Volvo CE is stopping production of the Rokbak brand haulers. The firm has faced tough commercial pressures due to the challenging state of the global market although the facility will continue building rigid haulers.
The ADTs were rebranded with the Rokbak name following Volvo CE’s purchase of the Terex range in 2014. Terex was an early pioneer of the ADT, with its three axle 3204 model of the early 1980s being one of the first competitors to Volvo CE’s own range. Other early competitors in the ADT market included DJB in the UK (later bought out by Caterpillar) and Moxy in Norway (for a time made in partnership with Komatsu and later bought out by Develon).
The Terex factory in Motherwell, Scotland, first started producing construction machines in 1950. However, the lineage of the dumptrucks can be traced back to 1934, when Euclid, which had already pioneered the scraper, in the US unveiled the world’s first purpose-built, rigid off-highway dumptruck. Post WWII, the Scottish factory was part of the firm’s plan to expand operations and the Euclid R Series rigid dumptrucks were manufactured at the plant initially, with Euclid scrapers and bulldozers also then being made in the facility. The machines made at the factory were rebranded as Terex in 1968 following ownership changes. Production of the bulldozers and scrapers continued at the factory until the early 1990s, with manufacturing then focussing on the rigid trucks and ADTs. After a massive expansion of its operations and product lines through a series of acquisitions, Terex opted to reduce its gearing and sold off various businesses, including the ADT range, with Volvo CE stepping in to buy the line-up and factory. The rebranding was a success and in 2025, celebrations were held at the facility for the 75th anniversary of the factory’s opening.
But according to Volvo CE, rising operational and supply chain costs, combined with global trade challenges such as the US tariffs, have significantly impacted financial performance, making continued operation unsustainable. Production of Rokbak articulated haulers is expected to stop in the second half of 2026, subject to a consultation process.
The firm says that dedicated support will be available, and customers and dealers will continue to receive aftermarket services support throughout the transition and into the future. A core Rokbak team will remain in place to deliver aftermarket services, including parts, sales, technical support and training.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for our entire company, our valued employees, and our loyal customers and partners,” said Paul Douglas, managing director of Rokbak. “We are extremely grateful for all the support we’ve received over the years. Our focus now is on ensuring a smooth transition, providing ongoing support to our fantastic team, customers and partners, and honouring our commitments.”
“Our haulers are designed and built in Scotland and loaded with generations of experience and pride,” said Douglas. “When we launched the Rokbak brand, it was a hit worldwide and embraced by our team, customers and dealer partners. The trucks became known and loved for their reliability, durability and uptime. This makes it even harder to announce our plans to close the business, but despite extensive efforts, ongoing operations have unfortunately become unsustainable.”
The Rokbak closure is subject to the completion of a collective consultation process, which is expected to conclude by Quarter 3, 2026.
The move follows on from Volvo CE’s sale of its share in the SDLG brand of wheeled loaders and excavators being made in China to its Chinese partner. This also follows on from the Volvo Group’s recent announcement of a substantial investment to be made in the US market. The Volvo Group announced recently that it is building two new factories and a parts facility in the US as well as a factory in Mexico.
