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Volvo Trucks

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Volvo Trucks(Swedish:Volvo Lastvagnar) is a truck manufacturing division ofVolvobased inGothenburg,Sweden.

Volvo Trucks
Company typeDivision
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1928
HeadquartersGothenburg,Sweden
Areas served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Roger Alm(President)
ParentVolvo
Websitevolvotrucks.com
A 2013 model Volvo FH16. TheVolvo FHseries was introduced in 1993 and is Volvo Trucks' most commercially successful truck.
Volvo FM500 inTaiwan

Volvo Trucks was a separate company within Volvo. The Volvo Group was reorganised on 1 January 2012 and as a part of the process, Volvo Trucks ceased to be a separate company and was instead incorporated into Volvo Group Trucks along Volvo's other truck operations, asRenault TrucksandMack Trucks.[1]

The first Volvo truck rolled off the production lines in 1928, and in 2016 Volvo Trucks employed more than 52,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, Volvo manufactures and assembles its trucks in eight wholly owned assembly plants and nine factories owned by local interests.[2]Volvo Trucks produces and sells over 190,000 units annually.[3]

History

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Volvo LV63 Truck 1929
Volvo L495 Titan Truck 1965
Volvo F88-49T Truck 1970

When Volvo manufactured its first automobiles in 1927, the first truck was already on the drawing table. In early 1928, theLV series 1was presented to the public. Though by modern standards it was merely a truck, it was an immediate success and 500 units were sold before the summer. It had a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine rated at 28 hp (21 kW).[4]

Volvo Trucks worldwide

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Volvo cabs are manufactured in the north of Sweden inUmeåand inGhent,Belgium,while the engines are made in the central town ofSkövde.Among some smaller facilities, Volvo has assembly plants in Sweden (Gothenburg – also the Head Office), Belgium, USA, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, China and India. Some of the smaller factories are jointly owned. Its main parts distribution centre is located in Ghent, Belgium. The sales side, with their corresponding offices and dealers, is split into seven sales areas – Latin America, North America, Europe North, Europe South, Africa/Middle East, and Asia/Oceania.[5]

Production facilities

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Plants where Volvo trucks are manufactured:[6]

North America

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1995 Volvo WG, the first year that this old White GMC truck was marketed as a Volvo
2016 Volvo VNL 670

In 1981, AB Volvo acquired the assets ofWhite Trucks,forming Volvo White Truck Corporation inGreensboro, North Carolina.[7]As part of the acquisition, Volvo acquired the White,Autocar,and the dormantSterlingbrands; the CanadianWestern Startruck brand was spun off into an independent company. Alongside the truck assets of White, Volvo acquired a nationwide distribution network (as White had served as the distributor of Freightliner until 1977). Prior to the acquisition, White's products included the White Road Boss conventional, theWhite Road Commander 2(COE), the Road Xpeditor 2 (low-COE), the Autocar A-series (tractors with extensive use of aluminium), Autocar DC-series (heavy-duty/severe service), the Autocar Construcktor 2 (heavy-duty/severe-service with a White cab), and Western Star conventional/COE trucks. White also operated plants in Utah, Ohio, and Virginia.

Following the 1981 acquisition, Volvo upgraded the designs of White and Autocar product lines. In 1982, the White Integral Sleeper was introduced, joining the sleeper and passenger cab seamlessly. In 1983, the Road Boss was replaced by the White Conventional; while retaining the same cab, the hoodline was lowered with a redesigned grille. In 1985, the Integral Tall Sleeper was developed (the"Globetrotter" sleeperof America) as a raised-roof variant of the Integral Sleeper. In 1987, the White 'Aero' truck was introduced, adopting a lowered hoodline, composite headlamps (shared with theVolvo 240), and a flush-mounted grille. In 1988, the WG was introduced, marking the return of a short-hood conventional. The Autocar DK severe-duty line was launched in 1983 and supplemented by the widely admired Autocar AT64F long-haul tractor. In 1988, the DK was replaced by the Autocar ACL and ACM models. While the AC-series trucks were tough and reliable, they incorporated a number of Volvo components and, for some Autocar loyalists, marked a dilution of the Autocar brand.

