Demonstrating its confidence in the Australian transport industry, PACCAR is working to double the size of its factory facility at Bayswater. This project is well underway, with a capital outlay of $37m and is nearing completion. We are proud to be affiliated with PACCAR, and share their vision for a strong transport industry in our country and the pivotal support it brings to our economy.

Australian manufactured and assembled Kenworth and DAF trucks continue to roll off the production line at Bayswater. This is not only supporting our customer demand but also maintaining thousands of local jobs at the factory, component supplies to PACCAR, and those in our dealer network.

The Bayswater site expansion has so far seen the completion of a new 400-space staff car park and, in preparation for the installation of a 2.1 metre Framing Robotic Cell in late 2020, the completion in September, of a 20 metre extension to the main plant.

The $37m investment, first announced at the DAF Australian assembly launch in August last year, includes a 1,500 square metre factory extension, with upgrades to the paint shop, featuring four new paint robots, and improved layouts for frame, cab build, cab trim, engine assembly and final line stations. To allow for more production space, the final test operation is also being relocated away from the main plant. A new 9,300 square metre on-site warehouse will be constructed too, providing greater on site storage for components and a reduction in lead time for parts.

Expansion of the facility is planned to significantly increase local assembly of DAF models, allowing trucks to be better tailored to Australian requirements. By 2022, production capacity at Bayswater will double and the goal is for DAF models to consume a considerable portion of that extra capacity.

The factory is now back in full swing, and while demand has remained steady through the COVID crisis, please be aware that building lead times have now extended to the start of October 2020. The project, planned for completion in 2021, will coincide with PACCAR Australia’s 50^th year of manufacturing in Australia and will increase efficiency, quality and safety measures and enable future growth plans in producing Kenworth and DAF Trucks at home, here in Australia.