Bloomberg Business Week reported Volvo AB, the world's second-largest maker of commercial vehicles, and maker of Mack trucks in North America and Renault trucks in Europe predicted on Oct. 25 that industry-wide heavy-truck sales in North America will rise 20% in 2012.  Meanwhile, the company lowered its 2011 forecast for North America to 210,000 vehicles from an earlier prediction of as many as 240,000.

The company also said a reorganization of its truck business should eventually boost the company's operating margin by 3%. Volvo had an operating margin last year of 6.9% of sales.

Volvo ranks second to Daimler AG, the maker of Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso trucks, in global heavy-vehicle sales.