In 1986, Volvo commenced sales of trucks under its own brand in North America, introducing theFE-serieslow-cab COEs. While Western Star was spun off in 1981, its cabover model line continued to be produced by White and rebadged as a Western Star.[8]

On 16 August 1986, General Motors announced the formation of a joint venture with AB Volvo, with the latter holding an 85% stake.[9]Named Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation, Volvo would take responsibility for development, design, and production of heavy trucks of the joint venture, named WhiteGMC.[9]All General Motors heavy product lines were discontinued (with the exception of the GMC Brigadier, ending production as a WhiteGMC in 1988); the joint venture rebadged the White product line as WhiteGMCs while Autocars remained in production. In 1995, Volvo GM ended the use of the WhiteGMC name, with all non-Autocar models adopting the Volvo name. In 1997, Volvo AB purchased the rest of its stake in Volvo GM, renaming it Volvo Trucks North America.[7]

In 1996, Volvo released theVolvo VN-series,the first Volvo truck developed outside of White or General Motors. Designed specifically for North America, the VN was more aerodynamic than its WIA predecessor. The previous-generation WG remained in production, with Autocar dropped as a separate brand name, becoming a sub-model of Volvo severe-service trucks.

On 25 April 2000, AB Volvo acquiredRenault Véhicules Industrielsthrough a merger, making it the owner ofMack Trucks.[10]Following the merger, Volvo became the largest European truck manufacturer and the second-largest truck manufacturer in the world. To secure approval of the merger (by avoiding potential antitrust issues), Volvo agreed to divest its low-cabover range (known as the Xpeditor[11]); alongside the Mack MR/LE, the two vehicles held a predominant share of the refuse market. In 2007, Volvo re-entered the segment through its purchase ofUD Nissan Diesel.[12][13]Alongside the Xpeditor product range, the Autocar trademark was sold in 2001 to Grand Vehicle Works LLC,[14]a Chicago-based private holding company that owned body manufacturer Union City Body Company (founded in 1898) andWorkhorse Custom Chassis.[15]Shortly before Autocar was acquired by GVW Group, Autocar conventionals were retired.

In 2000, Volvo introduced the VHD severe-service conventional, largely as a replacement for Autocar conventional vehicles. While using the cab of the VN, the VHD used a heavier-duty chassis and suspension, along with sealed-beam headlamps. In 2002, the second-generation VN, the VNL, was introduced.

In 2009, Volvo began to relocate the operations of itsMack Truckssubsidiary toGreensboro,where the North American operations of Volvo Trucks have been headquartered.[16]Today, Volvo produces Class 8 Volvo trucks at itsDublin, Virginiaplant and Class 8 Mack truck models inMacungie, Pennsylvania.AffiliateVolvo Powertrainproduces engines and transmissions at itsHagerstown, Maryland,facility, for use exclusively in the North American market.

The Volvo Trucks North America Dublin plant began manufacturing a battery-powered VNR Electric truck model starting in early 2021. It was the largest Volvo truck plant in the world, employing close to 3,000 people building multiple models of heavy-duty trucks.[17]On 20 June 2022, Volvo announced that "in the second part of this decade" it would begin making trucks usinghydrogen fuel cellswith a range of 600 miles, compared to 275 miles for the existing VNR trucks.[18]

In September 2024, Volvo Trucks announced a long-range variant of its FH Electric truck, capable of covering up to 600 km on a single charge. It is expected to arrive on the market in the second half of 2025.[19]

China

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AB Volvo struck a deal in August 2021 to buy a heavy duty truck subsidiary of Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC) for about $125.7 million to make trucks in the world's biggest vehicle market. The acquired business includes a manufacturing site in China's northern city ofTaiyuan.Volvo aims to start production of its new heavy duty Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX trucks there at the end of 2022.[20]

