kscarbel

Have you looked at a (US-built) Mack truck.......lately. Let's ask ourselves, what is a Mack truck today? Is a truck with Volvo engines and a Volvo chassis still a Mack truck? Yes, it still has a cab and hood unique to the brand. But that in fact is all Mack is now, thanks to Volvo - Mack has been reduced to being nothing more than a brand. There was a time when Mack was a company, a powerful force in the trucking industry that made such revolutionary products such as the Maxidyne high torque rise engine, the Maxitorque transmission and the E-9 V-8 engine. But look at a new Mack truck today at your local dealer. First you'll notice the "new" truck is rusting everywhere because Mack and its suppliers are too busy fighting over who should be responsible (pay for) primer painting that it isn't applied. There's just a thin coat of paint on much of the chassis that yields to rust before the truck is sold. Then look at the shoddy way the wiring and air piping is mounted along the chassis. It's a rude awakening to see that the leading Chinese truck brands now have equal or better "quality of assembly" than a Mack truck. I know old Mack employees are amused at the news that Mack production which was taken away from Macungie is now returning. But I wonder now, since Mack closed its famous Plant 5C and sent highway truck production away from Macungie, how many proud and skilled "Mack people" are left in Allentown (the Macungie plant is located outside Allentown). The company went downhill after former Mack President Curcio tried to break the union and opened the failed non-union plant in Winnsboro, South Carolina for the highway models, from which production was later shifted to New River Valley in southwest Virginia (a horrible location for a truck plant) where Mack trucks have been assembled by Volvo workers. The union in Allentown had actually voted to take concessions so as to keep all production at Macungie, but the UAW ignored the voting results and Curcio was set on his South Carolina plan. Many people don't know that the first year of production in South Carolina was a disaster owing to the incompetent workforce there. It was so bad that over 1,000 incomplete trucks had to be lifted onto low-boy trailers and carried from South Carolina up to Macungie, Pennsylvania to be completed properly. Mack was once an undisputed leader in the fire truck industry, and a long-time manufacturer of massive M-Series off-highway mining trucks up to 120-tons. Mack produced electric trolley buses and diesel municipal buses (Scania was licensed to produce Mack city buses in Europe). Far ahead of their time, Mack's ingenious and cost-effective "rail cars" (rail bus) were the forerunner of what light rail is today in the US. Mack engineering has been snubbed by Volvo Group. Mack trucks now use Volvo truck chassis and Volvo D11, D13 and D16 6-cylinder engines (renamed MP7, MP8 and MP10 respectively). Mack no longer actively promotes its legendary dual-reduction drive axles and incomparable triple-countershaft transmissions. In a another disappointing development last month, Mack, deceptively announcing their new "mDrive" AMT as a Mack-designed product, when in fact it is none other than a Volvo I-Shift 12-speed AMT transmission. This is indeed an embarrassing and sad state of affairs for a company that was once legendary for its drivetrain engineering. The fact is, Mack engineers wanted to design an AMT version of Mack's signature triple-countershaft Maxitorque ES 300 transmission, but Volvo said no. This decision continues a trend of Mack engineering being snubbed by Volvo Group. Mack trucks now use Volvo truck chassis and Volvo D11, D13 and D16 6-cylinder engines (renamed MP7, MP8 and MP10 respectively). With this latest development we can ask once again, is a truck with a Volvo engine, Volvo transmission, Volvo chassis and Meritor axles still a Mack truck? Despite the remaining Mack unique cab and hood, it certainly is not. The "Mack truck" no longer exists. The Mack name is now merely a brand emblem on a North American market Volvo heavy truck. When Renault purchased Mack in 1981, Renault understood the immense value of the Mack brand, and under the superb leadership of Elios Pascual, brought Mack Trucks back into greatness. However Volvo has demonstrated they do not comprehend the value of the Mack brand with their closure of Mack's headquarters in Allentown. All functions have been transferred to Volvo Truck headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina (inefficiently putting Mack's Macungie factory and Volvo's headquarters hundreds of miles apart). Volvo has transformed Mack into a brand without a heart or identity, a brand that now makes mediocre disposable trucks at a quality level we 15 years ago associated with Ford and GMC heavy trucks, rather than the impressively engineered trucks that once made the company a legend and major force in the truck industry. The former Mack Trucks had always set itself apart from other US truckmakers as an integrated truckmaker, designing and producing its drivetrain components; engines, transmissions, axles and suspensions carefully engineered to compliment each other resulting in Mack's "balanced design" that yielded efficient and economical