Daimler Truck to Supply CKD Kits for New Mercedes-Benz Assembly Plant in Senegal

Daimler Truck to Supply CKD Kits for New Mercedes-Benz Assembly Plant in Senegal

(IN BRIEF) Daimler Truck, the Republic of Senegal, and Global Truck Systems have signed a letter of intent to create a Mercedes-Benz truck assembly plant in Senegal, with production slated to commence in 2026. Daimler Truck will supply CKD kits and technical guidance, while a joint-venture between the Senegalese government and GTS will handle assembly, staffing, and sales. The facility will produce specialized trucks for military, emergency services, waste management, construction, and logistics. Backed by decades of German–Senegalese development cooperation and incentives such as land grants and tariff relief, the project aims to foster local industrial competency, create skilled jobs, and support the region’s economic development.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN, 2-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Daimler Truck has inked a letter of intent with the Republic of Senegal and Global Truck Systems (GTS) to establish a local assembly plant for Mercedes-Benz trucks in Senegal. Under this partnership, Daimler Truck will serve as the exclusive supplier of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicle component sets, while the Senegalese government and GTS—through a newly formed joint venture—will oversee the on-site assembly operations beginning in 2026.

The plant will build multiple Mercedes-Benz truck series tailored to the needs of the Senegalese Ministry of Defense, fire brigades, and police forces, as well as for civilian applications such as waste collection, construction, and logistics. Daimler Truck will provide the CKD kits, transfer technical expertise, and offer ongoing advisory support, while GTS manages local recruitment, facility planning, assembly processes, and sales of the finished vehicles.

Franziska Cusumano, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, comments, “By supplying CKD kits and sharing our engineering know-how, we’re fostering a partnership that integrates German technical standards with Senegal’s emerging industrial base.” Michael Dietz, CEO of Daimler Truck Middle East/Africa, adds, “This agreement underscores our long-term dedication to West Africa. Local assembly will generate skilled employment, facilitate technology transfer, and drive economic growth in the region.”

Germany has partnered with Senegal on development initiatives for decades, recently evolving into a Climate and Development Partnership under the Just Energy Transition framework. Supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, this CKD assembly project exemplifies bilateral cooperation, leveraging tax incentives, land grants, and workforce training to anchor automotive manufacturing in West Africa, while ensuring reliable mobility for both defense and civil sectors.

Media Contacts:

Lukas Hettmannsperger
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks
lukas.hettmannsperger​@daimlertruck.com
+49 170 3871112

Ulrike Burkhart
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product, Service & eTruck
ulrike.burkhart​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 861 3757

SOURCE: Daimler Truck AG