A European e-commerce consulting firm claims that if the North American truck industry adds an eBusiness program to its existing infrastructure, the industry could save up to $1.5 billion in five years.

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, a worldwide firm based in Munich, Germany, makes the assertion in a just-released study called "Impact of eBusiness on the Medium and Heavy Duty Truck Industry in North America."
"Implementing eBusiness strategies will empower the North American truck industry to realize a 5.5 percent savings per vehicle once they have been operating for five years," said Michael Heidingsfelder, partner and automotive practice leader of Roland Berger.
"With the average new medium or heavy duty truck price totaling $52,000, B2B-related transaction savings could save the entire industry approximately $2,800 per vehicle and the customer approximately $2,300 per vehicle."
The study maintains that Internet and digital developments constitute "a revolution, not an evolution" and that a historically conservative industry typically views radical changes to existing processes and infrastructures with skepticism.
"Truck industry proponents of eCommerce will need to make allowances for change to evolve, which could become a five or more year process," the study said.
Roland Berger, with 30 offices in 22 countries, is in the business of guiding such processes. In the U.S., Roland Berger maintains offices in New York City and Troy, Mich.