President Joe Biden visited the Volvo Group Powertrain Operations facility in Hagerstown, Maryland, on Oct. 7 for National Manufacturing Day. Biden met with Volvo Group executives, toured the facility, and spoke with employees during the event.
“Where is it written that America can’t be the leading manufacturer in the world again?” Biden said. “I’m here at this Volvo plant to thank the workers and management for building heavy-duty engines, transmissions, axles for trucks and buses, and parts of the electric vehicles of the future.”
See also: Volvo ‘ecosystem’ takes on tall task of EV charging
During the past 10 years, the Volvo Group has invested nearly $320 million into the site. The Hagerstown campus manufactures equipment for Mack Trucks, Volvo Trucks, Prevost motorcoaches, and Volvo Buses sold in North America. It also recently began production of the modular power boxes that are at the heart of Volvo Group’s new zero-emission battery-electric vehicles, the Volvo VNR Electric and Mack LR Electric models.
The Hagerstown campus employs about 1,700 people, with about 350 people having been hired into manufacturing and engineering positions over the last two years, and it has about 120 open positions.
“The Volvo Group is very pleased to host President Biden at our Volvo Group Powertrain Operations today on National Manufacturing Day,” said Martin Weissburg, chairman of Volvo Group North America and Mack Trucks president. “National Manufacturing Day recognizes modern manufacturing, and our Hagerstown site exemplifies that as it provides advanced transportation technologies to meet customer needs today and in the future.”
President Biden toured the modular power box assembly, subassembly, and testing areas while on campus.
“President Biden’s visit to our Hagerstown location highlights the importance of manufacturing to our U.S. economy and helps encourage people to pursue a career in manufacturing,” said Marcus Minkkinen, vice president and general manager at Volvo Group Powertrain Operations in Hagerstown. “Our site offers great jobs in a modernized facility that is transforming the transportation industry.”
