Volvo Trucks

Volvo Trucks (sv: Volvo Lastvagnar), a Swedish truck manufacturer, owned by Volvo, is the World's second largest heavy-duty truck brand. Founded in 1927, in 2006 Volvo Trucks employed about 35,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, Volvo manufactures its trucks in 17 countries. In 2005, 103,696 Volvo trucks were sold globally.

Volvo Group also owns the following truck makes, Renault Trucks, Mack Trucks & UD Trucks.

When Volvo manufactured its first automobiles in 1927, the first truck was already on the drawing table and in early 1928, the LV series 1 was presented to the public. Though it, by modern standards, 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 North America.

In 1980 Volvo bought White after White's bankruptcy filing. The Canadian assets were purchased by a consortium of two Alberta energy companies, and were renamed Western Star Trucks.

Throughout the 1980s, Volvo produced White and Autocar, as well as distributing European-made Volvo. The White high cab over engine model was also badged a Western Star and sold through that company's Canadian dealer network.

In 1987, Volvo acquired the heavy-duty truck models of General Motors, and began marketing the WhiteGMC badge, although all of the legacy GMC product lines were discontinued by 1990.

In 1997 the WhiteGMC name was discontinued, and all models were badged either Volvo or Autocar. In 2000, the remaining Autocar products were discontinued, and the nameplate was retired (temporarily) after over 100 years

In 2001 Volvo acquired Renault Vehicles Industrials, including Mack Trucks in the United States. In order to secure the approval of the authorities to proceed with the merger, Volvo had to agree to divest of its low-cab-forward (LCF) models, known as the Xpeditor range, due to the degree the combination of this product with the Mack MR and LE series dominated the refuse markets in which these vehicles are predominantly used.

In 2001, Volvo divested of the Xpeditor product and the rights to the Autocar trademark. The purchaser was Grand Vehicle Works LLC, a private equity venture based in Indiana that also produced stripped chassis for vans and recreational vehicles, and walk-in van bodies for parcel delivery service.

Today, Volvo produces Volvo and Mack class 8 truck models at plants in Dublin, VA, and Macungie, PA. Affiliate Volvo Power train produces engines and transmissions at its Hagerstown, MD, facility, for use exclusively in the North American market