Freightliner Trucks
Freightliner Trucks is a truck brand of Daimler AG, which owns the premium automobile brand of Mercedes Benz. Freightliners are manufactured in the United States, in Canada and Mexico applications.
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1942 (as Freightliner Inc) |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Key people | Roger M. Nielsen, President, CEO John O'Leary, CFO |
| Products | Commercial Vehicles, Luxury vehicles |
| Owner | Daimler AG (since 1981) |
| Parent | Daimler Trucks North America |
| Website | freightliner |
History
Freightliner began in 1929. Following the founding of cons (CF) in Portland, Oregon, company founder Leland James set up a company division to produce semi tractors for company use.
In line with the company name, during the 1930s, Freightways Manufacturing began to brand its truck production under the "Freightliner" name. In addition to their shorter length, the trucks underwent weight reduction to maximize use of engine power (needed to climb mountain grades in the western United States).
In 1942 the company was founded and Leland James renamed it to Freightliner Corporation. As part of the launch, the company debuted the first truck with an all-aluminium cab. Shifting to military production during World War II, Freightliner resumed truck production in 1947. In 1949, Freightliner sold its first vehicle outside of CF (to Portland-based forklift manufacturer hyster. The vehicle is preserved in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C.
