In 1991 AB Åkermans Gjuteri & Mekaniska Verkstad became a part of VME Group.
After building excavators since 1939 Åkermans experienced engineers started working under a new brand, Volvo, in 1997.
In 1998 Samsung Heavy Industries Construction Equipment Division in Korea was acquired.
In 1999 the first two models EC210 and EC240 were launched. They were built in the modern Changwon factory in South Korea. They were productive and reliable machines with even better operator comfort, servo-assisted hydraulics and new attachment bracket amongst other improvments.