Production of the 300,000th Volvo Group 13-Liter heavy-duty diesel engine was celebrated on July 15 during an event in Hagerstown, MD, recognizing both the North American team that assembled it and the customer who will put it into service.
The 300,000th Volvo 13-Liter, a 500 hp D13 engine, was recently assembled at the Volvo Powertrain plant in Hagerstown, and placed in a new Volvo VN780 chassis at Volvo Trucks’ New River Valley assembly plant. The completed truck was delivered back to Hagerstown and presented to its new owner –– Abilene Motor Express of Richmond VA –– during the July 15 recognition event.
“We are happy and humbled to have assembled the 300,000th Volvo 13-Liter engine here in Hagerstown,” said Carlos Hungria, senior vice president and chief operating officer, Volvo Powertrain. “This is a significant global occasion that solidifies the longevity and reliability of the engines powering Volvo Group products throughout the world. We’re particularly pleased that our 300,000th is an EPA2010-certified D13 engine that meets the most stringent emissions standards in the world.”
Denny Slagle, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America, said the milestone sends an important message to the industry about the size, stability, and performance of Volvo Group.
During the July 15 ceremony, Slagle presented the milestone vehicle’s keys to Abilene’s president, Keith Jones, who has been operating Volvo vehicles since 1999. Abilene’s Class 8 fleet includes 140 VN780s, with more than 50 EPA10 versions either already in service or soon to be so.
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