LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Germans are very confident these days. On everything from the truck sales economy and engine emissions solutions to new global competition, the leaders of Daimler Trucks insist they’re at the front of the recovery convoy.

In a sit-down with Today’s Trucking at the Mid America Trucking Show, Daimler Trucks’ President Andreas Renschler and CEO Martin Daum discussed a range of issues, including the truck sales landscape.

Daum said that the opening months of 2011 have been most encouraging for the North American trucking industry. While that doesn’t qualify as a full-blown trend, underlying factors in core segments of truckload, LTL and leasing are coming back strong.

Daimler raised its original guidance for 2011 from 20-25 percent growth to 35 percent, but its projections of 285,000 class 6-8 trucks sold this year is actually more conservative than most of its competitors’ forecasts, some of which predict 220,000 class 8 trucks alone.

<< Watch Daum & Renschler discuss emissions compliance, foreign competition and whether the MitFuso Canter hybrid is in the cards for North America >>

 Reigning in expectations somewhat are supply constraints.

"I would love to ramp up more," says Daum, but the global raw material shortage is keeping a lid on suppliers’ production capacity.

Also, there should be expected fluctuations and "bumps in demand" as much of today’s purchasing momentum is based on replacements.

Surging diesel fuel prices could also interfere with sales in certain segments as some small carriers and owner-ops struggle to keep up with the cost of running their trucks, but on the flip-side, higher fuel could actually spur sales as carriers do away with older, less fuel efficient equipment, explains Daum.

"Fuel actually has very little impact in the direct sale of a truck because customers don’t buy a truck because they have a fancy idea and just want another truck. You buy one because (you need one)," he says. "So, in that sense, the rise of fuel prices could actually spur sales because an EPA ’10 truck has such superior fuel efficiency."

At an earlier press conference for truck industry writers, Renschler insisted that the seemingly endless SCR versus ERG debate is "pointless" now that it’s been over a year since the engines the market. ‘"It’s the customer that decides … and we got a very clear vote from the market."

In the follow-up interview, Renschler shrugged off competing truckmaker Navistar’s effort to get the EPA to revise its emissions standard by toughening up requirements for rival SCR engines, perhaps even recalling them.

"Instead, they should explain why they’re losing markeshare," Renschler said of the industry’s only EGR engine supplier. "That’s the last thing you could do where you don’t have marketshare, you go to the (government) and ask them to change the rules."

When asked about what appears to be industry emphasis on 13-liter engines in the heavy-duty segment, Daum acknowledges that the engine range will grow in share as long as regional hauling increases. "But to my knowledge, the country isn’t shrinking," says Daum, implying the long-haul 15 liter engine isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

"For me, it’s about weight versus longevity. We have both," he says.

Expansion of foreign, start-up truckmakers—namely from BRIC countries—into established western markets is a hot topic in truck manufacturing circles these days.

While Renschler doesn’t deny that some of these new OEMs might have their eye on the European and NAFTA markets, he says that ‘it’s unrealistic" that they’ll be pitching tents on this side of the pond.

He says that the so-called "world truck," is about "as common as unicorns."

"If you look at the truck concepts and customer demands in this market, it is very far away from the technology demands customers have here," he says. "It’s not like the car market where you can make a couple of deals and (begin selling)."

He adds: "You need perfect service" and new technology or the customers "won’t make money out of their trucks."

"It’s easy to buy (your way in), but then you have to manage it."

Renschler says that Daimler’s strategy for dealing with global competition is preemptive. "We as a global leader are going into their markets and fighting and becoming competitive … instead of waiting 10 or 20 years for them to grow and come to the US or Europe."