performance. One of Mack's earliest slogans, "Performance Counts", spoke volumes about what kind of a company Mack was. The phrase "Built like a Mack Truck" was so well earned and respected that it became a part of the common language without being advertised. Volvo wasted their money in purchasing Mack, because they don't understand as Renault did the true value of Mack. It's well known that Mack customers have historically been fiercely loyal. But they're not ignorant. When a Mack truck ceases to be a Mack truck, you have lost all that this unique and iconic brand has until now represented. It has been painful for Mack's dedicated customers to watch the brand become a cheap truck. Mack used to stand above many other brands, noted for its durability and resale value. However under Volvo, Mack customers have experienced chronic problems that have all but destroyed the intense loyalty that Mack once enjoyed. The modern Mack has become a cheap "throwaway truck" like yesterday's Freightliner, worn out at 400,000 miles. Mack's used to roar into their "second life" while flimsy Freightliners and other lesser trucks roared into the junkyard to be parted out. Mack's build quality has reached low levels. It's perhaps shocking to note that the leading Chinese truck brands now have equal build quality. The Mack truck today is not the Mack product of 15 years ago, which is why Mack is no longer an industry leader. And one can only blame that on Volvo, as they have been pulling the strings. Why doesn't Mack have a V-8 engine today? Because Volvo told Mack to terminate V-8 engine development and use the Volvo in-line D16 instead. Many Mack customers, like Scania, MAN and Benz customers, appreciate V-8 engines. But Volvo's personal desires are more important than those of Mack's customers. Volvo arrogantly lectures Mack on how things are going to be, and consistently has displayed little interest in "listening" to Mack dealers and customers (why would you want to do that?). There indeed was a time when Mack was a powerful force in the trucking industry, standing on its on two feet, setting its own agenda, setting industry trends with revolutionary products such as the Maxidyne high-torque-rise engine, the Maxitorque transmission, Dynamax wet clutch, CF fire chassis, MH Ultra-Liner with Maxi-Glas cab construction, MR Series refuse truck, and the E-9 V-8 engine. Mack's V-8 range could have continued under development to meet EPA2010 emissions standards (similar to Euro-6 that Scania, MAN and Benz are set to meet), to meet customer demand. But Volvo Group killed Mack's popular V-8 offerings because Volvo wanted to use the Volvo in-line D16 instead, totally disregarding the V-8 preference of Mack customers both in the U.S. market and Australia. Unlike Volvo, Renault realized the value of Mack and invested huge sums of money after the 1981 purchase to rebuild the company. Mack employees were at first very concerned, needless to say, about what would transpire under Renault. But Mack people quickly realized that Renault was dedicated to rebuilding the Mack Company, and thus, Renault and acting Mack President Elios Pascual quickly earned the respect of Mack employees. Elios Pascual revived the Mack team spirit originally inspired by the legendary Zenon C.R. Hansen. If you look at the numbers, Mack performed extremely well under Renault. Only after Mack was solidly back on its feet again did Renault slowly begin to repay itself the money it had invested in Mack's recovery - a completely reasonably business action. For a company like Mack, with a long unique history of being America's only vertically integrated truckmaker, I think it is a problem for Mack trucks to use Volvo engines (and chassis), particularly because Mack for decades designed and produced cutting edge components. Every part of the Mack truck from the engine to the axles to the frame and suspensions earned a legendary status so great that the truck's reputation for strength became common knowledge in the American household. Every housewife knew what "Built like a Mack Truck" meant. Such respect in the market can only be justly earned. But sadly today under Volvo, Mack has lost all of that respect and become merely one on the crowd. Now Volvo Group's North American truck operations of "Mack Trucks" and "Volvo Trucks North America" will be merged into a single organization called "North American Trucks" (NAT). In my humble opinion, a bland and generic name like "North American Trucks" has as much depth and personality as a piece of drywall. On one hand, I realize they don't want to call the company "Mack-Volvo Trucks North America", because that would be politically incorrect, stating the obvious that Mack is no longer Mack, which would arouse customer questions leading to the realization that Mack trucks are now essentially Volvos, with engines and chassis as a strong example. This would further disillusion what little Mack brand loyalty there is left. It would also beg the question, why buy a Mack truck that's realistically a Volvo........when one can just as well buy a Volvo? And if the customer is not a fan of Volvo product, than "NAT" has lost out altogether due to the Mack-Volvo link as the customer will purchase a competitor truck. I'm no fan