BELLEVUE, WA-Truck manufacturer PACCAR Inc. will build a new $400 million powertrain manufacturing and assembly facility in the Southeast United States, with plans for the plant to ramp up in 2009. The company has not yet revealed a specific plant location.

"Strong demand for high-quality DAF, Peterbilt and Kenworth products has resulted in record production and market share for PACCAR worldwide," says PACCAR Chairman, Mark Pigott. "The 400,000-square-foot facility strengthens PACCAR's global manufacturing and assembly capability, and positions PACCAR to capitalize on growing opportunities in North America, Europe and Asia."

According to Pigott, the new facility will “complement” the $2.5 billion that PACCAR has invested over the past decade into the areas of product development, Six Sigma implementation, customer support and information technologies.

"PACCAR has learned from DAF and its customers the performance and cost advantages of installing its own powertrains, as well as the benefits of additional aftermarket parts and service business for our dealers," says company executive vice president Jim Cardillo. "Offering a PACCAR powertrain to our North American customers will provide additional choices in their vehicle specifications."