International Truck and Engine Corp., the principal operating subsidiary of Navistar International Corp. announced it will build new Class 8 “big-bore” diesel engines in Huntsville, Alabama.
The new engines, the largest in the MaxxForce family of commercial-truck diesel engines, will be built at a new assembly plant in Huntsville. The investment cost is not being disclosed.
More than 175 employees are expected to work at the new facility. Full production at Huntsville will begin in spring 2008. Initial engines will be partially assembled in Germany and finished and trimmed in Huntsville and will be available beginning in fall 2007.
The new facility will be an assembly only operation. Core engine components will be sourced globally from suppliers and shipped to the plant.
“Huntsville was selected to produce these new ‘big-bore’ truck diesel engines because of our strong workforce in Huntsville and its clear track record of building high-quality engines at a competitive cost,” said Dan Ustian, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Navistar International Corp.
Branded MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13, the engines are an Inline 6-cylinder big-bore design in the 11-to 13-liter displacement class. The engines will serve the Class 8 truck market, which is the largest commercial truck segment in North America.
The International big-bore class of engines will be offered exclusively in International ProStar line-haul tractors, International 8600 regional-haul tractors and International 7000 Series severe service trucks.
International’s current Huntsville plant – International Diesel of Alabama, LCC – produces engines for International trucks, as well as Ford trucks and vans.
Since production began in Huntsville in 2002, the company has built more than 375,000 V-6 and V-8 diesel engines . Beginning in January, MaxxForce will become the signature brand of International’s family of global on-highway commercial truck engines.
For more information, visit www.maxxforce.com.
