PACCAR Inc. is getting a boost from international markets, thanks in part to demand for more efficient and specialized vehicles that the company is producing, particularly in Europe. Demand for the smaller, more efficient engines is also trending up in North America.

The company’s Renton plant is increasingly devoted to producing “off-road” vehicles used in forestry and other sectors involved in natural resource  in places like China, Indonesia and Australia.

In addition to its multiple production facilities in North America, the Bellevue-based company has subsidiaries which manufacture trucks in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and in Brazil where a new 300,000 square foot factory is soon to be completed. PACCAR generates around half of its revenue outside the United States.

PACCAR expects demand for these smaller more efficient engines to rise as builders look for cheaper ways to supply the growing number of construction sites in the U.S. Such innovations are helping PACCAR trucks remain some of the most in-demand trucks across the globe.

Bellevue’s PACCAR, the third largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in the world, is currently displaying its DAF CF truck at the Delhi AutoExpo in New Delhi, India. The automotive show is the largest of its kind in the country, which is home to one of the fastest growing truck markets in the world. The auto show presents an excellent opportunity for PACCAR to showcase one of its most successful products to potential customers, dealers, and suppliers in India.

The DAF CF truck on display in India is equipped with a PACCAR 180-horsepower engine and is designed for tractor and vocational configurations. It is manufactured by the Dutch division of PACCAR, the leading truck manufacturer in Europe which sells its trucks to over 1,000 dealer locations worldwide.

PACCAR also established a new technical center in Pune, India last October in partnership with KPIT Cummins, a global IT consulting firm. The center is hoping to employ up to 200 employees and will focus on providing information technology and component sourcing to its global engineering and IT organizations.

PACCAR Inc, one of the world’s largest builders of heavy duty long haul truck, is planning to open a new factory in Brazil.

PACCAR’s DAF brand was chosen to sell in the Brazilian market due to the popularity of the “cab over” truck in South American countries. According to PACCAR’s treasurer Robin Easton, the competitors in Brazil are European brands which PACCAR competes with in other markets.

With high population and economic growth, Brazil is an attractive market for the company’s international expansion. Brazil represents a significant business partner of Washington state, becoming our 11th largest export market in 2008.

PACCAR is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. It is the third largest manufacturer of heavy duty trucks in the world.

The onslaught of the 2008 recession hit PACCAR hard when the on-highway truck production reached a near deadlock. However, national trucking fleets are aging and need to be replaced allowing PACCAR to steadily increase production and bounce back. 2010 saw a 27% increase in units compared to 2009. By this time next year projections indicate PACCAR’s employment will be back to pre-recession levels. This job growth will provide of great economic boost for the City of Renton where the plant is located.

PACCAR manufacturers premium commercial vehicles under the Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF nameplates. The company is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.