During a presentation to reporters and company personnel held in Monte Carlo on Tuesday, Iveco CEO Paolo Monferino announced that Fiat's truck and bus division is set to record around 9 billion euros in revenues for last year, up from the 8.5 billion euros it posted the previous year, and in-line with targets. On top of this improved performance, Monferino revealed that trading profit margins had also climbed, from 3.9 percent in 2005 to 6 percent last year; again in-line with targets.

Although Monferino would not reveal exact figures to the reporters and Iveco dealership staff who were in Monte Carlo yesterday, ahead of the Fiat Group announcing its full year results on January 25th. He did say that the 9 million euros generated in revenues excludes the engine, gearbox and transmission operations which were transferred to the Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT) division last year. Thus on a like for like basis last year's sales will be up by around 7 pct year on year. The climb in operating profits is part of a drive to raise these to above 10 pct.

Monferino also announced that Iveco has struck a major new marketing deal with the New Zealand "All Blacks" rugby team, to become a new official global sponsor. This will be a very high profile and unique new advertising approach for Iveco, especially with the Rugby World Cup coming up this year. The announcement was made in conjunction with New Zealand Rugby Union Chief Executive, Chris Moller; Iveco will also be the named sponsor in June's rugby test series, which will be known as the Iveco International Series.
 

A recent survey of top brands put the All Blacks in fifth place in terms of global recognition, behind the Spanish "La Liga" football club, Real Madrid, the Fiat Group owned Ferrari sports car concern, English football Premier League club Manchester United, and the US sporting outfit, the New York Yankees. The sponsorship will be worldwide, but with certain exceptions in New Zealand.

The Fiat Group's Iveco division, which builds vans, trucks and buses, employs 32,000 people worldwide and runs forty three production units located in eighteen countries around the world, using excellent technologies developed in fifteen research centres. Besides Europe, the company operates in Russia, Turkey, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa. It is also rolling out ambitious plans in China, which when fully implemented, will see its global production more than doubling. More than four and a half thousand service outlets located in over one hundred countries, guarantee technical support wherever in the world an Iveco vehicle is at work.