Navistar is no more.
The legacy OEM producer of International trucks is returning to its roots. The company announced it will rebrand from Navistar Inc. to International Motors with a refreshed logo and customer solutions focus, effective October 1.
OEM leaders said this rebranding is part of a shift in company strategy to expand beyond truck and powertrain engineering and production. International is shifting its business strategies to focus on transportation solutions and streamlining fleet customer and driver experiences.
“International embodies determination, partnership, and collaboration in meeting every challenge with a solution,” Tobias Glitterstam, International chief strategy and transformation officer, said. “Our new name and look complement the strategic changes we are making to offer enhanced customer experiences.”
While the product remains the core of every customer interaction, International’s complete solutions portfolio will also include services such as parts, maintenance, financing, connectivity, and charging.
With a history of transportation solutions dating back to 1902, the then Chicago-based International Harvester sold its first engine-powered farm tractor in 1906. It followed that up with an early farm pickup-style vehicle called the Auto Buggy in 1908. It grew as a vehicle manufacturer over the next eight decades before rebranding as Navistar International Corp. in 1986 to focus mainly on its commercial truck, bus, and engine businesses. Germany-based Volkswagen parent company Traton AG acquired Navistar in 2021.
Now, more than 120 years after its founding, the International name will again be front and center for the Illinois-based OEM that owned about 14% of the Class 8 vehicle market in 2023, according to the American Truck Dealers trade organization.
The return to International is an acknowledgment of our rich heritage as much as it is an investment in our promising future,” Mathias Carlbaum, the OEM president and CEO, said. “The simplified brand structure, distinct visual identity, and clear strategy to more effectively engage with our customers ensure we can lay claim to another 200 years of success and signals a new phase of our company’s positioning.”