There will soon be a new Mack Trucks boss in Lower Macungie, Pennsylvania.
Mack, on Aug. 24, announced that Rickard Lundberg has been appointed vice president and general manager of its Mack Lehigh Valley Operations plant. Lundberg will start Oct. 1.
Lundberg is now vice president for powertrain production at the Volvo Group's plant in Koping, Sweden, a position he has held since 2013. Volvo is Mack's parent company.
Lundberg first joined Volvo in 1989. Over the years, he has held positions in production, logistics, purchasing and quality.
Mack spokesman Christopher Heffner said Lundberg was not available for a phone interview Aug. 25. But, he said, Lundberg will be based in the Lehigh Valley.
Lundberg will succeed Wade Watson, who left Mack earlier this year after less than a year in the role of vice president and general manager. Mack confirmed Watson's departure in mid-April, one day after announcing a $70 million investment at its plant in Lower Macungie Township.
Citing company policy, Mack has declined to provide a reason for Watson's departure. Antonio Servidoni, vice president of production systems for Volvo Group Commercial Vehicle Assembly, has been the acting plant manager for Lehigh Valley Operations.
Lundberg will join Mack at an interesting time. In early October, the existing contract with United Auto Workers Local 677, which represents the Mack workers, expires. Heffner said negotiations are still ongoing.
And, a little more than two weeks later, there will be a weeklong shutdown at the Lower Macungie plant during the week of Oct. 17.
With heavy-duty truck demand sagging, Mack has several weeklong production shutdowns scheduled this fall. The shutdowns, or temporary layoff weeks, will idle a significant portion of Lehigh Valley Operations' approximately 1,500 employees.
Mack's 1-million-square-foot plant in Lower Macungie is where all Mack trucks built for the North American market and export are assembled.
Heffner said no changes have been made regarding Mack's planned down weeks in Lower Macungie. "We will continue to monitor market conditions and adjust to meet demand," he said.
Demand was not strong in the second quarter for Mack — at least compared with the peak year the company benefited from last year.
Mack delivered 5,588 trucks worldwide in the second quarter, a 22% decline from the 7,160 it sent out during the same period in 2015. That was the weakest second quarter for Mack since 2011, when it delivered 5,099 trucks during the period, Volvo reports show.
The decline is not unexpected. Volvo and Mack have consistently said that demand would weaken in 2016.
To meet the expected reduced demand, Mack announced in December it would lay off about 400 people at Mack Lehigh Valley Operations, which took effect in late January.
