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Mack Trucks annual reports during Alfred J. Brosseau’s tenure 1926 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1926.pdf 1927 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1927.pdf 1928 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1928.pdf 1929 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1929.pdf 1930 - Unavailable 1931 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1931.pdf 1932 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1932.pdf 1933 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1933.pdf 1934 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1934.pdf 1935 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1935.pdf

Insight on one of Mack Trucks’ great leaders During the 1930s, Mack Trucks suffered two serious losses, the tragic death of chief engineer and vice president Alfred Fellows Masury aboard the ill-fated airship USS Akron in April 1933*, and the death of company president Alfred J. Brosseau in September 1936. In November 1916, supported by strong financials, the directors of the International Motor Company elected to reorganize the firm’s corporate structure. In support of this, Alfred Brosseau was chosen in May 1917 to head the company. It was the visionary Brosseau whose steady hand guided the progress of Mack Trucks through two boom and bust economic cycles. The steady expansion of the 1920’s and the insistence upon engineering excellence of all Mack products were, to a great degree, the result of Mr. Brosseau’s understanding and faith in the future of the highway transportation industry, and Mack Truck’s place in it. While overseeing the steady expansion of Mack Trucks, Mr. Brosseau also devoted time to problems affecting the overall automotive industry. He was at various times vice president of the Automobile Manufacturers Association, and represented the A.M.A., and its predecessor the N.A.C.C., on the board of directors of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Brosseau wrote numerous papers and articles on highway and transportation issues, and frequently testified before official and non-official bodies on behalf of the automotive industry. * http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/39563-mack-remembrance-alfred-fellows-masury/?hl=masury --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time Magazine / January 6, 1936 From 1916, Mack Trucks was headed by Alfred J. Brosseau, whose lunch sometimes consisted of a large red apple and six glasses of water. He built up Mack's commanding position in the heavy truck market, and was official spokesman for America’s truckmakers as head of the Automobile Manufacturers Association's truck division. In 1925 under the leadership of Alfred Brosseau, Mack Trucks earnings reached $9.4 million (though sales reached $57 million in 1929), a figure not to be equaled until after World War II. The Brosseau Foundation, headed by Alfred J. Brosseau, President of Mack Trucks, and his wife Mrs. Grace H. Brosseau, was amongst the largest contributors of student aid to the University of Michigan in his former home state. At the time of Alfred’s death in 1936, the Brosseau Foundation had been made 2,531 loans to students amounting to $254, 387.

(Deepest regrets for not posting this last month) Alfred J. Brosseau, 67, Dies – Former Mack Trucks President 1868 - September 24, 1936 Alfred Joseph Brosseau of Greenwich, Connecticut, and a Michigan native, died last night at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York City after a long illness. As President of the Mack Trucks, Inc., Mack Brothers Motor Car Company, International Motor Company, The International Brunswick Motor Company, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and as officer or director in other corporations, he had achieved a prominent position in America’s auto industry. Mr. Brosseau led Mack Trucks from May 15, 1917 to September 23, 1936. In addition to serving as president of the International Motor Truck Corporation, Mr. Brosseau went on to serve as chairman of both the company’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He began his career holding several important posts with farm implement manufacturers. Prior to accepting the top post at the International Motor Truck Corporation, he had been vice president of the Detroit, Michigan-based Federal Motor Truck Company. Mr. Brosseau also was a trustee of the American Surety Company of New York and of the Equitable Trust Company of New York. .

The Atron, FLC and the original Freightliner Business Class conventional (1991-2001) all utilized variants of LN2 "New Generation" COE cab (redesignated as the LK "Light Class" cab in 1988). From 1988, the other Mercedes-Benz' "New Generation" cabs were designated MK (normal class) and SK (heavy class).

Don't get me wrong, the majority of commercial trucks there are diesel. But ethanol is a viable alternative there. Brasil is a very interesting and diverse truck market, one of my favorites.

Trucker’s Blog / October 21, 2015 During Mercedes-Benz’ presentation of new models for 2016, the truckmaker announced that it will discontinue production of the long-serving Atron medium and heavy truck series. Launched in 1989 with the L-1214, LK-1214 and L-1218 leading the way, the series was equipped with OM-366 model engines in both aspirated and turbocharged versions. Adopting the model designation HPN, the conventional cab Atron was designed by Mercedes-Benz in Brazil. In addition to the modern and straightforward design, generous interior space, impressive cab ergonomics and good visibility, the model conquered the national and international market. Another strength of the HPN range was the interchangeability of components between different models of the line trucks, which facilitated the maintenance and replacement parts. A direct successor of the legendary L-1113, the best selling Mercedes-Benz Atron model was the G-1620 launched in 1996. It was the best seller in Brazil for six years. In 2012, the G-1620 was replaced by Atron 2324. Production of the Atron range will ramp down gradually, owing to the anticipated arrival of the Euro-6 emissions standard in Brazil over the 2019-2020 period. After an impressive 26 year production run, the Atron will be replaced by the more advanced Atego and Axor ranges. Related reading: http://www.mercedes-benz.com.br/caminhoes/atron http://www.mercedes-benz.com.br/caminhoes/atron/galeria-de-imagens .

