Volvo, Mack to Make Transmissions at Hagerstown, Md., Plant
Growing demand has prompted Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks to move assembly of its transmissions to Hagerstown, Md., the two companies said Wednesday.
Both transmissions are currently manufactured in Sweden, home of the sister companies’ parent firm, Volvo AB. The two make their North American diesel truck engines at Hagerstown.
Volvo announced a $7 million investment to bring assembly of its I-Shift automated manual transmission to the Hagerstown powertrain plant, with production scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2012.
Volvo’s introduced the transmission in North America in 2007 and last year reached a penetration of 26% of Volvo Trucks’ North American sales.
Mack said assembly of its mDRIVE automated manual transmission will also start at Hagerstown in next year’s third quarter.
Mack introduced the mDRIVE in the first quarter of 2010 and quickly sold out of the 500 units available last year.
The transmission, designed and engineered to work exclusively with Mack MP series engines, is also available on Mack’s Pinnacle highway tractors, the company said.
