Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc.

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc.

Type	Wholly owned subsidiary
Industry	Transportation
Founded	1985 (1985)
Headquarters	Logan Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Number of locations	201 dealers across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, as of 10Nov09
Area served	North America
Key people	Todd Bloom (President and CEO)[1] Takeo Ishimaru (Chief Financial Officer) Mike Rumsey (VP Sales Operations)
Products	Commercial work trucks (Class 3 through Class 7)
Services	Dealer service training
Parent	Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
Subsidiaries	Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of Canada
Website	http://www.mitfuso.com

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc. (MFTA), Logan Township, New Jersey, United States, imports and markets Class 3 through Class 5 diesel-powered, medium-duty cabover trucks through more than 200 dealer locations in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. According to the company, more than 100,000 Mitsubishi Fuso standard, 4-wheel-drive and crew cab trucks have been sold into the North American market since the company's founding. Applications include beverage, catering, refrigerated and dry cargo delivery, vehicle recovery, towing, pest control, plumbing, light construction and landscaping, among others.^[2]

MFTA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Kawasaki, Japan, itself a part of the Daimler Trucks Division of Daimler AG.^[3]

Company history

Established in 1985^[4], MFTA signed its first dealer and sold its first truck in the U.S. in 1986. By the end of that year, the company had enlisted 41 dealers and had total retail sales of 89 trucks.

In 1990, the company introduced its FG model 4-wheel-drive cabover into the North American market. The company expanded operations into Canada in 1999,^[5] and sold its 60,000th truck in the North American market in 2001. In 2002 MFTA introduced its FE145 Crew Cab model, followed by redesigned FE and FG models in 2004. By 2005, the company had sold 80,000 trucks and added a 5-year powertrain limited warranty covering all of its models.^[6]

In September 2009, the company signed its 200th dealer (Washington Auto Carriage, Spokane, WA).^[7] Shortly after, with 175 dealers operating in the U.S. and 25 operating in Canada, it signed a new dealership agreement that expanded its reach into Puerto Rico for the first time.^[8] On December 30, 2009, the company sold its 100,000th truck in North America to LaVallee's Bakery Distributors, Waltham, MA.^[9]

In March 2011, MFTA introduced a new line of Class 3 through Class 5 medium duty commercial trucks to the North American market, designated the Canter FE/FG Series. For the first time, the parent company (MFTBC) applied the name Canter—the model name used throughout the rest of the world—to its line of light medium-duty trucks marketed in the NAFTA region.^[10]

Current Models

MFTA currently offers the following models for sale in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico^[11]:

• Canter FE125: Class 3 cabover work truck with GVWR of 12,500 lb.
• Canter FE160: Class 4 cabover work truck with GVWR of 15,995 lb.
• Canter FE160CC: Class 4 cabover work truck with 7-passenger crew cab and GVWR of 15,995 lb.
• Canter FE180: Class 5 cabover work truck with GVWR of 17,995 lb.
• Canter FG4X4: Class 4 4-wheel-drive cabover work truck with GVWR of 14,050 lb.

Engines/transmissions

FE and FG models

All of the company's Canter FE and FG models use the same basic Mitsubishi 4P10 model 3.0L (183.0 cu.in.) dual overhead cam (DOHC), 4-stroke, water-cooled, turbocharged, intercooled diesel engine with four valves per cylinder. Engine output on all Canter FE/FG Series models, according to the company's published specifications, is 161 HP @ 3500 rpm (SAE gross) and 295 lb-ft of torque @ 1600 rpm (SAE gross).

All models come standard with a Mitsubishi Fuso DUONIC™ electronic 6-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) with overdrive. The Canter FG4X4 4WD model also comes standard with DUONIC AMT and heavy-duty transfer case. Emissions control to meet the 2010 EPA standards is provided by Daimler Truck's BlueTec system. ^[12]

All of the new Canter models also have an 18,000-mile service interval (oil changes/routine maintenance) as standard.^[13]

FK and FM models (discontinued after 2010 model year)

Over the previous decade, the company also offered Class 6 and Class 7 medium-duty work trucks. Three models were generally available:

• FK200: Class 6 cabover work truck with GVWR of 19,850 lb.
• FK260: Class 6 cabover work truck with GVWR of 25,995 lb.
• FM330: Class 7 cabover work truck with GVWR of 32,900 lb.

