L-R: Koji Sato, CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation; Satoshi Ogiso, CEO, Hino Motor Corporation; Karl Deppen, CEO, Mitsubishi Fuso & designated CEO of new holding company and Karin Radstrom, CEO, Daimler Truck.

In a landmark move for Japan’s commercial vehicle sector, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Hino Motors have signed definitive agreements to integrate their operations. The merger will take place under a new holding company set to be established by April 2026, with Tokyo as its headquarters.

The new combined entity will have over 40,000 employees with the scale, resources and technology leadership to disrupt the commercial vehicle landscape in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. It will own 100 percent of Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors.

The integration is the result of a collaboration between four major automotive players: Daimler Truck AG, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation. Both Daimler Truck and Toyota plan to acquire a 25 percent stake each in the newly listed holding company, which will in turn fully own Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino. The new entity is expected to be listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with Karl Deppen, current CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso, appointed as CEO of the holding company.

The partnership is designed to bring Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino together on an equal footing, with joint efforts across commercial vehicle development, procurement and production. It aims to enhance operational efficiency, improve global competitiveness and bolster the automotive industry across Japan and Asia.

The alliance underscores the companies’ shared vision of supporting society through sustainable mobility. A key focus of the integration will be addressing the urgent challenges facing the commercial vehicle industry, including decarbonisation, logistics efficiency and the development of CASE technologies (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric mobility) alongside the adoption of hydrogen solutions.

Karin Radstrom, CEO, Daimler Truck, said, “The now decided integration of Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors is truly historic. We are bringing together two strong partners to form an even stronger company and to successfully shape the decarbonisation of transportation. Together, Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors have great potential to leverage scale – and scale is key to win in the technological transformation of our industry. Karl Deppen is an experienced and strong leader who comprehends the whole value chain of our business and I’m therefore convinced that he can bring the new company to the next level.”

Koji Sato, CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “We believe that the future is for us to build together. Today’s final agreement is not the goal but the starting line. Our four companies, aiming to achieve a sustainable mobility society, will continue to create the future of commercial vehicles together.”

Karl Deppen, CEO, Mitsubishi Fuso and designated CEO of new holding company, said, “Today is a great day for all our stakeholders. We are shaping the industry by bundling our strengths. With a strong new company we combine our two trusted brands, our resources, competencies and expertise to even better support our customers in their transportation needs in the future. I feel honoured and excited to be the designated leader of the new company and am grateful for the trust and encouragement from Toyota and Daimler Truck to make it happen.”

Satoshi Ogiso, CEO, Hino, said, “Cooperation among these 4 companies is truly ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’. In addition to operational synergy, we can expect immeasurable synergy affection from synthesising different culture and climate of us. Under commonly aimed aspiration, we are confident with building strong and resilient team to empathising with each other and contributing to society. As a new commercial vehicle company rooted in Japan, we collaboratively create ever better future.”

Caterpillar has announced that all Cat Customer Value Agreements (CVAs) will be eligible for an upgraded Services Commitment beginning in 2026. The programme is designed to provide equipment owners with specific timelines for maintenance and repairs.

Under the new terms, CVAs that include dealer labour will feature a Two-Day Repair commitment for common repairs. If the equipment is not returned to service within this timeframe, the customer receives a payment. Furthermore, the Parts Next-Day availability commitment covers maintenance, wear, and repair parts for pickup at a designated dealer location.

The CVAs provide 24x7 access to equipment health management tools, including VisionLink and Cat Inspect, to monitor asset insights. Agreements also include:

• Support from local Cat dealers.
• Delivery of Cat parts and fluids for planned maintenance at the customer's location.
• Options for equipment coverage, portability, and transferability.

Ebban Clause, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Construction Industries Services Division, said, “Our new Services Commitment program with a CVA is all about offering the customer hassle-free, peace-of-mind equipment ownership. Customers dealing with downtime need to act fast, and they need parts to get the equipment up and running quickly. Our new Services Commitment delivers just that – Two-Day Repairs, Parts Next-Day, or the customer gets paid.”

The global rollout of CVAs with the upgraded Services Commitment will begin in the Q1 of 2026. The implementation will continue through 2027, depending on regional availability.

