Volvo Construction Equipment and VT LeeBoy have finalized a strategic alliance agreement for LeeBoy to supply certain pavers and road wideners to Volvo dealers under the Blaw-Knox brand. LeeBoy will also take full responsibility for product support of these machines, including the existing field population.
The equipment will be marketed under the Blaw-Knox brand under a five-year brand licensing agreement with Volvo Construction Equipment and distributed through Volvo road machinery dealers who will thus maintain access to these models in order to continue serving their customers in a variety of road development operations.
“The agreement with LeeBoy enables Volvo to concentrate its road machinery technical and engineering expertise and production operations on high-volume Volvo paving, compaction and motor grader equipment that serves our industrial and commercial customer bases,” said Göran Lindgren, president of Volvo Construction Equipment North America, in a written statement.
“In addition, this strong relationship fosters other growth opportunities for the Blaw-Knox brand, which will give Volvo Construction Equipment dealers in North America, Australia and New Zealand access to the broadest product offering of any manufacturer in the asphalt paving industry.”
Production of upgraded and redesigned Blaw-Knox road wideners (models RW100 and RW195D) and pavers (models PF150 and PF161) is expected to begin within the next few months at the LeeBoy production facilities in Lincolnton, N.C.
“It is with a great deal of pride that we have announced the agreement to our employees. Blaw-Knox is one of the most prominent road building brands in North America. We look forward to working with the Volvo Construction Equipment distribution channel to provide Blaw-Knox commercial pavers and road wideners for their customers,” said LeeBoy’s President and CEO, Kelly Majeskie.
Volvo Construction Equipment, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction equipment and road machinery, acquired the Blaw-Knox product line in its purchase of the Ingersoll Rand road machinery business in 2007.