Scania Group Press Release / October 21, 2015 Demand for heavy trucks in Europe remains strong and the high level of activity in the transport industry provides confidence for the future. Scania is maintaining a high market share in Europe in the truck market as well as on the bus and coach side. After several sluggish years, the European heavy truck market seems to have gained momentum and as yet there are no indications that activity will decline during the next few quarters. “Our customers have a high capacity utilisation rate, which increases the incentive to renew and expand fleets. Other important underlying factors include a replacement need for the large volume from 2007-2008 and the fact that customers now feel confident about the new Euro 6 technology,” says Scania’s President and CEO Per Hallberg. Scania’s market share in Europe was a strong 16.6 percent during the first nine months of 2015, which is 1.6 percentage points better than last year. The increase is, among other things, connected to a leading Euro 6 range and sales activities in new segments. “In order to maintain and capture new market shares, we are continuing our efforts to penetrate new segments. We are continuing to focus on activities that are generating increased sales of construction and distribution vehicles as well as various types of special-purpose trucks,” says Hallberg. Order bookings in Europe remained strong despite seasonal effects. Meanwhile, demand is still very weak in Brazil even though Latin America as a whole is not without its bright spots, such as Argentina, Chile and Peru. The low level of demand continued in Russia and in the Middle East. Scania’s total order bookings amounted to 14,921 (16,989) trucks during the third quarter of 2015. On the bus and coach side, Scania's market share in Europe was also strong at 6.8 percent during the first nine months of 2015, compared to 5.1 percent during the year-earlier period.

Again, I'm speaking of sugarcane.......not corn. Look into it the next time you're in Brasil, you'll be impressed.

Baby, You Can Drive My Truck: Paul McCartney Rocks Freightliner Dinner at MCE Transport Topics / October 20, 2015 Music icon Sir Paul McCartney surprised and delighted the nearly 1,000 people attending a customer appreciation dinner hosted by Freightliner Trucks here on Oct. 19. McCartney and his band performed the greatest hits of his five-decade career after the dinner. There were numerous trucking references throughout the evening by the former Beatle, such as when he changed the words to the Beatles' hit “Drive My Car” to “Drive My Truck.” The Freightliner dinner dovetailed with American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here Oct. 17-20. McCartney’s wife, Nancy Shevell, is an executive at less-than-truckload carrier New England Motor Freight. She and several other family members attended. New England Motor Freight, which is based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is owned by Shevell’s father, Myron. Daimler Trucks North America President Martin Daum jokingly played a recording toward the end of dinner, suggesting that was his company’s attempt at saving money on the event's entertainment. He said last year’s spectacular dinner concert by the Eagles was a huge success that many didn’t think could be topped. Then, Daum stepped aside as a curtain opened to an area designed as a club. Once the attendees had filed into the “club,” the lights went down and out walked McCartney, who jammed for the next two hours. Photo gallery - http://www.ttnews.com/articles/showtemplatemce2015.aspx?storyid=39794

Transport Engineer / October 22, 2015 Ryder has added 200 new Euro 6 refrigerated trucks and vans, together with 90 new refrigerated box trailers as part of its renewal programme for the cold chain rental fleet. The rental giant has gone for DAF LF220 18-tonne dual compartment day cabs, Iveco Eurocargo ML75E16S 7.5-tone day cabs, and Mercedes 3.5-tonne Sprinter high roof vans with chiller and frozen specifications. This latest investment supports the company’s plan to grow its business in the temperature-controlled sector, and to maintain one of the most up to date rental fleets in the UK. “Ryder has an established position in the refrigerated rental sector with a wide selection of temperature-controlled vehicles from 3.5- to 26 tonne trucks to tractors and trailers,” comments David Hunt, vice president and managing director Ryder Europe. “We offer a wide range of rental solutions, from short-term rental to long-term contract hire,” he continues. “This latest investment reinforces Ryder’s ongoing commitment to growing our business in the temperature-controlled market by providing customers with greater choice and value.” .

