MAN THROUGH TO THE MILLENNIUM

There would be significant expansion and re structuring with the commercial vehicle division of the company becoming the Commercial Vehicle Business Unit which spearheaded the drive into the US bus market. In the late 1960s MAN had also acquired a shareholding in fellow German truck manufacturer Bussing and with the historic business now ailing the time was right for MAN to complete a takeover of the business. This would give them access to the Bussing developments in underfloor engine development as well as the Bussing production plant at Salzgitter which had only opened in 1964.

In January 1967 Bussing and MAN had established a business relationship which allowed the two companies to supply each other with various components and to augment each other’s truck ranges with each other’s vehicles. This was the agreement which later enabled MAN to take a stake in the business and which was followed by a full take over in 1971. For Bussing it marked the end of an era but some signs of the historic company were to remain as the “Brunswick Lion” emblem was incorporated into the new MAN badge and for a short time lorries produced at the Salzgitter plant were badged as MA N –