Volvo is one of the best manufacturers for semi-trucks. They are extremely popular, and you can find them all around the world.
Have you ever wondered where they are built? Read on to find out exactly where the Volvo brand is from.
Here’s a Short Summary To Where Volvo Semi Trucks Are Made:
Volvo semi-trucks are built all around the world. From the U.S. to Europe and Asia, Volvo has several production facilities for their semi-trucks. The popularity of their semi-trucks means that they need to produce as many units as possible during a year.
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Is Volvo an American Company?
Volvo is a trendy automotive brand, and its vehicles can be found all over the world. However, many people mistake Volvo for being an American company.
This mainly comes down to the fact that the brand is so popular, especially in the United States. Volvo is, in fact, a Swedish company.
The company was founded by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson in 1927 and had a home base in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Volvo Cars were purchased by the Ford Motor Company and became a part of their Premier Automotive brands from 1999 to 2010.
This could also be where some confusion caused many to believe that Volvo is an American company.
Since 2010, Volvo has been under the ownership of Geely Automobile, a major automotive brand based in China.
Geely Motors has a headquarters situated in Shanghai. However, the Volvo headquarters remains in Torslanda in Gothenburg, Sweden.
When Did Volvo Come to America?
The first Volvo cars were exported to the USA as early as 1955. However, they didn’t become established in America until the 1970s.
Volvo trucks first began to appear in the U.S. in 1959. They introduced direct-injection diesel engines, sleeper cabs, and power-assisted steering, all of which made semi-trucks easier to drive.
Volvo trucks only were only permanently established in the North American trucking industry in 1974. When they launched the F86 truck throughout the Northeast.
Volvo also pioneered the turbocharged engine, and these stronger, more efficient engines led to heavier and longer truck combinations.
Where Are Volvo Truck Assembly Plants in USA?
Volvo trucks are built in the United States. However, their parts are often made in different areas and assembled in one place.
Volvo Trucks USA has an assembly plant in Dublin, Virginia. The plant is named the New River Valley plant, and it is approximately 1.6 million square feet in size.
This makes the New River Valley plant the largest Volvo manufacturing plant in the world.
All parts are brought in from Volvo factories in Sweden. The parts are then put together in the New River Valley assembly plant.
Assembly is the final step in the building process. It is the step where every part is carefully put together to form the semi-truck.
From there, they are distributed around the country to several different dealerships before being sent to customers who have bought the semi-trucks.
Many different manufacturers have done this over the years as it is the best way to ensure that the quality of parts remains the same cost-effectively.
Where Are Volvo Truck Engines Made?
The Volvo truck engine plant is located elsewhere in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Engine plants are often separated from assembly plants due to the complex machinery and crafting that builds them.
Having a different plant is helpful to some manufacturers, whereas others may opt to make everything in one place.
Where Are Volvo Truck Parts Made?
Volvo truck parts are built in Sweden at their home base in Gothenburg, Sweden. From there, the parts are sent to different countries.
Building all parts in one place makes it easier for Volvo to control the quality of their parts. The factory in Sweden ensures that each one has been quality checked and approved to be delivered.
Is it Easy to Source Volvo Truck Parts in The U.S.?
Volvo is an extremely popular brand, especially when it comes to semi-trucks. As such, tons of workshops stock their parts around the U.S.
There are also several different Volvo dealerships, all of which will stock Volvo parts or source them if they are challenging to find.
Where Are Volvo Trucks Made in The Rest of the World?
Volvo is a world-renowned brand. As such, they build their semi-trucks in Sweden, the United States, and several other countries worldwide.
You can find a Volvo semi-truck in just about any country in the world because they are so well known and popular.
Are Volvo Trucks Made in Australia?
Volvo semi-trucks are extremely popular in Australia. The Volvo Trucks manufacturing plant in Wacol, Brisbane, Queensland, has been building semi-trucks since 1972.
