US company takes a Czech • US firm SDC International
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has acquired a large stake in Czech truck maker Tatra. The Florida company bought 43.5% of Tatra from engineering group Skoda-Plzen, which also owns Liaz. SDC will introduce an "inventory financing programme" to allow Tatra to build a stock of vehicles rather than building only to order, as it did under the Communist regime. Tatra built more than 2,500 vehicles last year—an increase of 40%—and has landed a major Middle East order for on/off-road military vehicles powered by Deutz engines. In the civilian market, Tatra is concentrating on the Terrno range of all-wheel-drive construction models, including its 1815 heavy-duty 6x6 tipper. A full report on the Brno Truck Show will appear in next week's issue.