Daimler’s North American headquarters in Portland, Ore., on July 23, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
Just weeks after opening a brand new $40 million engineering hub, Daimler Truck, the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, said it will move truck manufacturing out of Portland to facilities in North and South Carolina.
Daimler plans to shut down its truck manufacturing plant by the end of this year. However, the company said it will continue to build new trucks for testing in Portland. The move will affect about 375 Daimler employees.
Daimler’s announcement marks a blow for Portland’s economy at a pivotal moment. The Rose City has been slower to rebound from the pandemic than other cities. Oregon lost 4,600 manufacturing jobs last year.
Daimler Truck North America informed employees Wednesday the company plans to relocate truck manufacturing operations “as part of a broader effort to optimize its production network and align resources with future business needs.”
The company’s message stated Daimler will help affected employees find other roles at the company.
“Our commitment to Portland remains strong,” the company said in its message to employees. “Portland will continue to serve as DTNA’s North American headquarters and a key center for engineering, innovation, product development, testing, and validation.”
In addition to its Portland facilities, Daimler North America has five assembly plants across North and South Carolina, and three in Mexico.
On a recent tour of Daimler’s new engineering hub, a company spokesperson said across the country Daimler manufactures about 800 trucks a day.
The company has had headquarters in Portland since the early 1980s and traces its truck manufacturing on Swan Island to the 1940s. Today the company employs more than 3,000 people in the Portland region.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of Daimler Truck North America. OPB regrets the error.