Today, it has become the largest vehicle manufacturing plant in Australia. This proves that Volvo’s popularity continues to grow as they pioneer within the semi-truck industry.
Volvo Trucks’ production facility in Wacol employs around 550 people in the production process, and they build their semi-trucks for Australia and New Zealand.
Are Volvo Trucks Made in China?
Volvo semi-trucks have been in China since 1937. They have been very popular over the years but have always been imported into the country.
It might be surprising to hear that Volvo semi-trucks were never produced in China all these years despite the connection between Volvo and China.
However, as of 2021, that is changing. Recently, Volvo has acquired a heavy-duty vehicle company in China. This includes a manufacturing site in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China.
Volvo made this move after the popularity of their semi-trucks skyrocketed thanks to the growth of logistics services, including e-commerce.
In 2020 alone, more than 4500 Volvo semi-trucks were imported into China. Acquiring a manufacturing facility in China will help to reduce costs, increase sales and increase efficiency.
Are There Volvo Truck Manufacturing Plants in Europe?
Volvo has several production facilities all around Europe. Each contributes to distributing Volvo semi-trucks around the European continent and exporting to the rest of the world.
4 European countries in total contribute to manufacturing Volvo semi-trucks:
- Gothenburg and Umea, Sweden
- Blainville, France
- Gent, Belgium
- Kaluga, Russia
Sweden
- Gothenburg:
The Tuve plant in Gothenburg produces the Volvo F.H., Volvo FH16, Volvo FM, and Volvo FMX.
They also produce frames for the Gent and Kaluga assembly plants.
- Umea:
The production facility in Umea is the largest production unit of cabs for Volvo’s heavy-duty trucks; F.H., FH16, FM, and FMX.
Despite Europe being the target market, the Umeå plant also supplies Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Australia.
Umeå has a capacity of 75,000 cabs and is one of Norrland’s largest industries with about 1600 employees.
The production facility is one of the world’s most modern cab plants with advanced manufacturing technology based on robots and computerized monitoring.
France
- Blainville:
155miles West of Paris and in Lyon. Volvo first used this particular plant for nearly 70 years, and it employs around 1900 people.
Activities such as stamping, welding, painting, and trimming Medium to Heavy Duty Volvo Trucks cabs are also done.
Belgium
- Gent:
At the Gent plant, the Volvo F.H. 16, Volvo F.H., Volvo FM, and Volvo FMX are built and assembled.
The plant employs around 2300 people and can push out around 42,000 semi-trucks per year.
Russia
- Kaluga:
The Kaluga Truck plant is 80 km to the southwest of Moscow, and it has around 700 employees. The plant is still relatively new, celebrating its 10th anniversary and 30,000th semi-truck in 2019.
The Kaluga plant produces heavy-duty Volvo Trucks: F.H., FM, and FMX.
The plant is also responsible for paint, final assembly, customer adaptation, material handling, engineering, maintenance, and quality control.
Is Volvo Trucks a Good Company to Work For?
According to popular recruitment websites such as Glassdoor and Indeed, Volvo Trucks employees have been delighted with their time at the company.
Many reports confirmed that it is a fantastic learning experience and an excellent opportunity to grow. The company supports newcomers who are willing to work hard and learn.
Volvo Trucks also regularly promotes from within, allowing employees to move to the next step in their careers.
How Can You Get a Job at Volvo Trucks in The U.S.?
The best thing you can do to secure a Volvo Trucks position in the U.S. is to keep an eye on their job openings. You can find these on Indeed, LinkedIn, or even on their website.
Once you see a position that suits your skill set, you need to apply as quickly as possible.
They receive a lot of applications for open positions, so it’s important to make your CV stand out by writing a good cover letter.
You should also take the time to add new skills and knowledge to your CV through studying and going through workshops or short courses.
It will give you an edge over the other applicants. The more skills and knowledge you can add to your CV, the better your chances of being hired.