of Navistar, but at least the name "Navistar International" does denote the truck brand, the central pillar around which the company exists. Mack for years has had an extremely effective and yet ingeniously simple part numbering system. The beginning of the part number (prefix) told you what kind of part it was, with P-number suffixes that told you what variation it was. For example: Prefixes 1AX - fine thread bolt 4AX - course thread bolt 36AX - lock washer 37AX - flat washer 62GB - engine bearing 1MR - electrical switch 11MR - circuit breaker 2QK - front spring 4QK - rear spring 301SQ - king pin set The part numbers were very easy to remember, because Mack engineers years ago created a brilliant and yet straightforward part numbering system. This is why veteran Mack parts people IMHO were significantly better than their peers in the industry. With the Mack part numbers already in their head, veteran Mack parts people were faster than a New York deli (Did anyone out there ever have the nightmare of buying parts from a Ford heavy truck dealer?) But now, Volvo has begun replacing Mack part numbers with Volvo global part numbers, randomly selected part numbers that have no meaning whatsoever. For Volvo to throw away a proven, efficient parts numbering system far superior to their own and replace it with meaningless numbers to meet the demands of their arrogant bureaucracy, I'm totally disgusted. Volvo would have been better off to adopt Mack's part numbering system rather than force their often criticized system upon Mack. Volvo performs particularly well in its home western European market. Volvo builds a good truck in Western Europe and manages that market well in terms of sales and after-sales. But beyond that market, you can see a path of hopes and dreams in the global market that have yielded anything but solid results. Volvo is not adept at selling outside of Western Europe and their track record in country markets like China and the US is a good example. In fact, Volvo has a history of deep spending that brought little or no results. (On the other hand, Swedish truckmaker and long-time Mack partner Scania has a history of rational decision making that supports "smart" growth and profitability). Volvo spent millions on an ill-planned and fruitless 6-year journey in China. Volvo signed a 50-50 joint venture with CNHTC in March 2004 and proclaimed they'd produce 2,500 units in 2005 and 10,000 units in 2008. But Volvo didn't do their China homework and learn the unique metrics of this important global region, and finally dissolved the relationship in 2010 after only building 1,000 (CKD) trucks, which were all sold at a loss. Volvo's track record in the US market speaks for itself. They've been in the U.S. market 36 years, since they introduced the F86(US) in 1974. The fact they've accomplished so little in that long time period supports my opinion that Volvo doesn't understand the US market. They've tried many avenues over the years and yet have never been able to get their U.S. market into gear. The F86US cab-over was a flop, as was the underpowered 253hp N10(US) conventional. Volvo tried a new tact buying the assets of White and forming Volvo White Truck Corp. in 1981. Still making no headway (or profit), Volvo purchased General Motor's heavy truck division in 1987 to form the WHITEGMC brand as Volvo GM Heavy Truck and continue their unprofitable trek forward. Volvo for years followed the failed money-losing strategy of buying market share, selling to the fleets at a loss and committing to unrealistic buy-back amounts (you couldn't give away a used Volvo White truck because its was a cheap throwaway truck as a Mack has become today under Volvo). And finally in one more vain attempt to establish itself in the US market, Volvo exchanged 15% of their shares for 100% of the shares of Renault Vehicles Industries, taking control of Renault's heavy truck division which included Mack Trucks. Observe how Volvo has purchased three competitors in the US market and yet has benefited so little. Under the stewardship of such fine leaders as Alfred Brosseau, Zenon C.R. Hansen and Elios Pascual, Mack soared to unprecedented heights. With a long history of legendary engineers including Alfred Masury, Walter May and Win Pelizzoni, Mack's cutting edge design achievements put the world on notice that Mack was at the forefront of heavy truck development. But under the incompetent management of former president Ralph E. Reins and Volvo Group, Mack has lost all of its stature it attained over the last 100 years. The contrast between Renault's excellent management of Mack and the sad state of affairs today at Mack under Volvo ownership is staggering. Renault realized the incredible value of Mack, and had foresight that paid off with solid profitability. Mack flourished under Renault with revolutionary new products such as the MH Ultra-Liner, a breakthrough in technology and design featuring cutting edge chassis design and a cab with safety cage and fireproof Maxi-Glas composite construction. Mack Trucks, unlike any other truckmaker throughout U.S. history, has a soul. Mack is not a brand. Mack is a legend. Mack is a family, of employees and customers. For customers, Mack is a feeling. For Mack employees