International Boosts Heavy Truck Production

Jul 31, 2001 12:00 PM

In a move designed to align production schedules with retail demand, International Truck and Engine Corporation, Warrenville, Illinois, announced today that it will boost production of Class 8 heavy trucks at its Chatham, Ontario, Canada, assembly plant to 60 units per day from the present 43 units per day, according to information from the company. The new schedule is effective September 4 and will result in the recall of nearly 200 workers.

The company said the increase puts production at a level that more closely matches current retail demand. For the past year, International has been producing below retail demand and dealer inventories have reached a level that will allow this increase.

In making the announcement, the company emphasized that the production boost and employee recall does not signal an end to the severe weakness in demand for new commercial trucks. In addition to general economic conditions and high diesel fuel prices, one of the causes of the market weakness has been a glut of good late model used trucks on the market and the oversupply has not diminished.