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| Company type | Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Headquarters | Warwick,, |
Number of locations |
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| Products | |
| Parent |
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Dennis Eagle Limited is an Englishbin lorry manufacturer owned byTerberg Environmental.
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Before operations were merged withTerberg Environmental, Dennis Eagle employed a workforce of over 600 across its two manufacturing sites and service network, which included nine depots as well as mobile engineers based throughout the UK. Body andchassis assembly took place at theWarwick headquarters, with cabs built at the additional manufacturing facility inBlackpool. Producing over 1,000 refuse collection vehicles each year, the company also had an international network of distributors.[citation needed]
In addition to domestic success, Dennis Eagle vehicles are now used globally, with their refuse collection trucks being sold in markets such as Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia, reflecting their growing international presence.[1]
Dennis Brothers had made specialised vehicles for municipal authorities from the early 1920s though they were primarily builders of chassis for buses, fire engines and haulage lorries.
Eagle Engineering Company, agricultural and general engineers ofWarwick, was incorporated in 1907. It made oil and petrol internal combustion stationary engines and some small agricultural equipment and provided municipalities with refuse vehicles and road sweepers and tower lorries at relatively inexpensive prices sometimes built on Dennis chassis. Soon after the start ofthe Great Depression Eagle turned from engines to building road trailers and semi-trailers for articulated vehicles. They also added an electrical and wireless department and produced Chakophone wireless sets until 1936. Ownership changed a number of times during the 1960s.[2]
What would become Dennis Eagle began to form back in the autumn of 1971 whenHestair Group bought Yorkshire Vehicles Limited inLeeds and Eagle Engineering Co in Warwick.[3] Six months later, Hestair boughtDennis Motor Holdings[4] and thereafter managed the businesses as the Vehicle Division of Hestair Engineering. Municipal bodies were made in Warwick by Hestair Eagle (incorporating Yorkshire Vehicles). Municipal chassis were made by Dennis inGuildford. The vehicle cabs were made in Blackpool on the old Dennis coach building site.
Hestair set up a special Environmental Vehicles Division for its waste management activities.[5] In 1985 Hestair moved municipal chassis manufacture from the Dennis plant at Guildford to a new 125,000 square foot plant on the newly built Heathcote Industrial Estate at Warwick. They were joined there by Hestair Eagle's municipal bodies operations which moved across Warwick from Saltisford. The new Dennis Eagle plant was the largest refuse vehicle manufacturing site in Europe.[6][7][8]
In 1991, with Dennis Eagles environmental vehicles now representing around one-third of Hestair's Vehicle Division. Following a management buyout in 1990,[9]Shelvoke & Drewry assets where purchased by Dennis Eagle and they subsequently shut down after honoring their remaining order book.
Following ever increasing changes to Dennis Eagles parent company (fromHestair Group, toTrinity Holdings, toDennis Group, toMayflower Corporation) Dennis Eagle was sold in July 1999 toNatWest Equity Partners after 90 years alongside the other branches of the Dennis Group.[10] The sale included the Blackpool cab production plant, which would still provide cabs for Dennis Fire vehicles built at Guildford until their quiet demise in 2007.[11] The new influx of cash from the sale allowed for greater engineering towards the new Phoenix 2 body, which landed in 2001.
In January 2004, Dennis Eagle was purchased byABN Amro.[12]
In 2007, Dennis Eagle was purchased byRos Roca.[13] The acquisition was driven by Ros Roca's desire for Dennis Eagle's Phoenix 2 body, and once the sale was confirmed they worked with Dennis Eagle to design and introduce the Olympus body. This replaced both companies body product lineup, and Ros Roca subsequently took over engineering control. This left Dennis Eagle primarily as a chassis design team, with a small team of body engineers to contribute UK market demands.
Ros Roca andTerberg Environmental then merged in 2016, forming the Terberg RosRoca Group, with Terberg holding the controlling interest. The various companies within the new group retained their trading names but replaced their logos and payoff with Terbergs.[14][15]
In 2019, Dennis Eagle introduced the eCollect, an all-electric refuse collection vehicle, aimed at reducing emissions and supporting sustainable waste management practices. The eCollect has since been adopted by local authorities in the UK.[16]
In 2021, Dennis Eagle entered the North American market as "Dennis Eagle US" with their new ProView chassis being built at a new facility inSummerville, South Carolina.[17]
In 2024, Dennis Eagle sold a record breaking 151 new Elite+ vehicles toBirmingham City Council.[18] These new vehicles aim to replace the councils outdated vehicles that are beyond their operational lifespan.
