DAF Trucks

DAF is a Dutch automobile company, with its main offices in Eindhoven.

The DAF company was founded in 1932, when a machine construction company led by Huub and Wim van Doorne, changed its name to Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek (Van Doorne's Trailer Factory), abbreviated DAF.

In 1949, the company started producing trucks and buses, changing its name to Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek (Van Doorne's Automobile Factory). In 1958, DAF produced its first passenger car with a continuously variable automatic transmission, the Variomatic.

The division of DAF producing passenger cars was sold to the Swedish company Volvo Cars in 1975, leaving DAF to concentrate on its successful line of trucks. The car factory is currently 100% owned by Mitsubishi and is known as Netherlands Car B.V or NedCar.

History

It all started on the 1st of April 1928 when Huub van Doorne founded the "Commanditaire Vennootschap Hub van Doorne´s Machinefabriek". WorkshopCo-founder and investor was Huenges, managing director of a brewery. Hub van Doorne had repaired Huenges´ car several times. Huenges was so pleased with his work that he offered to lend him money if he wanted to start for his own. Hub started to work in a small workshop on the grounds of the brewery. In 1932 the name of the company was changed to "Van Doorne´s Aanhangwagenfabriek NV". Four years later Huub´s younger brother Wim entered the company. Another four years later Huenges left. The Daf company was now completely in the hands of Huub and Wim van Doorne. After the second World War, luxury cars and trucks were very scarce. This meant a big opportunity for DAF. In 1949 they started the manufacturing of trucks and trailers. From 1957 onwards, they produced their own engines.