Leyland Trucks: Manufacturer celebrates 25 years with special lunch for 1,000 staff

The deal has allowed Leyland Trucks to become the leading commercial vehicle manufacturer in Europe, and to mark the milestone, a special lunch has been held for 1,000 staff.

26 scenes capturing life for workers at Leyland DAF in the 90s and 00s

In 1998 when Leyland Trucks were acquired by PACCAR, approximately 9,000 trucks were rolling off the production line per year. From 1999 -2023, just short of £120M of capital investment has been delivered into Leyland Trucks.

These continued improvements and investments have culminated in the international delivery of 19,800 DAF vehicles from the manufacturing plant last year.

A spokesman said: “But it’s not all about just looking after the factory and equipment. Over the same 25-year period, PACCAR has made £144M of special payments into the PACCAR UK Pension Plan.

"These payments ensured a positive funding position for all members – active, deferred, and pensioners alike – to provide longevity, stability, and security for pension plan members, investing in not only their futures but that of their families too.

"Here's to celebrating the Silver Anniversary together and looking forward to the next big celebration.”

History of Leyland Trucks

Leyland Trucks can trace its origins back to the original Leyland Motors, which was founded in 1896, and subsequently evolved into British Leyland.

After British Leyland became the Rover Group in 1986, the truck business was spun off and merged with DAF Trucks to form DAF NV, operating as Leyland DAF in the UK.

After DAF NV was placed in administration in 1993, Leyland DAF was purchased in a management buyout and rebranded Leyland Trucks. It has been a subsidiary of Paccar since 1998.