The Trucker / October 19, 2015 Three senators — two Democrats and one Republican — say they will hold a news conference in front of the Capitol Wednesday to discuss their bipartisan opposition to a federal mandate that would allow large trucks to pull double 33-foot trailers on the nation’s highways. 64-year-old congressional youngster Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., 82-year-old Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and 69-year-old Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., say they will be joined by representatives from the trucking industry, Teamsters, law enforcement and a safety advocacy group. David Williams of Knight Transportation will represent the trucking industry. Kevin Knight, chairman of Knight Transportation, has been a vocal opponent of twin 33-foot trailers and was one of several trucking executives who have signed letters to the Senate opposing the longer tandems. The two major trucking associations are divided on the issue. The American Trucking Associations favors 33-foot trailers; the Truckload Carriers Association opposes them. A tractor-trailer with two 33-foot trailers measures approximately 91 feet in total length, and this equipment will be available for viewing, the senators said. Critics of the proposed longer trailers point to the length as a safety issue. Earlier this year, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to the transportation funding bill requiring states to allow trucks with two 33-foot trailers on their highways. Current federal law permits double 28-foot trailers. The measure has not been taken up by the full Senate. The committee voted 16-14 in favor of the amendment proposed by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., after defeating on a tie 15-15 vote a second degree amendment by Feinstein that would have allowed longer trailers only after the DOT completed a weight and size study and determined the twin 33-foot trailers would not impact safety. All committee Republicans voted for Shelby’s amendment with the exception of chairman Thad Cochran from Mississippi; all Democrats voted against the amendment with the exception of Jon Tester of Montana. In presenting her second-degree amendment, Feinstein pointed to safety concerns of a tandem tractor-trailer that would be longer than “an eight-story building” is tall and noted that 39 states already had regulations preventing the longer trailers. She also noted that she’d heard from a number of state law enforcement organizations and citizens impacted by large truck crashes, all of whom were against longer trailers. Shelby said that the twin 33-foot trailers would make highways safer because they would eliminate 6.6 million trips made and 6.3 billion miles driven by large trucks. The three senator noted that when the committee considered the measure, the Department of Transportation had issued a report saying that there was currently not enough data to draw firm conclusions on the safety implications of double 33-foot trailers. The DOT recommended that no changes to truck size be considered at this time, the senators said. Joining the senators and Williams will be James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Walter Armstrong, Chief of Police, Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Jackie Gillan of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Paul McCartney wowed around a thousand people during the annual Freightliner dinner and concert on Monday night held during the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition that wrapped up Tuesday in Philadelphia, PA. Ever since people started arriving for the conference on Friday, they were buzzing with speculation about who would follow up last year’s concert by the Eagles in San Diego, CA or Rod Stewart in 2013 in Orlando, FL. A few wrongly guessed it would be Bruce Springsteen, among others. But the selection of McCartney as this year’s performer was a natural when you think about it. That’s because his wife is Nancy Shevell, who was at the concert, is an executive at New Jersey-based New England Motor Freight, owned by her father Myron "Mike" Shevell. In addition to playing old favorites for the crowd from his days with the Beatles, Wings and even from his solo career, that included some new works, McCartney even shook things up a bit, changing up the lyrics from the Beatles classic song “Drive my Car” to where he belted out “baby you can drive my truck.” Soon as McCartney took the stage the cell phone cameras came out, with posts going like mad on to Twitter and Facebook, while some danced and others leisurely sat and watched the show in its intimate club-like setting. Now that all of the excitement is over, the one question many are asking, is how will Freightliner top this show in 2016?

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Press Release / October 21, 2015 Bob Hegbloom, Head of Ram Brand, FCA – North America and Troy Davis, Chief Engineer for Ram Heavy Duty and Chassis Cab Products, talk about Ram truck capability and the wide range of best in class features Ram offers to a variety of customers.

FBI unable to screen Syrian refugees Obama administration plans to absorb into US Associated Press / October 21, 2015 FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday told Congress that the federal government cannot conduct thorough checks on all of the coming influx of 10,000 refugees from Syria. Appearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Comey said Syrians who aren't already in the FBI's database are unknown to the agency, meaning their backgrounds cannot be adequately scoured for a risk of terrorism. 'We can only query against that which we have collected,' Comey told the committee under questioning. 'So if someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them. A flood of 4 million [alleged] refugees have fled the fighting in Syria during the four-year-old civil war, with the situation reaching a crisis level in recent months. President Obama announced in September that the U.S. will allow up to 10,000 refugees, a far greater total than the 1,854 that has been allowed to date during the four-year war. Republicans have criticized the plan, since it could potentially allow an influx of ISIS-trained militants posing as refugees - a possibility Comey essentially endorsed on Wednesday. But the concerns have also crossed party lines. On Wednesday, for example, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, a Democrat, said there is widespread worry over the agency's limits. 'A lot of us are concerned about whether you have enough information available to you to do an accurate vetting,' Thompson said. 'You can only query what you’ve collected,' Comey responded. Comey went on to explain that an influx of Iraqi refugees after the Iraq war was easier for the agency to cope with because the U.S. had been in Iraq for several years at the time. The situation in Syria, Comey said, was 'different.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NgB4SwG4SM

Hold on to your corn. Much of the ethanol used in Sweden is very low-cost, imported from Brazil, where it's produced from sugarcane. Brazil is a massive producer/user of ethanol, which they are able to produce at extremely low-cost there (and give Big Oil some serious competition!). Every country market has a unique situation. And that's why Scania offers numerous alternative fuel solutions.

Scania Group Press Release / October 20, 2015 With more than 30 years’ experience of producing vehicles for ethanol, Scania has now launched its latest Euro 6 (EPA2010) ethanol engine for trucks. The first order has been placed by Arla, the Danish international dairy corporation that annually produces more than 13 billion litres of milk. The 17 new ethanol-powered Scania dairy delivery trucks will operate in the Greater Stockholm Area. That ethanol has the potential of reducing carbon emissions by up to 90 percent has recently been verified in a three-year study of alternative fuels in heavy vehicle deliveries by the City of Stockholm. With a fleet of Euro 5 ethanol trucks, the Stockholm transport company Kyl- och Frysexpressen confirmed that level of CO2 reduction. Additionally, the transporter reported problem-free operations no different than with a fleet of traditional diesel-powered trucks. Scania notes an increasing interest in employing ethanol for heavy vehicles, including buses. India and South Africa are two countries currently examining the prospects for large-scale introduction. In addition to the advantage of being domestically produced, ethanol can generate local jobs. In this interview, Daniel Milione, Product Manager for Alternative Fuels at Scania, outlines the bright future for ethanol. Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmQXXTJruo0 .

MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / October 20, 2015

Is it an F-600 series ?

Insight on one of Mack Trucks great leaders -------------------------------------------------------------------- Opportunity Belongs To The Prepared, Says Retiring Mack Chairman Pelletier November 10, 1985 / The Morning Call Mack Trucks Chairman Alfred W. Pelletier, 64, who concluded a 34-year career with the company on Friday, relaxed in his spacious World Headquarters office in Allentown last week and told an interviewer, "Everybody who wants to advance should be ready for opportunities when they come along." But Pelletier really couldn't say he was consciously ready in 1962, when he was Ontario service manager of Mack Trucks Canada, Ltd. A combination of happenstance, common sense and company loyalty opened a door that eventually led to executive suite. On that day in 1962, Toronto native Pelletier traveled to Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, to resolve some engine problems for a Mack dealer. When he arrived, the man had his suitcases packed and was leaving on vacation. He nonchalantly tossed a packet of papers into Pelletier's lap. "This is a tender for the purchase of 10 Mack diesel trucks. Aren't you going to submit a bid?" asked an incredulous Pelletier, as the disinterested dealer shrugged and headed toward the door. Contacting Dominion Tar & Chemical, the company that solicited the bids, Pelletier was advised that he had only 24 hours to turn in Mack specifications and prices on logging trucks to be used for feeding the company's paper mills. But that was not the only problem. Pelletier was a master mechanic who had never sold as much as a fuel pump. Sales was not his line. "Mack had the best darn logging trucks in the industry. Dominion was going to buy gasoline-engine trucks and I urged them to consider Mack diesels," recalled Pelletier, who made a hurried call to Mack's sales office in Toronto. Staying on the phone for an hour, Pelletier nervously compiled the specifications on a sheet of paper, listed all of the prices, came up with a total and drove the bid to the Dominion office 100 miles to the south. Three weeks later, while on a business call in Quebec City, Pelletier received a telegram from Mack's office in Toronto. It read, "Congratulations. We got the order for the 10 diesel trucks." Pelletier's superiors did not overlook his enterprise. "If I had not taken advantage of that opportunity, I might still be up in Canada in Mack's service division," he remarked. Pelletier often tells the Thunder Bay story when he travels across the United States, speaking to teen-agers and young adults enrolled in one of his major volunteer activities: Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). On one goodwill tour this year, he told a discouraged vocational student, "This country will always need doctors, dentists and lawyers. But it also will need people with skilled trades and experience. Learn a skill that's in demand and you'll be able to make a living with it." Elaborating on that point last week, Pelletier said, "The manual skills have declined in thiscountry; labor has become too complacent. VICA is the kind of organization that will bring them back. Young people are very enthusiastic because somebody cares about them." Scores of his acquaintances and associates in the Lehigh Valley know much more about Alfred Pelletier the Mack chairman, United Way president, Minsi Trails Council scout leader and benefactor of the Parkette National Gymnastic Center than they do about the young Canadian who came out of World War II and got a job in 1945 as a diesel mechanic with the Toronto Transportation Commission. His experience servicing and repairing the commission's 10 Mack transit buses won him a job with Mack Trucks Canada as a journeyman mechanic in 1952. "I knew how to take a diesel engine completely apart and put it back together. That gave me confidence," Pelletier remarked. Pelletier's "diesel school" was the Canadian Royal Navy, which he served in combat 1941-45 with punishing convoy trips across the oft-stormy North Atlantic. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Pelletier was assigned to a Bangor- class escort vessel or a corvette. To this day, he still regards Nicholas Monsarrat's "The Cruel Sea" as the finest war novel ever written about men of the anti-submarine forces. Shortly after the corvette received its first radar system, concerned crewmen alerted the captain to a "blip" in an ocean combat zone. Two radio demands for the "blip" to identify itself went unanswered. Finally, after a third "this-is-it" demand, this reply was received, "All right, captain, keep your little boat on course and everything will be just fine." The terse message came from HMS George V, a British battleship large enough to capsize the corvette with the flushing of its bilge tanks. Coming from a poor family - his father was a French Canadian who grew up in a New Brunswick French village and married a British war bride - Pelletier learned the value of a dollar early on. Only the family's history was rich: A tracing of roots revealed that the Pelletiers were indirectly descended from French explorer Samuel de Champlain. Over the years, Pelletier has boated and fished many times in Champlain's "little lake" in New York. If Pelletier's rise through the ranks of Mack Trucks Canada was not meteoric, it certainly was impressive. In the same year he joined the Canadian subsidiary (1952), he became shop foreman of the Toronto branch. A year later, he was promoted to service manager for all of Ontario. Pelletier was branch manager at Toronto, 1966-67; general manager Mack Trucks Canada, 1970, executive vice president, 1971, and was appointed president of Mack's whole Canadian operation in 1974. While Pelletier was president of Mack Trucks Canada, the company had record sales, but the economy was good. A recession hit in 1975. When Mack Trucks' board met in Allentown in 1975, it was decided to kick President Henry J. Nave upstairs to chairman and select an executive from within Mack's ranks to be president and chief executive officer. Officials of Signal Companies, Inc., then Mack's parent corporation, agreed with the Allentown brass that Pelletier was the best man. "The job wasn't offered to me. I was told to report to Allentown," said Pelletier, who was taken by surprise with a phone call. "At first I was shocked. Then I was on Cloud Nine; I couldn't believe that I was going to Allentown where many of the giants of the truck industry, the engineering brains, had worked. But I did take it as a challenge." One aim of Mack directors was to promote a person from within who could provide the company with at least 10 years of leadership. "I have fulfilled that requirement because it is 10 years almost to the month that I assumed the presidency," said Pelletier, who will be feted at a testimonial dinner at the Holiday Inn West on the night of Dec. 11. Between now and the dinner, which is by invitation only, Pelletier will be saluted by the Parkette staff and members at their center on Nov. 23. While Pelletier had the highest respect for Henry Nave's abilities, he remembered with some amusement that Mack staffers had a psychological problem regarding Nave's long association with rival White Trucks. They never seemed totally comfortable with the "White Knight" in their midst. "Nave was a good truck man and a great guy," said Pelletier. "No question about it, he was a gentlemen. But you can't take a fella who for 25 years was your arch enemy and put him amongst the Mack staff. It was just not good for morale. That's why Signal decided to appoint as president someone within the company for the first in 33 years." Even today there exists a bitter rivalry between Mack and the now Volvo-White Co. in the heavy truck industry. When a reporter inadvertently referred to Mack's chrome-laden long-haul Superliner as White's "Freightliner,' ' Mack Vice President William McCullough almost jumped down his throat with both feet. Loyalty, dedication and pride are not demanded of Mack's administrative corps - these qualities just seem to come naturally. Pelletier, who owns thousands of Mack Trucks shares and intends to keep them, sees a great future for the company despite foreign competition in the Class 8 truck market that is growing steadily. What's the most significant aspect of Mack as he looks back over his long career? "Mack has a great product line and the name. And we have the most dedicated group of distributors and employees in the industry. They believe in that Bulldog. We sell so much under that Bulldog name," Pelletier replied. "Our parts service has improved dramatically in the last five years. We can give a customer delivery of 92 percent of his order in less than 24 hours; the balance in 48 hours." He added, "This is no criticism of the guys who ran the company years ago because we didn't have computers like we have today. The information systems we have now makes it possible to give you this kind of performance." Pelletier praised the contributions of former Mack Chairman Zenon Hansen, who built the World Headquarters, raised a faltering company to new heights and made the Mack Bulldog a symbol of quality around the world. And he expressed full support for John B. Curcio, current president and CEO, who must keep Mack competitive with the construction of a state-of-the art assembly plant to replace the outmoded 5-C complex in South Allentown. Curcio, Pelletier noted, also must continue the cost-cutting programs that will make Mack a lean machine through the end of this decade. Among other observations that Pelletier made in a lengthy, often reminiscent, interview were these: - When Pelletier arrived in Allentown and told 600 employees at a sales meeting that he would visit every Mack dealer and facility in the nation, there were snickers in the audience. He and executive Gardner Davis did not realize it would taken them five years, traveling three days a month, to meet Mack's 240 distributors and representatives. - Pelletier saw immediately that he had to cut operational costs. Brockway, the truck-manfacturing company that Mack owned at Cortland, N.Y., had to be liquidated. Two Mack executive jets at Queen City Airport were sold off, but the helicopter was kept to shuttle customers and VIPs back and forth. Pelletier began running a much tighter ship as he'd done in Canada. - Mack's assembly plant at Hayward, California, site of the old Chris-Craft boatworks, also was closed. About 70 percent of the materials used at Hayward was being shipped in from east of the Mississippi River and roughly 75 percent of the assembled trucks were being shipped to the eastern market. It made no sense logistically. - Under his 10-year administration, Mack has had a reasonably good relationship with the United Auto Workers, even though a UAW strike shut the Allentown and Macungie plants for more than a month in 1984. "They try to do their best for their brothers and sisters, and there are some things that we feel we must have. So these issues have to be negotiated." Although Pelletier became involved in community activities shortly after he was named president and CEO, he was able to spend more time in civic leadership after Curcio took over those posts and shared the administrative responsibility. Pelletier spearheaded the public campaign that initially raised $250,000 for the Parkette Center that developed into a $750,000 building, then hit $1 million when air-conditioning was installed. But it is one of the finest gymnastic facilities in the nation used by Olympic stars, on occasions, for workouts. Pelletier, never a Boy Scout in his youth, was introduced to the organization when he chaired the Eagle Scout recognition dinner. Later he became a district chairman for the Explorer scouts and now has Mack sponsoring six Explorer units. On Jan. 20, he will complete his third and final year as Minsi Trails Council president. When he retires to his new home in Toronto with his wife Patricia, Pelletier will assist Canadian scouters in establishing an Explorer program, the first for Canada, in the Greater Toronto region. After serving as a division chairman for the United Way in Lehigh County, Pelletier accepted the campaign chairmanship in 1983 and headed a team that attained a record goal. He was a member of the Muhlenberg College Board of Associates and found time to promote the purchase of U.S. Savings bonds. Pelletier said that he was able to accomplish so much as a busy executive only with the help and support of his wife, who is an outstanding tennis player and tournament winner. Their son Douglas is a computer specialist for IBM Corp. in Bethlehem. Their two married daughters, Janet and Nancy, reside in the Toronto area. The couple has three grandchildren. Up at the strike of six every morning, Pelletier sleeps an average of only five hours a night and has conditioned himself to long, hard days. "I have the unusual ability to take catnaps during the day and awake refreshed. I nap on airplane trips when nobody else can," he chuckled. Just when friends expected Pelletier to unbuckle his seatbelt and put 47 years of the truckindustry behind him, Pelletier stunned many of them when he disclosed last month that he has accepted the post of president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Canada. Based in Toronto, he will work full time and use all of the experience he has gained while working with youth groups during his Mack tenure in Allentown. "If I had nothing to do in retirement, I would go nuts," Pelletier allowed. But do the Junior Achievement kids in Canada know that their new logo will be miniature bulldog?

Alfred W. Pelletier, 86, Dies – Former Mack Trucks CEO October 22, 2008 / The Morning Call Alfred W. Pelletier, age 86, slipped away peacefully in the early hours of October 21, 2008, after a long and brave struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born January 22, 1922, Al grew up in Toronto with his sister Lillian, his twin brothers Bernie and Leonard, and his mother, affectionately known as Chick. After graduating from the Danforth Technical School in Toronto in 1939, he joined the Toronto Transportation Company as an apprentice mechanic. In 1941, he volunteered for service in the Royal Canadian Navy. He remained in the service for the duration of World War II, with over three years on convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic aboard the H.M.C.S. Digby and H.M.C.S. Granby. Released from active duty as a chief petty officer in 1945, he rejoined the Toronto Transportation Company as a journeyman mechanic, and subsequently was promoted to shop foreman. In 1952, Al went to work for Mack Trucks Canada as the shop foreman of the Toronto factory branch. His hard work resulted in a promotion to district service manager for all of Ontario. After serving as the Toronto branch manager in 1966 and 1967; he rose to the position of general manager Mack Trucks Canada in 1970, executive vice president in 1971, and ultimately was appointed as president of Mack Trucks Canada in 1974. A natural leader, Al went on to become President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Mack Trucks, Inc. He and his wife, Pat, and daughter, Nancy, moved to Allentown, where they lived for 10 years. During his tenure in Allentown, Al served as Chairman of the Minsi Trail Council, Chairman of the United Way of the Lehigh Valley, and Chairman of Vocational Clubs of America, where he was recognized by Ronald Reagan for his service to young people. He worked tirelessly to raise the funds needed to build the Allentown Parkettes Gymnasium. And he received Distinguished Citizenship Awards from both the Minsi Trail Council and the United Way, and he received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from DeSales University. After 34 years in the trucking industry, rather than retire, Al accepted the post of President and C.E.O. of Junior Achievement of Canada. Al brought his strengths in management and visions of entrepreneurship to many aspiring young men and women. Al and Pat retired to Naples, Fla., where they enjoyed golf and tennis with their many friends. Among his many lifetime community contributions, Al spent every Thursday building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Florida. Summers were spent with the family at Lone Pine on beautiful Lake of Bays in Muskoka. Survivors: Al leaves his wife Pat; daughters, Janette (Carl Corter) and Nancy Bowen (John); son Doug (Kelly); grandsons Jason (Angela), Ryan, Randy, Scott and Brad; and step-grandchildren David (Gabriella), Arden, Tony, Annie. Al will be remembered for his warmth and generosity, his many invented catchphrases, and above all, his love of family. .

