By Jim Galligan, Special to Transport Topics This story appears in the March 10 print edition of Transport Topics.
LAS VEGAS — Mack Trucks has unveiled a new brand-identity program that includes a sleeker, more modern bulldog, a stronger font for the Mack name and a new tagline.
The rebranding, with the tagline “Born Ready,” is the leading element of a program designed to reinforce the company’s history and capabilities, officials said during an event at the Conexpo-Con/Agg 2014 conference here.
“The updated expression of the brand sends a strong message about the significant changes in the Mack Trucks organization, its products and customer support solutions,” the company said.
“We’re extremely proud of our 114-year legacy as the American truck you can count on,” Stephen Roy, president, Mack Trucks North American Sales & Marketing, said at the event. “We believe the refresh of our brand embodies what we’ve stood for in the past and continue to stand for today.”
John Walsh, vice president of marketing, noted that Mack has been investing in its production facilities. The company has spent $64 million since 2010 in its Hagerstown, Md., plant that produces Mack engines and transmissions. In addition, the company said it has spent about $20 million over the same period in the Macungie, Pa., plant where it builds Mack trucks, and $10 million in its technical center in Greensboro, N.C.
Mack dealers also have invested more than $300 million for new facilities, additional service bays, more service and parts employees and expanded hours of service, the company said. Each also will receive new signage as part of the rebranding program.
Mack is centralizing its call center and technical support staffs at a new “uptime command center” in Greensboro, which is on track for completion in the fall.
The company also launched its GuardDog Connect telematics package, which is now standard on all 2015 models, Walsh said.
Mack’s plan is to use these elements to reduce unplanned downtime for its on-road trucks to fewer than three days, Roy said. “Our target is 99% uptime by 2016,” Roy told Transport Topics in a
separate interview. “We’re known for vertically integrating our engine and powertrain. Now we’re vertically integrating our data and repair process.”
“We’ve got a very solid foundation,” Walsh said. “It’s time we told our story in a way that captures the essence of the brand as well as the things happening with Mack today. That’s really what the new work we’re debuting today is all about.”