FK and FM model Fusos were powered by a Mitsubishi 6M60 model 7.5L (460 cu.in.) single overhead cam (SOHC) in-line 6-cylinder water-cooled, turbocharged, intercooled diesel engine with four valves per cylinder. Engine output on all FK and FM models is 243 HP @ 2600 rpm and 516 lb.-ft. of torque at 1400 rpm.

All FK and FM models were mated to Allison 5-speed (FK200/FK260) or 6-speed (FM330) electronic overdrive automatic transmissions, as standard. A Mitsubishi 6-speed OD manual transmission was available on the FK260 model; a Mitsubishi 6-speed direct manual transmission was an option on the FK330 model.^[14]

Primary competitors

Mitsubishi Fuso trucks are all of the low-cab-over-engine (LCOE) configuration, also known as low-cab-forward (LCF), or simply as cabovers. Consequently, the company's primary competitors in the North American market are other manufacturers/marketers of medium-duty cabover trucks; namely: Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Hino Trucks USA, and Nissan Diesel America (UD). Historically, the company also competed with GMC Medium Duty cabover trucks, but as of July 31, 2009, GM closed the plant that manufactured its medium duty commercial trucks, including its cabover models and announced it was withdrawing from the medium-duty commercial truck market. The same GM plant also manufactured Isuzu class 6 and class 7 models and Isuzu class 3 gasoline-engine cabover models.^[15]

Secondarily, MFTA competes with makers of conventional medium-duty trucks. Those are: Ford, Freightliner Medium Duty, International Medium Duty, Kenworth Medium Duty and Peterbilt Medium Duty.^[16]

References

1. ^ "Automotive News". http://www.automotiveworld.com/news/commercial-vehicles/82553-us-todd-bloom-named-ceo-of-mitsubishi-fuso-america. Retrieved July 2 2010. 
2. ^ "About Mitsubishi Fuso". http://mitfuso.com/pages/news-puertorico.html. Retrieved 6 November 2009. 
3. ^ http://www.hoovers.com/mitsubishi-fuso/--ID__107995--/free-co-profile.xhtml
4. ^ http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4251919
5. ^ http://www.mitfuso.com/pages/news-canadamarket.html
6. ^ MFTA Company Milestones, Retrieved 2010-03-17
7. ^ "Mitsubishi Fuso Announces 200th Dealer Appointment". http://www.fleetmag.com/web/online/Industry-News/MFTA-adds-dealership/1$3033. Retrieved 6 November 2009. 
8. ^ "Mitsubishi Fuso Signs New Dealer, Expands Into Puerto Rico". http://www.worktruckonline.com/News/Story/2009/10/Mitsubishi-Fuso-Signs-New-Dealer-Expands-North-American-Coverage-into-Puerto-Rico.aspx. Retrieved 14 October 2009. 
9. ^ Trucking Info, Retrieved 2010-3-17
10. ^ Fleet Maintenance, Retrieved 2011-5-5
11. ^ Fleet Equipment, Retrieved 2011-5-5
12. ^ Work Truck Magazine, Bobit Business Media, September/October 2009, p18
13. ^ Truck News, Retrieved 2011-5-5
14. ^ Work Truck Magazine, Bobit Business Media, September/October 2009, p18
15. ^ "Light & Medium Truck 2010 Medium Duty Preview". http://www.lmtruck.com/articles/petemplate.aspx?storyid=560. Retrieved 7 January 2010. 
16. ^ "Light & Medium Truck 2010 Medium Duty Preview". http://www.lmtruck.com/articles/petemplate.aspx?storyid=560. Retrieved 7 January 2010.