Mack engines, mDrive automated manual transmission and optimized aerodynamics have helped establish the Mack Pinnacle as a leader in on-highway fuel efficiency.Fuel efficiency and uptime remain top priorities for Mack Trucks, and will help the company increase its market share in the highway market, officials said today at the Mid- America Trucking Show.
The company has hired more sales staff and begun special training to help dealerships sell long-haul trucks, said Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North American sales and marketing. However, the company will continue building its core segments of refuse, regional and construction, he said.
Construction, driven largely by housing, should grow about 20 percent in 2014, Roy said. Gross domestic product should grow 2.7 percent, and consumer and business spending are also expected to increase.
Mack’s ongoing focus to reduce customer operating costs, along with recent investments in products, support solutions, facilities and its brand, has Mack well-positioned for success in the highway market, he said.
“Customers need trucks that maximize their return on investment,” Roy said. “The best way to do that is to provide products that increase fuel efficiency and aftermarket services that keep trucks on the road generating revenue. It also means offering uptime solutions that go beyond the industry norm.”
Mack engines are greenhouse-gas 2014-certified and offer up to a 2.4 percent increase in fuel efficiency, the company says. The mDrive improves drivability and boosts fuel efficiency by up to 5 percent over a manual transmission.
A Mack Pedigree Powertrain combines a proprietary Mack engine, transmission and axles. A recently introduced version of the Pedigree Powertrain, the Mack Super Econodyne, seamlessly integrates a Mack MP8-445SE engine, mDrive AMT and proprietary axles to increase fuel efficiency by up to 3 percent compared to similarly spec’d vehicles.
Standout fuel saving features are available in the Mack Pinnacle, the company says. Offered in both axle forward and axle back configurations, the Pinnacle also has an optional 6×2 version, as well as drag-reducing roof, chassis and side fairings.
For its uptime emphasis, Mack’s GuardDog Connect telematics-based system quickly diagnoses potential issues, schedules repairs and confirms that required parts are in stock and ready to install, all while the truck is still on the job.
GuardDog Connect is part of Mack Pedigree Uptime Protection, an integrated suite of service and support solutions including Bulldog Service Management, Bulldog Parts Purchasing, Bulldog Financing and Bulldog Asset Protection.
Mack’s extensive service and support network, consisting of 428 Mack dealer locations and more than 5,000 additional service locations in North America, is a critical piece to the success of Mack’s aftermarket support. Since 2010, dealers have invested $325 million, increasing bay capacity by 32 percent, Master Technicians by 150 percent, spare parts availability by 35 percent, hours available for service by 44 percent and parts department employees by 65 percent.
Marketing Vice President John Walsh reviewed the company’s recent revision of its logo and Mack logo lettering, which he said reflects its heritage and provides more consistency in the bulldog image and the Mack lettering. He also introduced a new slogan, “Born ready.”
