Western Star celebrated the production of its 200,000th truck with a special event at its Portland Truck Manufacturing Plant.

The 2020 4700SB truck rolled off the assembly line and was delivered to customer Joe Johnson Equipment of Innisfil, Ont., in a March 5 ceremony attended by Western Star executives, Portland Manufacturing Plant employees, and customer representatives.

The 200,000th truck, which will be upfitted as a vacuum excavator, will bear a special marker of its significance to the Western Star team and will also have the signatures of the men and women who design, build and sell the toughest trucks in the business inscribed underneath its hood.    

“We’re thrilled to see the 200,000th Western Star join the workforce,” said David Carson, senior vice president, Vocational segment, Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA). “Western Star trucks have a hard-earned reputation as tough trucks that are able to withstand the most extreme conditions and applications. This particular truck, like the ones before it and those that follow, is built for the men and women who depend on their truck to tackle the toughest jobs there are.”

Joe Johnson Equipment, a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation, has bought more than 1,000 Western Star trucks because they’re reliable, durable, and low maintenance, said vice president Jeff Johnson.

“They’ve exceeded our expectations all along,” he said. “It’s an honor to add the 200,000th Western Star to our fleet.”

Western Star was founded in 1967. Originally headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with manufacturing in British Columbia, it thrived by putting the driver-operator first and by delivering dependability and durability in the harshest environments. In 2002, Western Star production was moved to its new assembly plant in Portland, the headquarters of parent company DTNA. The Portland Manufacturing Plant began operations in 1969 and has built nearly 500,000 trucks since its opening.    

Western Star sold its 100,000th truck in February 2006 after 39 years in business; it took only 14 years to sell the second 100,000 trucks. The 4700 is Western Star’s most versatile and popular truck model and was recently updated with several new enhancements that contribute to its safety, productivity and ease of upfit.

For more than 50 years, Western Star has preserved its rugged legacy while continuing to enhance its trucks with the technological innovations and industry leading resources of DTNA. As a result, Western Star trucks offer unparalleled customer experience in everything from driver comfort and safety to uptime and service.  

“Western Star has succeeded through a deep commitment to building strong, high-quality trucks around customers’ needs,” said Carson. “Western Star is well positioned to continue to meet and exceed customer expectations for the next 50 years and beyond.”