equipment brands. Mario Gasparri, head of the CNH Construction Equipment business for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said the ambitious moves were based on how CNH sees the evolution of the construction equipment market.