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Business Secretary and industry leader make joint visit to Leyland Trucks

Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable accompanied by Terry Scuoler, Chief Executive of the leading manufacturing industry body the EEF, got behind the wheel of the latest in truck technology during a fact-finding visit to Leyland Trucks today, Thursday 10th January 2013. Both toured the state-of-the-art assembly plant in Lancashire to see the high level of … Continued

Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable accompanied by Terry Scuoler, Chief Executive of the leading manufacturing industry body the EEF, got behind the wheel of the latest in truck technology during a fact-finding visit to Leyland Trucks today, Thursday 10th January 2013.

Both toured the state-of-the-art assembly plant in Lancashire to see the high level of technology employed in what is the UK’s only volume truck assembly plant. They were also able to learn at first hand about the impressive investments made in order to be able to design and produce industry-leading trucks meeting the upcoming Euro 6 emission requirements.

During the visit they drove the brand new DAF XF flagship model due to enter production in April in advance of these new European vehicle emission standards that come into effect at the end of the year.

Speaking during the visit, Dr Cable said: “The UK’s automotive industry is world-class and growing, underpinned by leading businesses like Leyland Trucks that are paving the way in innovation and bolstering exports.

“This is why I committed to working closely with the automotive sector in the Industrial Strategy to develop its strengths like R&D and skills that will help create the right conditions for long-term sustained growth.“

The Euro emissions standards programme was first introduced in the mid 1990s and the new Euro 6 standard has proved to be by far the most technically demanding to meet. It has involved engineering teams at both DAF Trucks in The Netherlands and Leyland Trucks in Lancashire in what is the largest development programme ever undertaken by these companies, both of which are subsidiaries of US truck maker PACCAR Inc.

The result is trucks that will be over 95% cleaner than those that were subject to the Euro 1 legislation almost 20 years ago. DAF trucks built to the Euro 6 standard in Leyland for the UK and European markets will have noxious and particulate emissions that are respectively around 75% and 66% lower than even the latest vehicles on the road.

“In the new DAF XF we have a truck that sets the industry standard for clean emissions, low noise, fuel efficiency, payload and driver comfort.” says Ron Augustyn, managing director of Leyland Trucks. “Meeting this new legislation is vital to our continuing success in expanding DAF’s presence across Europe where it is the fastest growing truck marque.”

“All right hand drive models for the UK market – where DAF is leading the market with a record market share of almost 30% last year – will be built at our highly efficient plant in Lancashire. And it is also here that our team of development engineers are finalizing the development process of the Euro 6 LF distribution truck, which will be produced uniquely at Leyland Trucks and which will be officially unveiled at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham in April, together with the versatile Euro 6 CF series”.

“On behalf of our 1,000 employees I was delighted to welcome Vince Cable and Terry Scuoler to Leyland Trucks to see for themselves the commitment that every one of our people has to building trucks of the highest quality and least environmental impact.”

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