Navistar Marks 75 Years With Dedication of Newest Engine Plant

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Navistar Engine Group is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its first production diesel engine, the D-40, with the dedication of the facility that will build its newest diesel engine family, MaxxForce Big Bore.

The company’s scope and reach-engine offerings range from 50-475 hp for use in on- and off-highway, agricultural, industrial, defense, and stationary power applications, and it has plans for global expansion 

“This milestone is about much more than an anniversary,” said Navistar Chairman, President, and CEO Dan Ustian. “This is about our scientists, designers, engineers, and manufacturing personnel around the world, who for decades have been responsible for the performance and quality that made reaching this point possible.”

In 1933, Navistar, then International Harvester, launched its first production diesel, a 50 horsepower four-cylinder engine for stationary and agricultural applications. For the next 75 years the company shaped and developed the diesel industry, producing innovative engines for agricultural, construction, military, and on-highway applications. Significant milestones during those years include the introduction of the DT 466, the Ford Power Stroke Diesel, the first smokeless diesel engine, the first fully electronically controlled Mid-range commercial diesel, and the Green Diesel Technology platform, which led the way for today’s advanced clean diesel technologies.

Today, and more than 15 million engines later, Navistar focuses exclusively on high-performance diesel engines for a blue-chip roster of customers around the world. Its on-road automotive customers include Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Land Rover, which use Navistar diesels to power commercial trucks, pickups, vans, and SUVs. Navistar also produces diesel powerplants for commercial off-road vehicles and equipment for agriculture, mining, construction, power-generation, and materials handling across the globe.

The company commands 42 percent of the mid-range diesel engine market and 64 percent of the school bus engine market in North America. In South America, Navistar Engine Group commands more than 50 percent market share of the mid-size pickup and SUV segment, and accounts for nearly 40 percent of all commercial and consumer diesel engines produced. And Navistar continues to grow rapidly on other continents, especially in India, China, and Eastern Europe.

“Our growth has given Navistar Engine Group the scale to realize big competitive advantages on the global stage,” said Jack Allen, president, Navistar Engine Group, “including broader supply base choices, recruitment of top industry talent, competitive cost structure, and more depth in technical expertise and facilities. This all fuels our ability to deliver great products that meet the demands of customers for clean air and the attributes they value the most — capability, performance, reliability, and durability.”

The MaxxForce Big Bore Assembly facility is the newest addition to Navistar’s roster of first-class global engine facilities. With operations now underway, the 300,000-sqare-foot state-of-the-art plant produces the technologically advanced MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13.

Designed specifically for International Class 8 trucks, with a combination of technologically advanced materials and components, the MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 engines deliver significant advantages over other competitive engines. They are available in International WorkStar severe service, TranStar regional-haul, and ProStar long-haul commercial vehicles.

As a part of a joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra, Navistar is also building a plant in India that will soon begin production of diesel engines for commercial, consumer, and off-highway vehicles. Additionally, Dong Feng, a leading automotive manufacturer in China, has licensed a Navistar diesel engine design for use in commercial trucks in the Far East.

For more information, visit www.Navistar.com/Newsroom.