everywhere, Mack is "a way of life". Nobody ever said "Built like a Freightliner, or International". No other U.S. truck brand ever became a household word. Volvo remains clueless of the unique and invaluable asset they now hold. The closure of Mack World Headquarters in Allentown, transferring all functions to Volvo Truck Headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a mortal wound to the Mack brand. Mack is now no more than a nameplate on a low-end disposable US-market Volvo truck. Volvo has step-by-step destroyed the very soul that made Mack Trucks an American icon. Any remark to the contrary is a distortion of the fact. Mack Truck's Engineering, Development and Test Center (EDTC) in Allentown is truly a world class facility. Given that Macungie will once again become the sole location of Mack Truck production, it makes no logical sense for Volvo Group to close Mack's Allentown EDTC and relocate those functions to an inferior facility nearly 400 miles away in Greensboro, North Carolina. There's a need for R&D and production to work hand-in-hand in adjacent facilities to refine product design, quality and performance (in Mack speak, that's called "Pedigreed Performance"). Mr. Zenon C.R. Hansen legitimately made Allentown, Pennsylvania "The Truck Capital of the World", and inspired an incredible spirit and pride within Mack people that, I feel, remains unmatched to this day. For employees of other U.S. truckmakers, their work was just a job. But particularly under President Zenon C.R. Hansen and acting President Elios Pascual (under Renault), Mack employees were a special breed. Employment at Mack Trucks was a unique career and rewarding way of life. You knew that you belonged to something really great, and it showed in your confidence. As they say, "Mack means a lot of things to a lot of people". No matter where a Mack employee went, whether it be World Headquarters, Macungie, a PDC, factory branch or dealer, he or she always felt at home within a special family. You were never allowed to feel like a stranger. Anyone that ever entered Mack World Headquarters knows what I mean, when the receptionist (the legendary Pat Hutchins) would warmly greet you with a Mack Bulldog lapel pin. You immediately knew Mack was like no other truckmaker. Volvo has demonstrated again and again since 2001 that they are completely oblivious to the very meaning of Mack Trucks and the immense value it represents when allowed to flourish in its own right. I had no problem with Volvo reducing White and GMC to nothing, because those two brands realistically were already nothing. But Mack Trucks is a totally different situation entirely. The strength of the Mack brand, its incredible employees, and the company's legendary engineering is immeasurable. It is nothing less than amazing how ignorant Volvo Group's business strategy is relating to Mack Trucks. Like any company, Mack is only as good as its management. Like any company, Mack reached lows in its history under poor management and reached unprecedented highs under good management. My point to Volvo Group is, if you place Mack under good and independent management, Mack Trucks will benefit Volvo Group far more than a decapitated Mack brand which now is no more than a Mack emblem on a disposable low-quality truck built around Volvo components. Mack customers are alienated by this product and the sales figures reflect this reality better than Volvo's Mack marketing hype. Simply speaking, most Mack customers want to purchase a "real" Mack truck, with genuine Mack components that incorporate the engineering that Mack Trucks is legendary for. Based on Volvo's poor 36 year track record in the U.S. market, it would be prudent for the company to reconsider their strategy for Mack Trucks before the brand's recovery potential is completely lost. After six demoralizing years for both customers and employees in a net-negative spiral that has achieved no mentionable results, admitting their error by relocating Mack World Headquarters back to Allentown, Pennsylvania would be a critical first move towards getting the Mack Truck organization back on track and in the right direction.

It's disappointing to see Mack Trucks, once legendary for its own proprietary drivetrain engineering, deceptively announcing their new "mDrive" AMT as a Mack-designed product, when in fact it is none other than a Volvo I-Shift 12-speed AMT transmission. The fact is, Mack engineers wanted to design an AMT version of Mack's signature triple-countershaft Maxitorque ES 300 transmission, but Volvo said no. This decision continues a trend of Mack engineering being snubbed by Volvo Group. Mack trucks now use Volvo truck chassis and Volvo D11, D13 and D16 6-cylinder engines (renamed MP7, MP8 and MP10 respectively). With this latest development, I'm sure a great many Mack customers will agree that a truck with a Volvo engine, Volvo transmission and Volvo chassis isn't a Mack truck. Despite the remaining Mack-unique cab and hood, it's nothing more than a U.S. market Volvo heavy truck with a Mack emblem. Under Volvo ownership, Mack's market share continues to fall. When will Volvo realize how badly they have mishandled Mack Trucks, and under a drastically new direction allow Mack to prosper once more?