Iveco is Hendy’s second longest-running franchise, after Ford. Hendy has been retailing its vans and trucks since 1976, just a year after Iveco was founded.
It may sound a comparatively new vehicle maker, but its heritage goes back much further. Iveco is the result of series of mergers of leading commercial vehicle brands. An acronym for Industrial Vehicles Corporation, it was founded in 1975. That’s when the commercial vehicle divisions of Fiat, Lancia and fellow Italian maker OM joined forces with German truck maker Magirus-Deutz and French company Unic – all under the Fiat group umbrella.
That merger ensured a rich history of truck making. Magirus-Deutz, for instance, started making commercial vehicles (horse-drawn fire-fighting trucks) in 1866.
Later, Iveco would incorporate Ford’s European truck division and Spain’s Pegaso – one-time builder of well-regarded sports cars, as well as trucks. There would be a British member of the multi-branch family tree: in 1991, Iveco purchased Seddon Atkinson, the Lancashire truck company that first made steam wagons in 1907.
Headquartered in Turin, Iveco has long been a technology innovator, and was a commercial vehicle pioneer of direct-injection diesel engines and of diesels fitted with pollution-reducing EGR (exhaust gas recirculation). It also innovated with common rail diesels on heavy duty trucks. Additionally, it was a leader in natural gas power, diesel-electric hybrid buses and in battery electric power. It remains European market leader in natural gas powertrains.
From its founding, it was part of the Fiat group. As Fiat went through various structural changes – including merging with Chrysler and then joining the Stellantis partnership – so Iveco’s corporate structure has evolved. It is now owned by the Iveco Group, headquartered in Turin and closely affiliated with Fiat.
Its well-regarded vans and trucks enjoy success throughout Europe, China and South America. The Daily van (including electric eDaily), Eurocargo and heavy-duty S-Way truck all have loyal followings from UK businesses.
The Hendy-Iveco partnership now goes back almost 50 years. Hendy currently represents Iveco at 2 outlets.
