Last week, Mack Trucks inaugurated its new axle line at the Hagerstown, Md., powertrain facility, and I was invited to represent Fleet Maintenance at the ceremony.
The new line is part of a $30 million investment which has brought assembly of all Mack heavy duty drive axles and machining of Mack carrier housings to the plant. That plant has assembled Mack powertrain components – engines, transmissions and now axles - since 1961.
Production on the new axle line officially began in July.
“Bringing axle production to Hagerstown allows us to oversee the manufacturing process – from design to assembly – and deliver the high-quality components our customers depend on,” says Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North America.
The investment, along with adding drive axle operations to Hagerstown, was used for upgrades to the engine assembly process and centralization of aftermarket core warehousing operations.
“Hagerstown has played a crucial role in powering Mack’s truck models for more than 50 years,” notes Pierre Jenny, vice president of powertrain production. “With this new axle manufacturing capability, we are truly the birthplace of Mack’s famous Gold Bulldog, which adorns every Mack model equipped with a complete Mack proprietary powertrain.”
To view a video that provides an inside look at the new axle line and the rest of the Hagerstown plant, click here.
