Volvo Machines for Sale (143)

Volvo CE – A Brief History

Although the company’s roots go right back to 1832, the company only became Volvo after purchase by the Swedish Auto maker in 1950 when it bought Bolinder-Munktell.

The company has both developed their own line of machines, such as the Volvo wheel loader back in 1954, but has also introduced ranges through acquisition.  This includes Arvika- Thermaenius AB Arvikaverken to expand the wheel loader range in the 1960’s .

Inventors of the articulated hauler in 1966 (Volvo DR631), the acquisition of AB Kockum Landsverk also added rigid haulers to Volvo’s product line in 1982. The first range of Volvo brnaded rigid haulers didn’t happen until 2018!

The Mid-1980’s sees Volvo CE turn its attention to the US market with a partnership with Clark Equipment.  this initiative later gets amalgamated into a Volvo-owned business, becoming the Volvo Construction Equipment we know today in 1995.

In the mid 1990’s Volvo also added the compact wheel loaders from Zettelmeyer Baumaschinen GmbH to its business with Excavators added in 1991 through the acquisition of Åkermans Verkstad AB .

Later in the 1990’s, Champion Road Machinery is acquired, bringing motor graders and Samsung Heavy Industries, bought in 1998 added additional machines.

Volvo’s Own Product Design

The turn of the century saw Volvo CE design and launch their own backhoe loaders in 2002 and skid steer loaders in 2003.  In the meantime, development in the excavator range sees ever larger machines produced – including the EC700B at 70 tonnes in 2005.

2007 saw the company return to the acquisition trail buying China’s ingong and Ingersoll Rand road construction with the purchase of the hauler business from Terex with a factory in Scotland in 2014.