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Volvo Trucks Receives 'Designs of the Decade' Award

1 December 1999

Volvo Trucks Receives 'Designs of the Decade' Award; Honor Recognizes Premier Design, Business Excellence    

    GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 30 -- Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.
received a "Designs of the Decade" award from the Industrial Designers Society
of America (IDSA) for its VN Series highway tractor models.  Volvo received
the Silver award in the transportation category at a Washington, D.C. ceremony
at the National Press Club on Nov. 19.
    (PHOTO:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991130/MNTU018 )
    Marc F. Gustafson, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks, and members of the
product design team were on hand to accept the award.  "This honor confirms
our belief that an exceptional design process is a valuable competitive
advantage," he said.
    According to IDSA, winners represent "icons of design from the past ten
years."  Winning designs were required to demonstrate a clear, significant
contribution to a business, such as creating or revolutionizing a market,
improving a company's cost efficiency or significantly increasing sales.
For Volvo Trucks, the VN Series boosted sales by 63 percent -- from 22,000
units in 1997 to 36,000 units in 1999.  In total, more than 60,000 VN models
have been sold or ordered.
    Volvo was one of 36 winners in seven categories.  Other products honored
for innovation and excellence in design included the Apple iMAC computer, IBM
ThinkPad computer and the new Beetle from Volkswagen.  The award program was
sponsored by Business Week magazine.
    "As part of the world's first global platform for commercial trucks, the
design advances in the VN Series have affected the entire trucking industry,"
Gustafson said.  "We have ushered in a new era of technologically advanced,
comfortable, safer trucks that drivers love to drive."
    According to a customer satisfaction study conducted by Louis Harris &
Associates, an independent market research firm, the Volvo VN Series was rated
"highest" for overall quality.  Owners also rated the VN best in six
categories, including driver comfort, interior design and overall styling.
    According to Ruben Perfetti, manager of product design for Volvo Trucks,
the VN Series design relied heavily on input from truck drivers.  As a result,
the new product offers increased driver comfort, improved ride and handling
and advanced safety features.
    "With the VN, we introduced a premium product that is the envy of the
industry," said Perfetti.  "We wanted to be known for building the most
advanced trucks in the world.  With the VN Series, we made that a reality."
    Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. manufactures commercial trucks and
tractors, including the VN Series, Autocar(R) and Xpeditor(R).  Since late
1996, more than 60,000 Volvo VN Series trucks have been ordered and sold, half
of which have come from new accounts.
    The company leads the heavy-truck industry in the areas of safety research
and development, quality manufacturing processes and environmental care.
Volvo Trucks also markets heavy-duty diesel engines and rear suspensions.
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., Volvo Trucks is an affiliate of Volvo Truck
Corporation, Gothenburg, Sweden.