CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Kenworth truck assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, recently held what has now become the annual Kenworth Truck Parade in downtown Chillicothe.
This year, the parade paid tribute to the plant’s 50th anniversary.
The 2024 Kenworth Truck Parade featured more than 60 new, classic and customized Kenworth trucks, including a vintage 1923 Kenworth and models built in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s through to present day trucks manufactured at the Chillicothe manufacturing plant.
This year’s parade occurred during the plant’s 50th anniversary.
Kenworth Chillicothe officially opened on March 4, 1974, and the plant’s first truck — a Kenworth W900 — rolled off the assembly line a day later.
To commemorate this milestone, the parade was led by the 1923 Kenworth and a very special passenger: parade grand marshal and 50-year Kenworth Chillicothe employee, Dan Murphy. Murphy, a well-known and respected plant employee, was hired just days after the plant first opened in 1974. He began as a production specialist, was promoted to section supervisor, and served as liaison engineer until his retirement in May of this year.
The final truck in the parade was a T680 high-roof sleeper specially wrapped in a design honoring the plant’s anniversary with historical images of Chillicothe, landmarks in the community, photos of the manufacturing plant and past truck parades. The parade concluded with a live performance by The Mantz Brothers band from Nashville on a trailer pulled by the T680 set up as a full-production concert stage.
“The Kenworth Truck Parade has become a beloved June tradition in Ross County, made even more meaningful this year with the opportunity to celebrate 50 years of producing The World’s Best Trucks in Chillicothe,” said Jack Schmitt, Kenworth Chillicothe assistant plant manager. “We are grateful to this incredible community and the drivers who travel from near and far to make this special event so successful year after year.”
Leading up to the truck parade, the Kenworth Chillicothe plant held events at its facility for drivers and their families participating in and attending the parade. Drivers had an opportunity to tour the Kenworth Chillicothe plant to see where many of Kenworth’s trucks are built. The plant also hosted an employee event on the plant’s property during the day of the parade.
To support the local community, the Kenworth Chillicothe plant and the United Way of Ross County teamed up to coordinate a 50/50 raffle, with proceeds going to the United Way of Ross County. During the parade, Kenworth Chillicothe employees and members of the United Way of Ross County walked around the event to sell raffle tickets. The Kenworth Chillicothe plant also raised money for the non-profit organization through sponsorships of the VIP area along the truck parade route. In total, more than $37,540 was donated to the United Way of Ross County.
The Kenworth Chillicothe plant opened in 1974 and is located on a 120-acre site 50 miles south of Columbus, Ohio. The 622,000 square-foot plant features advanced manufacturing technologies, including robotic assembly, and a state-of-the-art paint facility that utilizes the latest technology in the industry.
The multi-level paint facility went into production in October 2021 and is equipped with bell spray head technology that improves the appearance and transfer efficiency of the paint. In 2022, the Kenworth Chillicothe plant received two Manufacturing Leadership Awards for its new Kenworth Paint Facility and Henrob Error Proofing project from the National Association of Manufacturers.
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