DAF – 80 years of innovative transport solutions

Exactly 80 years ago, on 1 April 1928, the brothers Hub and Wim van Doorne laid the foundations of DAF, currently a PACCAR Company and one of the leading truck manufacturers in Europe. In its 80 years, DAF Trucks has earned a reputation for developing, manufacturing, selling and servicing innovative, industry leading transport equipment.
What started as a small engineering business and blacksmith workshop back in 1928, developed into a trailer manufacturing business in 1932. In 1949, the first DAF truck was produced in the trailer factory. A year later a new truck factory was built and production started with three, five and six tonne truck chassis. In the early days the company used Hercules and Perkins engines, but in the 1950’s DAF decided to start making its own engines.

Leading in engine development
The company has always been highly innovative in engine development. In 1959 DAF was one of the first European truck manufacturers to apply turbo charging for diesel engines. In 1973 DAF was ten years ahead of European competition with the introduction of turbo intercooling, a technology which initially met the demand for higher engine outputs and lower fuel consumption, but which later also proved to be indispensable in realizing cleaner exhaust emissions.
In the 1980’s DAF introduced Advanced Turbo intercooling (ATi) which added to the reduction of fuel consumption and an increase in engine performance.
DAF’s latest innovations in engine technology are the 12.9 litre PACCAR MX engine and the 9.2 litre PACCAR PR engine, both already now complying with Euro 5 emission standards which come into effect in Europe in 2009. With a series of Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicles, known as EEV, DAF introduced even cleaner trucks. As part of PACCAR’s global hybrid program, DAF is developing a hybrid truck based on the LF45. The truck uses an advanced diesel/electric drive system.

New standards
In the development of comfortable cabs, DAF has always been a leader too. The company was one of the first European manufacturers to introduce a cab-over engine which could be tilted for easy maintenance. With the DAF 2600 DAF introduced in the early sixties, DAF introduced the first cabin dedicated for international transport. This role was underlined with the introduction of the Super Space Cab concept, which again set new standards in size and comfort for international transport. And these are just a few examples of the many transport innovations of DAF in its 80 years of history. Also in terms of chassis design, DAF has a well-earned reputation for delivering innovative solutions with all kind of axle configurations to meet a wide variety of transport applications.

DAF Trucks today
Today, DAF Trucks N.V. is a technology company and a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer in Europe. DAF is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PACCAR Inc, the worldwide quality leader in the design and manufacture of premium light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. PACCAR also provides financial services, information technology and aftermarket customer services.
DAF manufactures its industry-leading trucks in world class facilities in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, in Westerlo, Belgium and in Leyland, the United Kingdom. DAF’s engine factory, component plant, press shop and final assembly line for CF and XF models are located in Eindhoven. Axles and cabins are produced in Westerlo. Leyland Trucks in the U.K. (a PACCAR company) produces the company’s the LF series of light and medium duty trucks, as well as a number of CF and XF105 vehicles.
DAF products are sold and serviced by a network of over one thousand independent dealer locations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.