The first trucks for customer delivery and dealer stock rolled out the doors at the new Autocar production facility in Hagerstown, Ind.,
Tuesday, in an event that marks the first time in 50 years Autocar trucks are being built in their own production facility.
The first trucks were an Xpeditor WXLL64 that is being delivered to Heil Environmental Industries Ltd. of Chattanooga, Tenn., and a WXR64 right-hand drive model that will go into dealer stock in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Heil truck is one of six that will be outfitted with the new Heil MultiPack refuse collection vehicle body to become part of the Heil Ready Truck program.
"When we first took possession of the Autocar name, we made it clear that our mission was to become the leader of the LCOE (low cab over engine) truck market," said Robert Atkins, general manager of Autocar Trucks.
Larry Mitrovich, vice president of plant operations for Autocar, credited the work of the company's production staff and the support of community leaders for bringing the production facility on line according to plan and right on time.
The new Heil trucks will be equipped with the Heil MultiPack body that combines automated side loader and rear loader capabilities in the same body. This means the same trucks can be used to collect refuse on automated routes, manual routes, commercial routes and mixed residential routes.
Autocar’s products are sold into an array of heavy vocational truck markets, primarily in refuse and waste disposal. Autocar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC of Highland Park, Ill.