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Headquartered inWarwick, UK, this production and engineering site distribute chassis and bodies to the mainly to the UK and Europe.
| From | To | Name | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | ? | Pax (I to V) | Chassis | |
| ? | ? | Paxit (I to IV & Major) | Body | |
| ? | ? | Bulkmaster | Body | |
| 1988 | 1992 | Delta (Municipal) | Chassis | The Perkins Phaser 180 engine and partially synchromeshed Eaton gearbox and improved cab ergonomics reduced the physical demand on the driver while boosting the serviceable lifetime. |
| 1979 | 2001 | Phoenix | Body | Rear loading RCV featuring intermittent 'sweep-slide' packer. Most rode on the Dennis Delta chassis from 1979 to 1992, which used the joint cab design shared with Shelvoke & Drewry (whose corresponding version as known as the "P-type"). |
| 1992 | 2003 | Elite | Chassis | The UK's first low entry cab, replaces the Delta/Municipal chassis.[19] |
| ? | ? | Beta 500[20] | Binlift | |
| 2001 | 2014 | Phoenix 2 | Body | Replacement for the Phoenix, although closely based on the Ex-Cell model. |
| 2003 | 2014 | Elite 2 (Europe)[21] | Chassis | This came with the Cummins ISLe 280 Euro 5 engine.[22] |
| 2010 | 2013 | Renault Access[23] | Chassis | Designed and built by Dennis Eagle in Warwick on behalf of Renault, this vehicle resulted from the alliance withVolvo Group. It was fitted with the Renault DXi 7 Euro 5 engine with a power rating of 270 hp or 310 hp. It was first sold in France in 2010 before being gradually becoming available on other European markets.[23] Production ceased around 2013 with the introduction of the Dennis Eagle Elite 6, which came with the Euro 6 compliant Volvo D8K engine. |
| ? | Current | Beta 2[24] | Binlift | |
| 2010 | Current | Olympus[25] | Body | A minor upgrade from the Phoenix 2 resulting from the merger with Ros Roca. Available in many sizes. |
| 2010 | Current | Olympus Twin Pack[25] | Body | Two body compartments that can individually hold different types of waste. |
| 2010 | Current | Olympus Duo[25] | Body | Two waste compartments. Essentially a smaller Olympus with a pod at the front. |
| 2010 | Current | Olympus Mini[25] | Body | Compact version of the Olympus intended to be mounted on smaller chassis. |
| 2012 | Current | Olympus One Pass[25] | Body | Three waste compartments. Essentially a smaller Olympus Twin Pack with a pod. |
| 2013 | 2021 | Elite 6 (Europe) | Chassis | The name reflects itsEuro 6 compliance. |
| 2019 | Current | eCollect[26] | Chassis | World's first OEM Electric RCV. Based on the Elite 6 architecture. |
| 2021 | Current | Elite+[27] | Chassis | Engineered with the same power train as the Elite 6, the Elite+ features an innovative redesign of the cab. It has a revolutionary flat interior and modern ergonomic controls, with lower and more open passenger access than the Elite 6.[27] It also upgrades to noise dampening, ambient lighting, luggage storage, visibility, comfort, and 4[citation needed] cup holders. |
| 2025 | Current | Olympus Midi[28] | Body | Engineered by Ros Roca in Spain, it fits on to the 12-16 tonne category of vehicles (like the DAF XB series or an Iveco Eurocargo), these bodies store either 9.8 m³ (OL-MIDI 10), 10.8 m³ (OL-MIDI 11), or 11.8 m³ (OL-MIDI 12) depending on the chassis wheelbase.[28] |
Dennis Eagle Inc, also known as Dennis Eagle US, began production of the ProView chassis at a new facility inSummerville, South Carolina[17] in 2021. The plant manufactures ProView chassis for dealerships and distributors in the USA and Canada.
| From | To | Name | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Current | ProView | Chassis | The ProView chassis is designed specifically for the North American market. Derived from the Elite 6, it offers driver visibility and safety, with a design fully tailored to meet American needs. This includes stronger chassis rails, a more powerful Cummins powertrain, and sourced parts from American suppliers. |
Dennis Eagle produces chassis for the Australian market at its headquarters inWarwick,England. These are shipped to Australia are distributed by boat and sold byPenske Australia & New Zealand.
| From | To | Name | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | 2022 | Elite 2 (Australia) | Chassis | Had the same power train and interior as the European market, but had a modified cab structure with rear windows[citation needed]. Unlike in Europe, these commonly came equipped with dual controls (steering wheel and pedals) to give better visibility when using anautomated side loader. |
| 2022[29] | Current | Elite 6 (Australia) | Chassis | Unlike the European Elite 6, it came equipped with a Cummins ISB B6.7 E6C 290 bhp Euro 6 engine to align with the preferences, parts availability, and expertise of Australian mechanics.[30] |
Media related toDennis Eagle at Wikimedia Commons
