Transport Operations Cologne Takes Delivery of 35 New Ford F-MAX Trucks

Mar 19, 2025
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COLOGNE, Germany - A very special vehicle handover took place this week at the Niehl plant when the Transport Operations division took delivery of 35 new Ford F-MAX articulated trucks.

The lorries, manufactured in Türkiye by Ford Otosan, will be mainly used within the plant and for transporting materials from Cologne to the port of Vlissingen.

“True to the motto ‘We build Ford, we drive Ford’, our aim was to also use Ford trucks at our production site in Cologne,” reports Markus Gotzen, Manager Transport Operations. "We started with tenders and feasibility studies in 2023, and the first vehicle was ready by the end of 2024 and proved itself excellently in practical tests. The implementation of this project with Ford Otosan in Türkiye, Product Development and F-Trucks Germany is exemplary and shows what is possible together.”

To comply with Germany’s maximum height regulations for tractor units with trailers, each F-MAX is equipped with a variable lift fifth wheel and special lowering tyres.

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    Markus Gotzen, Manager Ford Transport Operations (left) and Bernhard Kerscher, Managing Partner Ford Trucks (right), at the handover ceremony
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It took just 12 months to develop, customise and produce the trucks. Ford Otosan was responsible for the basic configuration while Ford partner Trucks Center Backes from Olzheim took care of the customisation. 

The vehicles were officially handed over to the TOPs team by Bernhard Kerscher, Managing Partner of F-Trucks Germany, on Tuesday.

The new F-MAXs deliver better overall economy and are more technically advanced than the previous fleet at TOPS. The workshop team at N-Halle has been specially trained and equipped with special tools to maintain the new trucks. The plan for next year is to expand the fleet by a further 15 units.

In the future, Ford plans to further expand its cooperation with Ford Otosan and F-Trucks Germany. They are currently working together to implement a test program in Cologne for a hydrogen-powered truck based on the F-MAX.