Propel Industries Private Limited showcased a large portfolio of construction equipment at Excon 2025 that included four new electric tipper models. The company aso unveiled an all-new connectivity platform and a comprehensive after-sales uptime solution. 
The four new electric tippers include the 90CED (claimed to be India's first ultra-fast charging 90 tonne electric dumper with ADAS Level 1 safety), 70CED (claimed to be India's first 8x4 mining e-tipper with 25 cu m rock body), 560HEV-X (claimed to be Indias first 8x4 construction tipper with 25 cu m box body), 470MEV Gen-2 (caimed to be India's first 6x4 tipper with 20 cu m rock body) in particular. 
The Pulse.ev connectivity platform as a new digital ecosystem built in-house specifically for electric mining and hauling operations includes features such as real-time vehicle health and diagnostics; energy consumption insights; predictive maintenance analytics and fleet optimization suite for multi-shift operations.
"The announcements reinforce Propels commitment to innovation, high-productivity for customers, zero-emission, and future-ready heavy-duty mobility. Since start of EV truck sale in 2023, the brand has expanded its presence across coal, overburden, limestone, iron-ore, stone quarry, marble & granites, and solid waste management segments. Propel trucks have cumulatively covered over 5 lakh operating hours and the first set of 8 trucks have clocked 12,500 hours in 2 years, which is equivalent to 20 hrs per day. This proves the reliability and uptime of the propel electric trucks," said Siddarth Kirtane, President – EV Sales, Marketing and Service, Propel Industries. 

JCB India launched its largest ever excavator at 52 tonness in India. It did so at the Excon 2025 exhibition in Bengaluru. The excavator, showcased along with over 10 new products, will cater to domestic as well as export markets.  Of the over 10 machines the company showed at the show, there included backhoe loaders with enhanced features in line with the customer-first strategy. JCB India is giving much attention to lower cost of ownership, higher fuel efficiency, improved machine uptime, enhanced safety and ergonomics while designing its new equipment.    With sustainability the factor, the company showcased the hydrogen engine powered backhoe loader that it unveiled in 2023. It announced the expansion of its hydrogen powered construction equipment portfolio at Excon 2025 with a hydrogen-powered genset.  "Excon is a forum that brings together customers, policymakers, contractors, financiers, suppliers, and technology leaders, creating an ecosystem for strategic collaboration and long-term business growth. JCB exports to more than 135 countries from India and this year we also have customers from South Asia, Africa Region and South-East Asia visiting us. Excon allows us to understand evolving market needs and demonstrate how our latest solutions align with both global and India’s infrastructure demands," said Deepak Shetty, CEO and MD, JCB India. 

JK Tyre & Industries Ltd launched four new Off-the-Road (OTR) tyres at Excon 2025 in Bengluru. Unveiled by Dr R Mukhopadhyay, Director (R&D), JK Tyre, the four new OTR tyres further expand the company's portfolio in construction and mining equipment. 
The Sky Grip tyre for example is engineered specifically for Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs) and Boom Lifts used across construction, infrastructure maintenance, warehousing and industrial operations. The 355/55D625 Sky Grip tyre is designed to offer enhanced stability, superior traction and consistent performance at elevated working heights and is compatible with articulated and telescopic boom lifts, telehandlers and even rough terrain aerial platform. 
The three other OTR tyres are designed for critical industrial and mining applications. The 14.00-25 GTL Plus, for example, is a backhoe loader tyre that offers strong stability, durability and dependable performance during frequent loading and excavation operations. The 23.5-25 GTL Plus variant, on the other hand, supports wheel loaders with improved traction and endurance on demanding surfaces. F
or underground mining requirements, the 14.00-20 VEM AS-UG OTR tyre features a reinforced casing and specialised compound designed to withstand abrasive environments and the rigorous duty cycles of shuttle cars.
“India is witnessing a transformative phase in infrastructure development, and JK Tyre remains committed to support this journey. With the launch of our new OTR range at EXCON, we are strengthening our support for equipment that powers critical infrastructure, enabling greater productivity, durability and operational safety across the country’s construction, mining and industrial projects," averred Srinivasu Allaphan, Director-Sales & Marketing, JK Tyre & Industries.