Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) has sold its compact motorgrader business to Champion LLC, Charlotte, NC, a company organized by Gary Abernathy, manager of the Volvo compact motor grader product line since 1997.

Abernathy became a manager of the business in 1993 under its previous owner, Champion Road Machinery Ltd., which was acquired by Volvo CE in 1997.

The acquisition by Champion LLC of the Volvo CE compact motorgrader product line, which consists of the Volvo G60, Volvo G66, Volvo G80 and Volvo G86, was effective July 1, 2004. The products will be marketed by the new company under the “Champion” brand as models C60, C66, C80, and C86. Champion LLC will manufacture the line of compact graders at the present production facilities in Charlotte.

The compact motorgrader product line is well established in the North America market –– sales in 2003 were nearly $4.5 million –– and all Volvo CE dealers will have the opportunity to retain the distribution rights to the equipment from Champion. Volvo CE will continue to support all Volvo-branded compact motorgraders in accordance with the Volvo CE warranty policy, and the current parts ordering process managed by the compact motor grader facility in Charlotte will remain in effect.

Champion LLC will be responsible for parts and customer support for Volvo compact motorgraders that are out of warranty. Compact motor graders built by the Charlotte production facility after July 1 will carry the Champion brand.

This sale of the compact motor grader product line will have no effect on the manufacture and marketing of the G700B Series motorgrader product range that is manufactured by Volvo Motorgraders in Goderich, Canada.

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