Rokbak – the new name for Terex Trucks – conveys strong performance and reliability, two of the manufacturer’s long-standing core values. It’s also a name that represents both the company’s many decades of hauling heritage as well as its new direction.
“A new name means a new beginning,” Paul Douglas explains. “But that doesn’t mean we forget the past. We’re proud of our history and how it has brought us to this point. The wealth of knowledge and expertise we offer has been forged from hard work over the years. We’ve come a long way in recent times and made significant improvements to our products and processes. We have lots of ambitious plans for the future as an important part of the Volvo Group. And that means the time is right to seize our future under a new brand name.”
Paul Douglas embodies the heritage and experience that Rokbak is all about. He grew up just down the road from the factory in Motherwell, Scotland, where he started as a graduate engineer 35 years ago. Today, he can look back at 10 years as managing director of the company.
“Terex Trucks has been a huge part of my life,” he says. “And I’ve seen so much progress and evolution within the company over the years. A big part of our success is down to our ability to stay relevant, providing our customers with strong products and playing a leading role in our industry. That’s what you’ll continue to see us do under the new brand.”
Formed by a tradition of hard work
While the Rokbak name is new, the company comes from a long hauling heritage that can be traced back to 1934 when Euclid Road Machinery Company built the world’s first off-road dump truck. Euclid was bought by General Motors (GM) in the 1950s, and the brand name was changed to Terex in the 1960s. General Motors sold the Terex division in 1992, which saw the formation of Terex Corporation. Then in 2014, Volvo Group purchased the Terex off-highway truck line, kickstarting a modern transformation of the company.
Terex Trucks was established as a division of Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and over the next seven years, millions of pounds were invested into the company. This saw the improvement of products and services, skills development for the Terex Trucks team and an impressive modernisation of the facility in Motherwell. The factory was updated with lots of new tooling and machinery, with large welding robots and CNC machines installed on the factory floor.
For anyone visiting the production plant today, one thing becomes clear very quickly: the people who work here are a driven, close-knit team with a huge passion for building these high quality, solid and dependable haulers. Many employees stay at the company for years, and in some cases the know-how has been passed down through generations of the same family.
This hauler has your back
Decades of experience and unwavering dedication to excellence go into every machine that rolls off the production line. Focus and specialization are an advantage, too, as the company only manufactures one thing – rock-solid articulated haulers. Because of this, the team has been able to concentrate on ensuring their products are the most productive, efficient, and reliable haulers ever built.
“Our customers are business-focused people who run the toughest worksites in the world,” says Scott Pollock, global product manager. “We know they need no-nonsense, hardworking machines. Their productivity relies on us, and we’re a dedicated partner that’s got their back, day after day.”
The haulers now come with livery of the new brand, and the Rokbak colours add a little flair to these exceptional performers. With their foundation in the predecessor models from Terex Trucks, the 28-tonne (30.9-ton) payload RA30 and 38-tonne (41.9-ton) payload RA40 are specifically designed for reliability. Maintaining the experienced design, craft, and precision they were built on, the haulers are robust performers that offer maximum uptime and productivity. Thanks to the significant investments and improvements in design and production under the Volvo Group, they now deliver better fuel economy, lower emissions, improved safety, and greater durability.
In early 2021, the company introduced its Stage V haulers, and these machines boast a reduction of up to 7% in fuel consumption when compared to the Stage IV engine. And this isn’t the only improvement: equipped with a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT), the Stage V engine allows for faster response at all engine speeds and an efficient combustion performance. All of this helps boost efficiency, and customers benefit from haulers that can power through hard work with ease, increasing jobsite productivity for owners no matter how tough the conditions.
Other recent product improvements include a new transmission on the 28-tonne machine, which, again, further reduces fuel consumption. The introduction of long-life transmission fluid means extended oil change intervals. For the RA30, the maintenance interval is now 4,000 hours, while for the RA40’s transmission, an oil change interval of 6,000 hours is recommended. By extending the maintenance life of the actuation hydraulic fluid to 4,000 hours, Rokbak engineers have increased machine uptime and delivered reductions in the consumption and disposal of fluids for customers, which helps them minimise the environmental impact of their operations.
Smart investment
Another significant product improvement of recent years has been the introduction of the Haul Track telematics system, which allows operators to track and manage their machine’s performance. Rokbak has also invested in componentry and upgraded hydraulic hoses, electrical interfaces, transmission mountings and brake pipes, to improve their operational lifespan and the overall durability of the RA30 and RA40.
“A Rokbak hauler is a smart investment”, Paul Douglas says. “They’re top-quality, straightforward machines. We’ve designed our haulers so they’re easy to operate and to maintain, and that means lower cost of ownership for customers.”
A clear vision
The list of improvements the company has made over the last few years is extensive, but like any good specialist, the team never stops learning and will continue optimising its products. Based on an already very healthy order book for the new brand, Rokbak has ambitions to further expand its dealer network and increase market share. “We have a clear vision for where we want to go and who we want to be,” confirms Paul Douglas.
When it comes to customer relationships, the mission is just as clear. In today’s environment, knowing the ins and outs of customers’ businesses is essential, and the team at Rokbak works closely with its dealers and customers to understand the challenges and opportunities they face. Most of these relationships have continued for years, and the bond grows stronger as time goes on. Feedback is always considered and valued within the company, and dealers and customers were among the first to voice their strong support for the new Rokbak brand, as it better recognises the improvements and changes that have taken place at the company.
Rokbak offers a variety of services – from finance solutions to servicing and parts – to help customers and dealers with a wider range of their business activities. The company’s experts can often be found on jobsites, meeting customers, offering support, and learning from first-hand experience. The global network of Rokbak dealers ensures fast delivery of haulers and high-quality support for customers, as well as reliable parts supply. Through Dealer Operating Standards and training, the expanded dealer network delivers consistent service, no matter where in the world it happens to be.
In it for the long haul
As part of its vision for the future, Rokbak is working hard to minimise the environmental impact of its operations. Being a member of the Volvo Group, Rokbak is on a collective mission: to create efficient and sustainable transport solutions so society can prosper.
For Rokbak, this means the Motherwell facility uses energy from 100% renewable energy sources, has an energy saving LED lighting system and is operating within Science-Based Targets and ISO standards. The site is also targeting a CO2 emission reduction and is working towards being landfill-free. “We believe the choices we make today define the world we live in tomorrow,” Paul Douglas says. “And so we work together to turn this belief into reality.”
A big part of Rokbak’s sustainability approach is product enhancements and the development of energy- and fuel-efficient articulated haulers. The recent years have seen huge improvements in the reduction of fuel consumption through the new Stage V engines, the RA30’s transmission as well as load-sense hydraulic systems. But in the coming years, the team in Motherwell will continue to optimise its haulers and increase fuel-efficiency and durability.
“To be honest, I could not be more excited about our journey ahead,” concludes Paul Douglas. “I know the team can’t wait to welcome customers and dealers back to our factory when it’s safe again and show them all the improvements we’ve made over the past few years. We also can’t wait to see our new Rokbak machines working hard for customers at jobsites across the world.”
Sponsored content produced in association with Rokbak
