Foden Trucks

Shortly after the turn of 20th Century the experimental steam lorries were first produced. The first commercially successful type of diesel lorry was introduced in the 1931. In the year 1948 a complete range of FE and FG lorry were introduced, with the availability of new Foden FD6 two-stroke diesel engine. The engine become the standard engine for the heavy lorry models. The S18 FE6/15 Rigid Eight-Wheeler consist of the Foden FD6 two-stroke diesel engine and there was a option for the Gardner 6LW-engined version. In 1958, lightweight glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) was introduced which was used in the cab production. The first Foden GRP cab was styled in the S21 model. The S21 was most popular with the nickname as "Mickey Mouse".

A massive new production facility was developed in the early 1970s The new plant was designed for an annual capacity of 6,000 trucks, based on an expectation of a continued boom in truck sales and exports.  Foden struggled as its home market continued to be depressed. It was 1977–78 before Foden returned to reasonable profitability. After a period in receivership in 1980 the company was acquired by the American firm PACCAR and is now a division of that company. Foden specialised in highly customisable trucks, offering any paint, any drivetrain available, and even a split windscreen. Kenworth C500 oilfield trucks were also built in small numbers at the Sandbach plant.