Mack To Consolidate U.s. Production In Macungie, Pa, Assembly

[Mack 3P]

Mack to Consolidate U.S. Production in Macungie, PA, Assembly

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA (June 25, 2009) – Mack Trucks, Inc. today announced that the company will move forward with its previously announced plan to consolidate production of its entire product line at its assembly facility in Macungie, PA.

The plan involves transferring assembly of Mack highway vehicles from the plant in Virginia’s New River Valley to Macungie, where Mack’s construction and refuse trucks are assembled, to take advantage of efficiencies arising from consolidated assembly, and to create a brand-unique environment for Mack customers.

The company expects to begin the transfer in September 2009 and complete it by the end of November 2009, during which period there will be a gradual production ramp-down in NRV and a corresponding ramp-up in Macungie.

Due to the prevailing market conditions, the company expects that rather than adding personnel in Macungie, it will instead support the increased production by reducing the number of down weeks. The transfer is expected to result in an employment reduction at the NRV plant, which will continue to produce Volvo Trucks North America’s entire product range, but it is too early to quantify the impact.

[Bobby Covert]

Mack to Consolidate U.S. Production in Macungie, PA, Assembly

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA (June 25, 2009) – Mack Trucks, Inc. today announced that the company will move forward with its previously announced plan to consolidate production of its entire product line at its assembly facility in Macungie, PA.

The plan involves transferring assembly of Mack highway vehicles from the plant in Virginia's New River Valley to Macungie, where Mack's construction and refuse trucks are assembled, to take advantage of efficiencies arising from consolidated assembly, and to create a brand-unique environment for Mack customers.

The company expects to begin the transfer in September 2009 and complete it by the end of November 2009, during which period there will be a gradual production ramp-down in NRV and a corresponding ramp-up in Macungie.

Due to the prevailing market conditions, the company expects that rather than adding personnel in Macungie, it will instead support the increased production by reducing the number of down weeks. The transfer is expected to result in an employment reduction at the NRV plant, which will continue to produce Volvo Trucks North America's entire product range, but it is too early to quantify the impact.

Build 'em near where they were born in Mack country!

[bobtom115]

Good post. I appriciate it

pret personnel

[james j neiweem]

Build 'em near where they were born in Mack country!

Amen Bro!

[granitefan713]

Very good to hear! Could the mean we might see Titans with a factory sleeper????

[mikeyredk]

Very good to hear! Could the mean we might see Titans with a factory sleeper????

Nope sorry

[ThaddeusW]

Nope sorry

How do you know this for sure?

If both sleeper and vocational trucks are going to be produced in one factory then why not?

This also means we might see Visions and CH's with heavier axles.

It also shows that Mack production is slow compared to Volvo. Mack is shrinking while Volvo is growing.

[mopar]

agree with that

hope it will generate jobs in the good ole US of A

Amen Bro!

[Bullheaded]

I was so happy to see that. I hope they don't do any more"restructuring" and keep Mack seperated from the Volvo production, and keep them in Pa. where they belong. It was a bummer when I was a kid to see them pull out of Canada also, and now I've also heard talk of International pulling out of Canada and moving most of it's production to Mexico, just like Freightshaker/Western Star. I hope Mack stays in the U.S. and doesn't go the Mexico route like everyone else. I don't want to have to loose my respect for Mack too.

[granitefan713]

Nope sorry

According to this months edition of Heavy Duty Trucking, a 42" sleeper is currently offered on the Titan.

[mikeyredk]

According to this months edition of Heavy Duty Trucking, a 42" sleeper is currently offered on the Titan.

Factory installed?

[granitefan713]

Factory installed?

That's what it let on to believe, I left the magazine at work so I'll have to check the exact wording tomorrow.

[granitefan713]

That's what it let on to believe, I left the magazine at work so I'll have to check the exact wording tomorrow.

It reads: "A short 42-inch compartment is the only sleeper option now offered." HDT

[mikeyredk]

It reads: "A short 42-inch compartment is the only sleeper option now offered." HDT

You know what I think they offer it in Australia with a sleeper option not in the USA though. Although if they state it is available right now that wouldn't make sense if came from the factory (highway in Virginia right now). I know in canada they are outfitting Titans with short sleepers.

[BAD DOG]

:

I was so happy to see that. I hope they don't do any more"restructuring" and keep Mack seperated from the Volvo production, and keep them in Pa. where they belong. It was a bummer when I was a kid to see them pull out of Canada also, and now I've also heard talk of International pulling out of Canada and moving most of it's production to Mexico, just like Freightshaker/Western Star. I hope Mack stays in the U.S. and doesn't go the Mexico route like everyone else. I don't want to have to loose my respect for Mack too.

Sterling in St.Thomas,Ont is gone too. And also the Volvo plant formerly Champion Road Grader in Goderich,Ont. shut down for good on tuesday,they,re moving it to Pa.

[Bullheaded]

I didn't hear about the old Champion grader plant. At least it's not going to Mexico.....yet.

[Mack 3P]

On a positive note the CXU and CHU are now being built in Macungie. It's odd for me to see sleepers and roof fairings going down the line.

[mackdaddy1911a1]

I saw a MACK AUSTRALIA video on youtube about the new titans down under and they already have sleepers, I think volvo is just screwing around with mack in the U.S. as usual. What a bunch of morans those guys are. If your gonna enter the Heavy haul market...ENTER it, dominate it. That is what MACK is famous for, they don't say Built like a Mack Truck for nothing. Yo volvo don't you get it yet. Most of the companies that move over dimentional loads need sleepers especially with jumbo loads. Most oversize loads can not move at night because of the movement permits issued by the state governments. I haul several over dimentional loads a year and almost never load and unload on the same day. Of coarse I mostly only haul over length and over height loads and mostly of legal weight but If I had a tractor that could move over weight loads like the Titan was designed to haul I would still need a sleeper because there is alot of sitting and waiting to get those loads. when loaded alot of the guys get motel rooms at night but with the economy in the shape it is in I bet that most drivers nowadays cann't afford to do that anymore.

[ThaddeusW]

I saw a MACK AUSTRALIA video on youtube about the new titans down under and they already have sleepers, I think volvo is just screwing around with mack in the U.S. as usual. What a bunch of morans those guys are. If your gonna enter the Heavy haul market...ENTER it, dominate it. That is what MACK is famous for, they don't say Built like a Mack Truck for nothing. Yo volvo don't you get it yet. Most of the companies that move over dimentional loads need sleepers especially with jumbo loads. Most oversize loads can not move at night because of the movement permits issued by the state governments. I haul several over dimentional loads a year and almost never load and unload on the same day. Of coarse I mostly only haul over length and over height loads and mostly of legal weight but If I had a tractor that could move over weight loads like the Titan was designed to haul I would still need a sleeper because there is alot of sitting and waiting to get those loads. when loaded alot of the guys get motel rooms at night but with the economy in the shape it is in I bet that most drivers nowadays cann't afford to do that anymore.

Volvo wants the highway business for themselves. They don't like the Vision and CH competing with their VN series. There was talk of them wanting to cut sleeper options all together to force Mack highway customers to their Volvo VN. IT didnt work. They even tried to compete with the big boys like Paccar with the VT and failed. If Mack introduced a New Superliner then they would have a clear winner. They should put the MP10 into the Vision and push it as an Aero highway truck.

[mackbulldog64]

Mack Inc at this time does not offer a Mack Factory oem sleeper for the Titan. There waiting of the new smog law for this coming year then they maybe will offer oem sleepers for the Titan. The only sleeper u can put on the Titan is an after market and Mack Inc does not recommend it.

Terry E Davis of Johnson City N.Y.