Dennis Eagle

Dennis Eagle Limited is an English bin lorry manufacturer owned by Terberg Environmental.

Dennis Eagle

Company type	Manufacturer
Industry	Automotive
Predecessor	Dennis Specialist Vehicles Eagle Engineering
Founded	1907
Headquarters	Warwick, England , United Kingdom
Number of locations	10 service centers (UK) 2 manufacturing sites (UK)
Key people	Keith Day (Director) Jon Sayers (Engineering Director)
Products	Garbage truck Chassis cab Commercial vehicle
Parent	Royal Terberg Group, 2016 Ros Roca, 2007 NatWest Equity Partners, 1999 Hestair Group/Dennis Specialist Vehicles, 1971
Subsidiaries	Dennis Eagle Inc Terberg Matec UK

Overview

2021 Elite 6 chassis with an Olympus body

2011 Elite 2 chassis with an Olympus body

2003 Elite 2 chassis with the Phoenix 2 body

Elite chassis with the Phoenix body

Before operations were merged with Terberg 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 and chassis assembly took place at the Warwick headquarters, with cabs built at the additional manufacturing facility in Blackpool. 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]

History

The formation of Dennis Eagle

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 of Warwick, 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 of the 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 when Hestair Group bought Yorkshire Vehicles Limited in Leeds and Eagle Engineering Co in Warwick.^[3] Six months later, Hestair bought Dennis 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 in Guildford. 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]

Expansion and split from Dennis Group

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 (from Hestair Group, to Trinity Holdings, to Dennis Group, to Mayflower Corporation) Dennis Eagle was sold in July 1999 to NatWest 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 by ABN Amro.^[12]

Merger with Ros Roca and the Royal Terberg Group

In 2007, Dennis Eagle was purchased by Ros 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 and Terberg 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 in Summerville, South Carolina.^[17]

In 2024, Dennis Eagle sold a record breaking 151 new Elite+ vehicles to Birmingham City Council.^[18] These new vehicles aim to replace the councils outdated vehicles that are beyond their operational lifespan.

Dennis Eagle (Europe)

Headquartered in Warwick, 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 with Volvo 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 its Euro 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 (North America)

Dennis Eagle Inc, also known as Dennis Eagle US, began production of the ProView chassis at a new facility in Summerville, 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 Australia

Dennis Eagle produces chassis for the Australian market at its headquarters in Warwick, England. These are shipped to Australia are distributed by boat and sold by Penske 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 an automated 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]