A Rokbak RA40 hauling overburden in Alberta, Canada.

As the year draws to an end, the total global articulated hauler market is expected to close at over 9,000 units for 2025, which is down on the previous year when 10,300 trucks were sold across all brands. Some markets have declined, such as North America, which is by far the biggest market for articulated haulers, while others, such as the UK, Africa and Italy, increased. Despite the global reduction, 2025 was still a good year for Rokbak with customers choosing the company's ADTs for their reliability, durability and low fuel consumption. There were sizable orders – such as 25 RA30s sold to an infrastructure contractor in the US – and expansion into new markets thanks to new dealer partnerships.

This year Rokbak continued to strengthen its European dealer network in line with its expansion plans. The articulated hauler manufacturer partnered with DIR International Trading in Spain and Portugal and Idromac in Italy, where demand for articulated dump trucks has risen steadily since 2021, increasing by around 10% annually. The expectation for Italy is that more than 100 units across all brands will have been sold nationwide by the end of 2025. Another highlight in Europe was the expansion of Rokbak's dealer in Northern Ireland, Sleator Plant, which now covers the entire Irish market with the establishment of a specially designed €1.2 million depot in north Dublin, built to enhance accessibility and support for customers throughout Ireland.

75 years of manufacturing at Motherwell

There was also plenty to celebrate at the Scottish manufacturer's home, as 2025 marked 75 years of manufacturing excellence at Rokbak's Motherwell facility. Since 1950, the site has evolved, supporting industry innovation, growing a passionate workforce and proudly building some of the world's toughest articulated haulers. The company also recently won the Made in Scotland award for its outstanding contribution to manufacturing. From this, Rokbak has been shortlisted for the Made in Britain awards.

The robust and reliable Scottish-designed and built trucks have been out working hard for customers in demanding conditions across the world. In Canada, three Rokbak RA40 articulated dump trucks are moving thousands of tons of overburden, sand and gravel every week. Brandon Boden, owner of Boden Sand & Gravel, says he is impressed with the trucks' ability to handle anything the pit throws at them, no matter the ground conditions and weather.

"In this business, uptime is everything," says Brandon. "You need equipment that just works, plain and simple. The Rokbak haulers are no-nonsense trucks. They're robust, they're easy on fuel and they don't give us headaches. We run them hard, and they just keep going. That reliability is exactly what we need to keep our promises to our customers."

Not too far away, in the US, similar comments were made about three RA30s working on a residential development where the trucks were praised for their reliability, low fuel consumption and uptime. While at a quarry in Northern Ireland, an RA30 has been called out for its efficiency and productivity, helping to support continued business success.

"As quarry manager, I know first-hand that you have to get the right plant for the job," says Colin Loughran, Loughran Rock quarry manager. "You want something reliable – the less downtime the better. The RA30 has been nothing but reliable, with minimal maintenance requirements and prompt support from the dealer, Sleator Plant, when needed. It's well-made, and it's a good, sturdy machine. In the future, I would not hesitate to use Rokbak again."

A slightly different application that showcases the versatility of the Rokbak RA30 and RA40, is the Hydex adaptation of the ADTs into high-capacity water trucks to meet the growing demand for dust suppression across North America. The venture between Hydex and Rokbak dealer Hills Machinery sees the trucks being upfitted with high-performance water tanks to be deployed across quarries, mines and infrastructure projects under the Hydex banner.

"This is about using a proven platform to meet a pressing and growing need," says Robert Franklin, director of sales – Americas at Rokbak. "The RA30 and RA40 give contractors the power, manoeuvrability and durability they need in a base machine – and now, with this adaptation, we're showing just how far that platform can go."

A Rokbak RA30 being loaded on a housing development project in Utah.

Out and about

Other highlights from the year included meeting customers and dealers at shows, where visitors could see the trucks up close and talk to the Rokbak team. At Nigeria Mining Week, Rokbak and its West Africa dealer HMD presented the RA40, which attracted substantial interest. The Scottish-made haulers are fast proving to be a smart investment on African mining, quarrying and major infrastructure projects thanks to the trucks' reliability and durability. Earlier in the year, Rokbak and HMD also met with customers at Mining Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa.

"We see a lot of opportunities in West Africa with the mining, quarrying and construction industries performing well," says Guy Wilson, global sales director at Rokbak. "It has been a strong market for us this year, and we expect to see this continue next year."

The RA30 was also at Le Dig Tour in Lyon, highlighting Rokbak's ongoing commitment to the French market, and the Balmoral Show, Northern Ireland's largest agricultural and machinery event.

As was the case in 2025, one of the first events in Rokbak's calendar for 2026 is AED in the US, where the company will meet with its North American dealers and potential new dealer partners. The team will gather valuable feedback from the market, collaborate on strategies to achieve shared goals and capture future opportunities.