India

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Volvo trucks set foot in Indian HCV market as a wholly owned subsidiary ofVolvo Groupwith itsFH12tractor truck also the first ever volvo truck produced in India atHoskoteplant inKarnatakastate of India. Later on the company induced FM7 tippers for construction and mining segment which were well received. In 2002 company introducedFHandFMlineup for the region in various configurations and specifications. Later in 2008 Volvo Group andEicher motorsan Indian automotive group known for producing commercial vehicles and motorcycles came together to form a new company VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) with 50% share in the newly formed company. All future offering of volvo trucks came under the wing of VECV since then. Today's volvo trucks lineup consist of FM available intipper,tractor truck,ballast tractorvariants andFMXavailable in tipper variant only.[21]

Export markets

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Volvo Trucks are exported to and sold by more than 1800 dealers in more than 75 countries.[3]

Failed entry to Argentine market

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Volvo tried to settle in Argentina on two different occasions: the first, in 1959[22]would be carried out in partnership with the local company Conarg. The truck production was a failure, but some models of motorgraderswith Volvo engine was made by Conarg (under licence of Bolinder Munktell).[23]The second, in 1972, Volvo Sudamericana SACI elevated to the consideration of the highest authority of the Ministry of Industry and Mining its project of installation of an industrial complex, consisting of an automotive terminal plant for chassis of heavy trucks with cab and chassis for long-distance buses; a plant for trailers and a third plant for coaches.[24]Eventually, Volvo lost the tender, which was in the hands of Scania.

Focus on alternative fuels

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Volvo is currently focusing on such alternative fuels such asHVO,(Bio-)DME,LNGandmethane.[25]

Volvo product range

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As a part of adapting to the new European Union Euro 6 engine environment requirements, Volvo Trucks renewed their truck range in 2012 and 2013. The biggest launch was the new Volvo FH in September 2012[26]The rest of the range were renewed in the spring of 2013.

Volvo VHD dump truck (US)
Volvo NL12 tractor truck in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Volvo FL 6 from the mid-1990s
Volvo FH16 700

Product line-up

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As of 2013,Volvo Trucks products are:[27]

  • Volvo FL
    • markets – Europe, Middle East
  • Volvo FE
    • markets – Europe, Middle East, Australia
  • Volvo FM,classic and new (launched April 2013)
    • markets – Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania
  • Volvo FH,classic and new (launched September 2012)
    • markets – Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania
  • Volvo FH16,classic and new (launched September 2012)
    • markets – Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania
  • Volvo FMX,classic and new (launched April 2013)
    • markets – Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania
  • Volvo VHD
    • markets – North America, Mexico
  • Volvo VNL
    • markets – North America, Mexico
  • Volvo VNM
    • markets – North America, Mexico
  • Volvo VNR
    • markets – North America, Mexico
  • Volvo VNX (announced March 2013)[28]
    • markets – North America
  • Volvo VM
    • markets – South America

Past products

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1920s

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1930s

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1940s

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1950s

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1960s

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1970s

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1980s

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1990s

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2000s

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Marketing

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Sponsorships

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InFormula One,Volvo Trucks sponsored the British teamMcLarenfrom the 2016 to the 2021 seasons. As part of their agreement, McLaren was supplied with Volvo FH trucks.[29][30]

