Off the wire
• China central bank appoints new deputy governors  • News Analysis: China-S. Korea FTA to give opportunity for creating advanced industries  • Local residents console families of shooting attack victims in Czech town  • China-Kazakhstan cargo train rolls out of eastern port city  • F1 driver Alonso leaves hospital 3 days after crash  • Spring Festival tourism revenue surges, outbound travels hot  • Infectious diarrhea in Taiwan sends 34,000 people to hospitals  • Africa Economy: African ministers pledge to tackle poverty, inequality  • Kenya's race "in the wild" attracts huge foreign entry  • France's Hollande visits Philippines with climate change on agenda  
You are here: 　 Home

Dutch PM attends unveiling of DAF's millionth truck in Eindhoven

Xinhua, February 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

In the presence of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday, DAF Trucks rolled out its one millionth truck manufactured in Eindhoven.

"An incredible number and a great performance," Rutte stated after revealing the milestone truck.

Rutte also presented the truck to Balint Revesz from the Hungarian transport company bearing the same name, which acquired the milestone truck.

"We are very honored that Prime Minister Rutte has officially unveiled the millionth DAF truck manufactured in Eindhoven," said Harrie Schippers, CEO of DAF Trucks, saying the honour also extended to "the 5,000 employees in Eindhoven, who daily give their all to supply our customers with trucks and services of the highest quality."

DAF's legacy began in 1928, when brothers Hub and Wim van Doorne laid the foundation for what is currently DAF Trucks. Initially a small engineering business and blacksmith workshop, the company became into one of the fastest growing truck manufacturers in Europe.

In 1948, the name 'Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek' (Van Doorne's Trailer Factory) changed to 'Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek' (Van Doone's Automobile Factory) and DAF produced its first truck.

After a new factory was built in Eindhoven, the 10,000th truck rolled off the assembly line in 1955. By 1964, the company had celebrated the making of its 50,000th truck. The company grew steadily until 1999 when it marked the making of its 500,000th truck. In the next 15-plus years leading up to today, however, the company took off, manufacturing 500,000 trucks.

In 1993, the commercial vehicle market collapsed, especially in the United Kingdom, on which DAF depended to a large extent. At that time, DAF was declared bankrupt, but within a few weeks the company restarted as DAF Trucks.

DAF Trucks was acquired by American truck manufacturer PACCAR in 1996 and is currently one of the most successful truck manufacturers in Europe and is the market leader in the Netherlands, Great Britain and Hungary. Endit