Redford, Michigan, US: Western Star Trucks celebrates its 40th anniversary at the end of 2007. Tracing its roots back to 1967, Western Star Trucks has a rich history producing rugged logging and mining vehicles that work in tough environments around the world.

"For the last 40 years, Western Star has built trucks with a level of craftsmanship and customisation that is unique in the industry," said Ann Demitruk, director of marketing for Western Star Trucks. "Our premium on-highway and vocational trucks are custom-built for discerning drivers."

Western Star began with engineering and operations located in Cleveland, Ohio, and production in Canada. In the following years, the company was headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia. After it was acquired by Freightliner LLC in 2001, the headquarters relocated first to Cleveland - its original point of origin - and later to Redford, Michigan. The brand's Portland, Oregon manufacturing plant is dedicated to continuing the brand's heritage of building premium, custom-built trucks.

"Steeped in heritage, the brand has certainly come a long way since it's beginnings as White Western Star. Also here in Southern Africa, it has become know as the toughest off-road truck available" said Duncan Prince, Product Manager Western Star, a division of DaimlerChrysler South Africa.

Western Star Trucks, headquartered in Redford, Michigan, produces heavy-duty custom trucks for long-haul and vocational applications. Western Star is a subsidiary of Freightliner LLC. Freightliner LLC produces and markets Class 3-8 vehicles and is part of Daimler's Truck Group, the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Because it is not a standard truck which one could buy off the shelf, only 30 units per day are produced in Portland, USA, and only 30 per year are sold in Southern Africa. These are offered with a Cummins, Caterpillar or Detroit engine in the 350 to 620 hp range linked to Allison automatic transmissions and Meritor axles, and several cab options.

The vehicles for the Southern African market have components that are common to the Freightliner Argosy. Built in Portland also, they are shipped to a specialised equipment supplier, fitted and tested, then shipped out to SA by ro-ro ship for offloading in Durban. In addition, the local Western Star division will do whatever modifications to make it SABS compliant (reflective tape, mudflaps, etc.), and homologate if necessary before delivery to the customer.

Main distribution is handled by Liebherr Africa, which sells all the big mining and on-highway mining support trucks from four branches. Six depots take care of field services. On-highway sales and back-up service are handled by the Freightliner dealer network through 17 servicing outlets.