Commercials

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Volvo Trucks has released the Live Test series of commercials, which includedThe Epic Split.[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Volvo Group reorganizes global truck businessArchived6 November 2018 at theWayback MachineFleetOwner, 4 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  2. ^"About us".Archivedfrom the original on 15 July 2017.Retrieved11 July2017.
  3. ^ab"Annual and Sustainability Report 2016"(PDF).Volvo. pp. 8, 81, 88, 89. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2 July 2017.Retrieved11 July2017.
  4. ^– Volvo Trucks HistoryArchived8 December 2015 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 9 January 2012
  5. ^.– Volvo Trucks DealersArchived17 December 2011 at theWayback Machine– Retrieved 9 January 2012
  6. ^.– Manufacturing worldwideArchived25 January 2012 at theWayback Machine.– Retrieved: 9 January 2012
  7. ^ab"Our History | Volvo Trucks USA".www.volvotrucks.us.Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2019.Retrieved8 April2019.
  8. ^.– Volvo Trucks HistoryArchived22 May 2012 at theWayback Machine,White. – Retrieved: 9 January 2012
  9. ^abMeyer, Donald E."The First Century of GMC Truck History"(PDF).GM Heritage Center.Archived(PDF)from the original on 9 January 2014.Retrieved8 April2019.
  10. ^"Volvo, Renault link trucks".CNNMoney.25 April 2000.Archivedfrom the original on 7 February 2002.Retrieved15 October2009.
  11. ^"U.S. Competition Authority Gives Clearance To AB VOLVO'S Acquisition Of Renault V.I./MACK".Automotive Intelligence News.19 December 2000.Archivedfrom the original on 12 February 2010.Retrieved15 October2009.
  12. ^"Volvo – press release".Cision Wire. Archived fromthe originalon 8 July 2009.Retrieved21 March2006.
  13. ^"Volvo – press release".Cision Wire. Archived fromthe originalon 22 July 2012.Retrieved24 March2007.
  14. ^"Volvo – press release".Cision Wire.Archivedfrom the original on 9 August 2023.Retrieved26 July2001.
  15. ^"Home".gvwgroup.com.Archivedfrom the original on 12 August 2022.Retrieved7 August2022.
  16. ^Barron, Richard M. (4 September 2009)."Mack Moves South: Bulldog in Tow".News & Record.Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2012.Retrieved4 September2009.
  17. ^Andrews, Kate.Volvo electric trucks to be produced at NRV plant in early 2021.Archived2 June 2022 at theWayback MachineVirginia Business, 3 December 2020.
  18. ^Deem, John (21 June 2022)."Volvo to unplug with self-charging electric big rigs".News & Record.Archivedfrom the original on 14 July 2022.Retrieved22 June2022.
  19. ^"Volvo Trucks to launch electric truck with 600 km range".3 September 2024.
  20. ^AB Volvo buys Chinese truck business for about $125.7 millionArchived24 August 2021 at theWayback Machine,Reuters,23 August 2021
  21. ^"Volvo Trucks India success story continues – Motorindia".Archivedfrom the original on 10 March 2022.Retrieved9 April2022.
  22. ^"Camión Argentino: No pudieron ser: Primera radicación fallida de Volvo: 1959".3 January 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 21 September 2017.Retrieved20 September2017.
  23. ^"Pesados Argentinos: Bolinder-Conarg VHK 100".11 April 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 21 September 2017.Retrieved20 September2017.
  24. ^"Camión Argentino: No pudieron ser: Radicación de Volvo en 1972"(in Spanish). 13 December 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 21 September 2017.Retrieved20 September2017.
  25. ^"Our trucks".Archivedfrom the original on 12 July 2019.Retrieved19 November2022.
  26. ^.– News articleArchived7 September 2012 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 7 May 2013
  27. ^Volvo Trucks Global."Volvo Trucks product line-up -Retrieved: 2012-01-09".Volvo.com.Archivedfrom the original on 29 December 2011.Retrieved9 January2012.
  28. ^.– Press releaseArchived11 February 2015 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 7 May 2013
  29. ^"Volvo Trucks becomes official supplier to the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 Team".mclaren.com.17 February 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 20 March 2020.Retrieved17 February2016.
  30. ^"McLaren Racing and Volvo Trucks announce two-year extension to Formula 1 partnership".mclaren.com.10 July 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 26 June 2022.Retrieved28 May2022.
  31. ^Carter, Meg (18 June 2014)."How Volvo Trucks Pulled Off An Epic Split And A Game-Changing Campaign".Fast Company.Archivedfrom the original on 27 July 2021.Retrieved27 July2021.
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