Volvo Construction Equipment history

1844 Jean and Carl Gerhard Bolinder found Kungsholmens Gjuteri & Maskin Verkstad in Stockholm, Sweden.

1853 Munktell manufactures Sweden’s first steam locomotive.

1880 Bolinder participates in manufacturing the world’s first submarine in history to fire a torpedo while submerged under water.

1893 Bolinder builds Sweden’s first combustion engine.

1906 Even before the age of the tractor, Munktell starts to build construction machinery, with his first creation a steam-powered road roller.

1913 Munktell produces Sweden’s first tractor.

Since 1927, Volvo has developed from a small local industry to one of the leading suppliers of commercial transport and infrastructure solutions providing products such as trucks, buses, construction equipment, and drive systems for marine and industrial applications.

1932 Bolinder and Munktell’s companies merge to form AB Bolinder-Munktell.

In 1944, Highway Equipment & Supply Co. was established in Harrisburg, PA, as a branch office of Highway Equipment Company of Pittsburgh; it sold concrete mixers, water pumps, air tools, and large Lima cranes and shovels.

A century after Munktell’s start in Eskilstuna, Jean Bolinder himself moved to Eskilstuna and both companies merged under the name AB Bolinder-Munktell, which was later be purchased by Volvo in 1950.

Following Volvo’s ownership of Bolinder-Munktell, 1954 was a monumental year where the company established themselves as construction equipment leaders as they produced their first wheel loader; the H10 was the first of its kind to feature a parallel lift arm system and attachment bracket.

1960 The line of wheel loaders is expanded with the acquisition of Arvika- Thermaenius AB Arvikaverken.

The company continued to develop and experiment with combinations of driven hauler trailers and tractors, and in 1966, they launched the world’s first series manufactured articulated hauler with all-wheel drive.

1973 AB Bolinder-Munktell is renamed Volvo BM.

The following decade saw the company shift focus solely on construction machinery, abandoning the forestry and agricultural sectors in 1977.

1982 Rigid haulers are added to complement the hauler line, following the acquisition of AB Kockum Landsverk.

Continuing to grow, the company partnered with American manufacturer Clark Equipment and integrated itself within the VME group in 1985, opening themselves up the American market.

1995 VME becomes a fully owned Volvo company and changes its name to Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE / VCE). The compact excavator line is extended through the acquisition of Pel-Job.

1997 The road range is initiated as a result of the launch of the motor grader line and the acquisition of Champion Road Machinery.

1998 Acquisition of the construction equipment division of Samsung Heavy Industries.

2002 Launch of new in-house designed backhoe loader.

2005 saw the release of the powerful EC700B – an excavator in the 70-ton class.

2007 Acquisition of Chinese Lingong and Ingersoll Rand road construction.

Volvo CE continued their mission of sustainability as in 2014, they launched of the Construction Climate Challenge (CCC) – an initiative to promote sustainability throughout the entire construction industry value chain.

2016 The world’s largest articulated hauler to date, the Volvo A60H, is introduced.

Volvo CE also teamed up with Skanska on the Electric Site research project in 2017, creating the world’s first emissions-free quarry.

2019 was a big year for the company, with further acquisitions and the announcement of a new range of electric compact excavators and wheel loaders, later showcased at Bauma.

2020 Two electric compact machines now commercially available: the ECR25 Electric and L25 Electric.

2021 Volvo CE unveils Fuel Cell Test Lab to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology.