Mack 3P

"The VHD was created by the NRV team to add to the Volvo customer plant visit experience. The pick-up truck was built with restored Volvo parts, and powered with an EPA 2010-certified Volvo D13 engine and I-shift transmission. The five- seat truck showcases American craftsmanship while providing customers with the ability to experience Volvo truck comfort combined with ease of operation when utilizing the Volvo powertrain." Would have been cooler if it were a Mack.

Official release announcement ALLENTOWN, PA (October 26, 2010) – Mack Trucks, Inc. introduced a natural gas-powered version of its versatile TerraPro™ Cabover model for the refuse and construction applications. Mack officials made the announcement and displayed the truck at the company’s World Sales Conference, being held at the new Mack Customer Center here this week. The MACK® TerraPro™ Cabover model is now available with heavy-duty natural gas engines supplied by Cummins Westport. The 9-liter Cummins Westport ISL G is rated at 320 hp, can use compressed (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), and has a three-way catalyst to meet EPA 2010 emissions standards. “With this new natural gas product, an industry-leading truck is now coupled with an alternative fuel option,” said Curtis Dorwart, Mack vocational products marketing manager. “The cabover design combines Mack durability with an interior aimed at driver comfort and productivity. Adding the natural-gas powered engine allows our customers to be environmental leaders in their markets and communities.” Natural gas-powered vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the refuse market. A growing number of municipalities mandate alternative fuel vehicles as a condition of contracts with refuse haulers. Increasingly, communities are expecting industries to move in the direction of energy independence and use of fuels from renewable sources. The natural gas TerraPro Cabover also qualifies for tax credits, making it a timely investment. “With the MACK TerraPro model series, we’ve created a family of trucks that meet the application and productivity needs of our customers – and now the demand for cleaner emissions and alternative fuel options as well,” said Dorwart. “The natural gas version of our TerraPro Low-Entry model is already being very well-received in the market, and we’re confident our new natural-gas powered TerraPro Cabover model will be as well – both reflect the Mack long-standing commitment to innovation.” Republic Services (NYSE:RSG), a leading provider of solid waste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal services – and a long-term Mack customer – has recently taken delivery of 41 natural gas TerraPro Cabover models. “We are always interested in new and innovative technologies to improve our operations, reduce emissions and shrink our carbon footprint,” said Roy Svehla, senior fleet manager for Republic. “With the TerraPro line, Mack has shown its ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of the customer and the demands of the industry.” Mack has been a leader in natural gas vehicle research over the last two decades. In the early 1990s, the company participated in a demonstration project in Washington, PA. Mack MR models powered by a natural gas version of the company’s E7 engine were put into service at a local landfill, using an on-site natural gas refueling system. The effort helped establish the viability of natural gas as a fuel option for landfill operations. Natural gas has a number of significant benefits. It burns very cleanly, there is an abundant supply here in North America, and it’s comparable to diesel in terms of cost over the life of the vehicle. Dorwart emphasized that the Mack trucks have been specifically engineered and built to operate on natural gas – an important advantage over aftermarket conversions. The ISL G engine is installed on the production line at the Mack Macungie Assembly Operations plant. “Our customers appreciate that the TerraPro models are factory-built and come with factory support and warranty,” said Dorwart. “It’s all part of the Mack promise of performance and reliability.”

I heard there was some filming that might be on the show.

"The Titan by Mack was the big winner at the Sept. 25 truck pull in Millinocket, Maine, the first such event in 20 years in the state’s Katahdin region. The Titan went the distance in the stock 20,000-pound class competition, beating out a 2011 Freightliner and 2011 Peterbilt, among others. The Titan pulled the sled for a distance of 270.23 feet, and second place went to the Freightliner (DD16 600 hp) with a mere 230.49 feet. The new Peterbilt (600 hp Cummins) went 217.39 feet but didn’t place in the competition. Around 4,000 people attended the event, which featured 120 vehicles ranging from pickup trucks to tractor-trailers. The Pelletier family, whose Titans are featured on Discovery Channel’s “American Loggers,” built the track and co-hosted the event with the Northern Timber Cruisers Club of Millinocket. The purpose was to raise money for multi-use recreational trails in the Katahdin region."

Bulkmatic is another one ordering CXU's. I was one of the few fortunate enough to retain a job. I am now in Macungie.

UPS ordered 250 which have to be delivered by Thanksgiving. Another 250 are possible. We are still building Chrysler trucks, they had multiple orders, the latest are going to Canada. ComCar ordered 99 CXU's. There are a number of DOT's ordering Granites. We're building alot of sleepers right now. NYC is supposed to order some garbage trucks this year. We've also been building some Titan's lately. Next Monday the rest of the new people start. The plant is busy.

Is that a new CHU grill?

Mack Trucks to hire in October Anyone want a job?

Mack bulldog removed from former headquarters

"Iconic Bulldog to be removed from former Mack World Headquarters. We were recently informed by the owners of the former Allentown Mack World Headquarters building that the current tenants have decided they would prefer to have the large Bulldog removed from the front of the building. Given the importance of this iconic image to the company, our personnel will supervise the removal of the Bulldog, currently scheduled for this Wednesday. After we have removed the Bulldog and have had the opportunity to evaluate its condition, we will make a decision regarding the best way to use this important part of Mack’s history."

Correct. You can find info on the web site Deka An engineer from Deka came to Macungie for a information session on the products and talked about the advantages of Deka batteries. One thing I remember is they glue the plates to the bottom of the case which extends the life of the batteries. The plates don't bounce around in the case. (I'm not a salesman)

Still makes me mad.

Found the videos for people who missed it. http://www.gawkk.com/mack-trucks-cautiously-rounds-economic-corner/discuss http://www.clicker.com/tv/nightly-news/Mack-Trucks-an-economic-indicator-966842

The first "M-Drive" was built this week. It's a CXU going to UPS.

Who were you addressing the question?

One of the more unique things with these trucks is the in frame 4 battery box.

The only thing I can say is... I can't say.

From internal announcement "Mack has received a new order for 325 Pinnacle Axle Back day cab highway tractors from long-time customer ABF Freight System, Inc., which is based in Fort Smith, AR. The trucks are expected to be delivered by year-end. Scott Hensinger, manager – National Accounts, said ABF has been impressed with the Pinnacle’s performance and reliability over the years. To help secure the sale, the Mack sales team worked closely with Mack Financial Services and groups across NAT, including Customer Satisfaction. The largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation, ABF Freight System uses a fleet of 4,000 trucks to ship general commodities across the U.S., nine Canadian provinces, Guam and Puerto Rico. The company is consistently recognized for best-in-class performance in productivity, safety and security, loss and damage prevention, and market innovation."

A film crew was in the plant today. Rumor is it is for NBC Nightly News tonight which is doing a story on the economy and will be showing a clip of some of the manufacturing workers that started back this week.

"GREENSBORO, NC (June 17, 2010) – Mack Trucks, Inc. will offer tours of its Macungie Assembly Operations as part of the Antique Truck Club of America’s 31st Annual Antique Truck Show, which will be held June 18-20 at Macungie Memorial Park in the heart of Macungie, PA. The show is nationally known for the quality and breadth of its exhibits, which include most of history’s major truck brands. The Macungie plant tour, available Saturday June 19th from 10 am until 4 pm, is self-guided and takes approximately an hour to complete. Round-trip transportation via bus will be provided from the Antique Truck Show to the plant. The Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, where Macungie is located, is well established as the place where Mack trucks are assembled. It is also where the company plans to continue bringing customers for the ultimate Mack brand experience. “We’ve long built what are referred to as vocational trucks – primarily for construction and refuse applications – in the Macungie plant,” said Mike Reardon, Mack vice president of marketing. “With the transition of highway truck production into the plant last fall, we now build every Mack truck for North America and export here. We’re also converting our Allentown Engineering Development and Test Center into a Mack Customer Center that will include the current test track, plus displays of vintage and current Mack trucks, and be the new home for the Mack Trucks Museum. Once that conversion process is complete, customers will be able to see their trucks being built in the Macungie plant, then come to the Customer Center to test drive their new vehicles and be immersed in the history and tradition of Mack.”"

If you tour the plant this weekend at the truck show you will see some of the Chrysler trucks on line. "Chrysler Group Transport has decided to replace its entire fleet of 325 delivery trucks in the U.S. and Canada with Mack Pinnacle Series day cab highway tractors. Fuel economy was clearly a deciding factor when Chrysler Group Transport decided to replace its entire fleet of 325 delivery trucks in the U.S. and Canada with Mack Pinnacle Series day cab highway tractors. Over the next few months, 235 of the units will be delivered to the group’s terminals in Detroit, MI, and Toledo, OH, with another 90 going to its Windsor, Ontario, facility. Chrysler uses the trucks to deliver parts from suppliers to auto assembly plants and parts distribution centers. The first of the new Macks – and the first new trucks for this customer in five years – have already arrived at the Detroit and Windsor terminals. All 325 are expected to be in service by the end of September. A blog post on the Chrysler website points out that these new Macks will save the company money since they use less fuel and require less maintenance. Because they meet EPA 2010 guidelines, they will also cut emissions by 85 percent. “It’s an important win for the Mack team for several reasons,” said David Barletta, regional vice president. “This customer has never owned a Mack (Freightliner was the previous OEM), so it was all growth business for us.” It was also a case study on how to close a conquest deal. David praised the “exceptional team of people” who had a part in winning the business, including staff from the North American Trucks parts and customer satisfaction groups, the Macungie and Hagerstown plants, Mack Financial Services, and the local dealer, Wiegand Mack Sales and Service in Sterling Heights, MI. “We didn’t just sell them high-quality trucks,” David said. “We made sure the whole package, including our service support, financing, technical training, all of it, met their needs.”"

My understanding is this truck was a customer demo that just came out of service. When we get them back we scrap them.

Mack on TV again. "If you want to get a real inside look at a Mack TerraPro, tune in to the History Channel’s new program, Sliced, on Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 10 p.m. Eastern. Each week, the show’s hosts use a variety of tools to slice objects apart, layer by layer, and explore how they work. On the May 27 episode, they take on an EPA 2010 emissions-equipped TerraPro that Republic Services has been testing for the past 12 months. Republic is among the top waste collection companies in the U.S. with operations in 40 states, and one of Mack’s largest customers. The show focuses on Mack’s clean diesel technology, the Mack ClearTech SCR system, and the fact that today’s trucks “are not belching black smoke like 20 years ago,” said Curtis Dorwart, Mack marketing product manager. He was on the Boston-area set during the filming to represent the Mack brand and advise the show’s staff on what and where to slice. Joining him were representatives from Republic and Heil Environmental, which manufactured the truck body. “The timing of the show’s filming worked perfectly for all of us, because this truck was ready to come out of field service and would have been recycled for secondary use anyway,” Curtis said. “We expected the cutting to be more surgical in nature, but what happened was more of a ‘Monster Garage’ approach. I think it will be entertaining and informative.” On previous episodes of the show, the hosts have sliced objects ranging from an Etch-A-Sketch to an armored van. If you miss the May 27 show, you can catch a repeat on Monday, May 31."

I think I posted this before... DECEMBER 2008 -- Mack is recalling 34,269 MY 1999-2005 CX and MY 2004-2008 CXN trucks. The headlight switch may prematurely fail resulting in inoperative or intermittent headlights. The headlights may not operate properly which could result in intermittent or no headlight function. This could impair a driver's visibility. Dealers will replace the headlight switch. The recall is expected to begin on or about February 27, 2009. Bulletin SC0342. A jumper harness and relay was created to protect the switch. http://recallcast.com/recalls/2008/dec/24/mack-trucks-inc-exterior-lightingheadl-08v688000/

"For several years now, UD Trucks North America (the new name for the Nissan Diesel truck brand) has been part of the Volvo Group. Today, as part of our ongoing efforts to improve efficiency in the Group’s North American truck operations and position ourselves for future growth, we’re announcing that UD Trucks North America will become part of the North American Trucks organization effective January 1, 2011. The Volvo Group is committed to the sustainability of its truck brands in North America, and this consolidation will help ensure that each brand has the support it needs. We believe the new structure will also bring very real benefits to UD Trucks customers and dealers in terms of products, parts and system support – in fact the full range of transport solutions. UD Trucks will relocate its headquarters from Irving, Texas, to Greensboro by year-end and share “back-office” support functions with the Mack and Volvo brands. And like Mack and Volvo, UD Trucks will maintain a separate sales and marketing organization to promote the “UD” brand image and position in the market. We don’t have all of the details of the UD integration in place, including how individual UD employees will be affected and how many will be asked to relocate. (Currently UD Trucks has 36 employees in its Irving office.) We expect to have more details in the next 90 days. I know I can count on you to support the “UD Trucks family” during and after the transition. Please join me in welcoming them to North American Trucks. Denny Slagle President & CEO North American Trucks"