Volvo Almost Sold Out for ’04; CEO Says Factory at Capacity

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

he head of heavy-duty truck maker Volvo Trucks North America said the company’s Class 8 assembly lines are operating at capacity amid booming sales, forcing the manufacturer to extend delivery times for new equipment.

Peter Karlsten, chief executive officer of VTNA, said in an editorial forum with Transport Topics Sept. 13 that the truck maker increased delivery times to between four and six months for a new truck from a traditional 90-day turnaround because of jammed production lines.

He said that throughout the truck making industry, “people are pretty much sold out for the year.”

Volvo, whose New River Valley truck plant in Dublin, Va., has been operating on two shifts since late May, was in the midst of filling its last factory order slots for December, he said, and was already booking spaces for the 2005 first quarter.

For the full story, see the Sept. 20 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.