Reuters / October 20, 2015 AB Volvo said on Tuesday it signed a letter of intent with HCL Technologies to sell its external IT business. The deal is expected to raise Volvo’s operating earnings by about US$108.5 million (900 million Swedish crowns). The Swedish company said about 2,600 Volvo staff would be affected by the transaction and offered employment at HCL. The deal is expected too close during the second quarter of next year. "Not only will our cooperation with HCL Technologies provide significant cost-savings. We will also make a capital gain when the contract is signed," Volvo's acting chief executive Jan Gurander said in a statement. The sale of Volvo's external IT operations is part of sweeping efficiency measures aimed at cutting 10 billion crowns of structural costs at the truckmaker. In October 2012, Volvo sold its aerospace division, Volvo Aero, to British engineering group GKN for US$1.05 billion (6.9 billion Swedish crowns). Volvo Press Release - http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/newsmedia/_layouts/CWP.Internet.VolvoCom/NewsItem.aspx?News.ItemId=151137&News.Language=en-gb

The answer is yes. And there's a Mack service bulletin that lays out the parts required and installation. Now whether or not those parts are still available thru the Volvo parts distribution system is another matter.

Kenworth Dealers Add New Facilities, Extended Hours Trailer/Body Builders / October 20, 2015 Kenworth dealers have invested nearly $500 million in new and relocated facilities in the past five years, according to Jason Skoog, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “That is reflected in a 20 percent growth rate for dealership locations,” he said. “We now offer over 360 locations in the United States and Canada, and nearly 75 percent of those locations are full-service stores.” Skoog said the growth is in response to the change in the industry, and to be ready for future needs of customers. “With a strong truck market over the past few years, along with improving retail market share, there are more Kenworth trucks on the road than ever before,” he said. “And, as trucks become more complex and computer-based, dealers become an integral part for service. Downtime is no longer an option in our industry. Uptime is what it’s all about, which is also driving us to expand to be closer to where our customers need us. The partnership between customers and Kenworth dealers will only become stronger. Our dealers are there for full vehicle support, from cradle to grave. They’re the backbone.” Skoog offered some examples of recent dealer expansion. “Wisconsin Kenworth recently broke ground on a 75,700-square-foot facility just outside Madison. They’ll include Kenworth PremierCare ExpressLane bays for 2-hour diagnostics and estimates, which is part of new Kenworth’s PremierCare Gold Certified program that we’ve just announced,” he said. “What’s more they’re building a specially equipped area to service CNG powered units.” “This new state-of-the-art facility will ensure that we are able to meet the technological demands of an ever-evolving industry and allow our dedicated employees to continue to deliver Kenworth quality service to new and existing customers," said Jim Moeller, CEO of CSM Companies, which is the parent company of Wisconsin Kenworth. “We’re growing and building along with other Kenworth dealers throughout the country.” MHC Kenworth has been rapidly expanding its dealership network, growing from 37 locations in 2010 to 67 locations in 2015. This year alone, the dealership group added 10 new locations. “We are in constant pursuit to support customers with convenient locations and service points,” said Tim Murphy, CEO of MHC Kenworth. “This year MHC expanded into its 16th state and opened its 67th location.” According to Murphy, all MHC dealerships locations are open extended hours, with 21 open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. “MHC continues to invest in its dealerships by renovating and building new, state-of-the-art facilities,” added Murphy. “This is to provide customers access to more services and amenities, while decreasing the time their trucks are off the road.” In Alberta, Edmonton Kenworth made a major investment on a 16-acre parcel in Leduc near the Edmonton International Airport. Just opened, it features an 111,500-square-foot main building with an indoor showroom large enough for customers to view up to four Kenworth trucks out of the elements. The main building also offers several specialty bays to provide service for fabrication, component rebuild and liquefied natural gas-powered commercial vehicles, plus four triage bays to provide customers rapid diagnostic reports. Here are the 25 dealerships that have invested more than $1 million in facility improvements in 2015 - Bayview Kenworth - Woodstock, New Brunswick; Central Illinois Trucks - Green Oaks, Ill.; Custom Truck Sales - Swift Current, Saskatchewan; Edmonton Kenworth - Leduc, Alberta; Inland Kenworth - Phoenix; Kenworth Northeast Group - Brockton, Mass.; Kenworth of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, Ohio; Kenworth of Pennsylvania - York, Pa.; Kenworth of South Florida - Fort Myers, Fla.; Kenworth of South Louisiana - Bossier City, La.; Kenworth Quebec - Saint-Georges, Quebec; Kenworth Sales Company - Salina, Utah; Kenworth Toronto - Kitchener, Ontario; MHC Kenworth dealerships in Denver, Colo.; Macon, Ga.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Kansas City, Mo.; Kingsport, Tenn.; and South Fort Worth, Texas; New England Kenworth - Southern Maine; Performance Kenworth - Beaumont, Texas; Truck Enterprises - Hagerstown, Md.; Wichita Kenworth - Dodge City, Kansas; Wisconsin Kenworth - Madison, Wis.; and Worldwide Equipment - Prestonsburg, Ky.

