First Volvo built at New River Valley returned
DUBLIN, Va. – Volvo Trucks’ New River Valley truck plant was recently reunited with the first truck ever built there.
The truck was donated by the Wilson family, founders of the former Wilson Trucking Corporation.
It’s a 1982 Volvo F7 model. Its new home is the Volvo Trucks Customer Center, which is adjacent to the plant.
Wilson also bought the first Volvo F86 model sold in the U.S. in the 1970s, and in 2011 it took delivery of the 500,000th U.S.-built Volvo truck.
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Both are correct. My dad helped open the plant in 1973 under Hank Hennig’s direction (both based in Cleveland, OH). Hank and my Dad opened the Reliance Electric plant in Athens, Georgia before that. So the first trucks at the plant were from White Motor around 1973/74. But Volvo bought the bankrupt company in 1982. So the first Volvo-branded truck (that was formerly White Motor) would be 1982.
The first truck built at NRV was a 1974 White Road Commander 2 built for Yellow Freight. I Was there!
Thanks.