DAF Trucks Vlaanderen celebrates 60 years of production in Belgium

Sixty years after production first began, DAF Trucks Vlaanderen ranks among the most advanced automotive manufacturing facilities in Europe. What started in 1966 with the production of truck cabs has grown into an ultramodern factory for both cabs and axles, playing a key role within DAF Trucks’ international production network. With continuous investments in technology, sustainability, and employees, DAF holds a vital industrial position in Belgium.

In order to meet the increasing demand for DAF trucks, the production facilities needed to be expanded in the mid-1960s. Although there was enough space at the Eindhoven site, labour availability was limited. DAF therefore chose the Belgian Kempen region, where – following the closure of mines and regional diamond-cutting-workshops – a large labour force was available. Along the A13 highway at Oevel, a 400,000 m² area was acquired. The purchase contract was signed the day before Christmas 1964. Construction of a 12,000 m² factory began almost immediately, and it became operational in the first half of 1966.

‘Made in Belgium’

Since 1966, DAF trucks have been for an important part ‘Made in Belgium’, as the first four cabs came off the production line on 5 May of that year. Production increased rapidly, as evidenced by the fact that already on 5 July, the 1,000^th cab was transported from Oevel to Eindhoven. On 26 August, DAF Vlaanderen proudly reported that it was already able to produce ‘any type of cab’. In the meantime, the new paint shop was already running at full speed. After two impressive Müller presses were relocated from Eindhoven to Belgium on 1 December – a job that took two months – the factory finally became genuinely ‘self-supporting’. Just a few months later, DAF already decided to expand the cab factory preparing for the introduction of a whole new generation of trucks with revolutionary tilting cab in 1968.

In the axle factory, fully automated production lines have been introduced over the past decade to increase output, further improve quality, and further optimise working conditions. The axle paint shop was completely modernised, with advanced robots drastically reducing paint consumption and environmental impact.

‘Factory of the Future’
It is precisely this combination of continuous investment in technology and innovation, together with a strong focus on sustainability and ergonomic working environments, that led Agoria – the Belgian technology federation – to name DAF Vlaanderen ‘Factory of the Future’ in 2024.

Production based on customer orders
Just like all other DAF factories, DAF Vlaanderen produces axles and cabs ‘sequential’ in accordance with the ’just-in-time’ principle. This means that cabs and axles are delivered to the DAF assembly plant in Eindhoven and to Leyland Trucks in Great Britain at exactly the right moment and in the right sequence, based on customer orders. The PACCAR Production System assumes that there is always room for further improvement and that employees know better than anyone else how their jobs can be done even better, more intelligently and more efficiently.

In 2021, the 3 million^th axle produced in Westerlo came off the production line; this year, DAF Vlaanderen will manufacture its 1.5 million^th cab.

“Fantastic recognition”
“Sixty years of production in Belgium is a tribute to the generations of employees who have built DAF in Westerlo into what it is today: an ultramodern, future-focused production site. And, of course, it is also a fantastic recognition for our 2,000 employees and 1,000 suppliers, including around 400 in Belgium,” stated Jos Habets, member of the DAF Board of Management and responsible for Production. “Thanks to their dedication and commitment, we are able to build trucks that lead the industry in terms of reliability, comfort, and quality. With our ongoing investments in DAF Trucks Vlaanderen N.V., our Belgian factory has a bright future ahead.”