Heavy Duty Trucking / October 20, 2015 Kenworth is rolling out a service program for its trucks at certified dealers that would provide a full diagnostic analysis and repair estimate within two hours, the company announced at the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. The service would be offered under the Kenworth PremierCare Gold Certified program as a way to reduce truck downtime for commercial customers. Kenworth Gold Certified dealers would provide the servive at their Kenworth PremierCare ExpressLane with dedicated technicians that can provide the quick diagnosis and estimate repair time and cost, according to Kenworth. "The goal is to do away with trucks sitting in the queue and drivers waiting for an estimate," said Jason Skoog, Kenworth's assistant general manager for sales and marketing. "And that's critical to our customers, especially when the repair may be very simple and can be completed within hours. Knowing what’s happening, quickly, will help customers make the decisions needed to keep their deliveries on schedule." The program also includes an around-the-clock roadside assistance program supported by a call center to help drivers and fleet managers work through the issue. The dealers also offer extended evening hours on weekdays and the weekends. Diesel technicians at Kenworth Gold dealers will have "achieved the highest levels of certification." In addition, new Kenworth Class 8 trucks with the PACCAR MX-13 engine are now standard with Kenworth TruckTech+. The system enhances vehicle diagnostics by providing information on engine health to the customer and dealer.

Fleet Owner / October 20, 2015 At the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibit at the Philadelphia Convention Center on October 19, Mack Trucks announced the creation of certified uptime centers, a new dealer service certification dedicated to maximizing customer uptime. Mack stated that its certified uptime centers are the latest extension of Mack’s commitment to keeping customers’ trucks and operations at peak productivity. “Thanks to standardized workflows and service processes, as well as redesigned service bays, certified uptime centers will enable faster and more efficient service and repair,” the company said. “The revisions will also offer more transparent information to the customer, helping them to make quicker decisions for their business.” “This certification goes beyond just improving diagnostic times,” said President Stephen Roy. “We’re increasing customer uptime by changing our approach to the service process, ensuring our customers’ trucks are diagnosed and repaired efficiently and returned back to them as quickly as possible.” Certified uptime centers will feature “uptime bays” reserved specifically for trucks with service and repair tasks requiring less than four hours of work. Customers with vehicles needing a quick repair will be rapidly diagnosed, serviced and returned to work, increasing efficiency at the dealership and improving a customer’s ROI, Mack said. Mack’s Uptime Solutions, including Mack GuardDog Connect telematics and Mack ASIST service management system, will be built into the new Mack Certified Uptime Centers’ workflows. Mack’s recently announced integration of Truck Diagnostics System (TDS) and Mack ASIST will also support certified uptime centers. Mack is currently piloting the certification at 21 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. “The certified uptime centers pilot has significantly reduced the amount of time we’re spending on diagnostics and has also allowed an increase in technician productivity,” said Jon Miller, service manager at Vanguard Truck Center of Phoenix, one of the pilot locations. “Our customers have noticed they’re getting their trucks back more quickly, as the new workflows are helping us be more efficient and move trucks through the repair process faster.” Mack will continue its certified uptime centers pilot through 2015, and will begin the rollout of the certification to the Mack Trucks dealer network in 2016.