ALLENTOWN, Pa., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mack Trucks today hosted President Joe Biden at its Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania, where all Mack heavy-duty models for North America and export are assembled. President Biden stressed the importance of American manufacturing, buying American products and good-paying jobs during remarks made at the facility.
"We are honored that President Biden chose to visit Mack Trucks today," said Martin Weissburg, president of Mack Trucks. "This week marks the 121st anniversary of Mack Trucks, and we are very pleased to celebrate this milestone with the President. Mack is part of the only heavy-duty truck manufacturing group to assemble all of its trucks exclusively in the U.S. for this market."
Mack recently completed an $84 million investment in plant improvements at LVO, which included the insourcing of chassis assembly, the addition of new equipment and a 300,000 square-foot expansion of the facility. The plant upgrades were completed in 2020. LVO currently employs more than 2,500 people and plans to hire up to 400 more this year.
During Wednesday's visit, Biden met with employees, including those represented by United Auto Workers Local 677, and toured LVO, learning about Mack's assembly process, its supply chain, and Mack's commitment to battery-electric vehicles. Biden was able to see firsthand the Mack LR Electric battery-electric refuse vehicle, Mack's first fully electric Class 8 truck.
Mack emphasized to Biden the importance of robust funding investments in infrastructure for zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV), as well as for all types of transportation.
"We need these types of investments to support American manufacturing's competitiveness in the global economy and to prepare for innovative technologies like the Mack LR Electric," Weissburg said.
"President Biden's visit to Mack Trucks spotlights the importance of manufacturing and good-paying jobs to the U.S. economy, and we are pleased to have hosted him at our facility," said Gunnar Brunius, vice president and general manager of LVO.
Dedicated to moving and building a better world, Mack Trucks has provided purpose-built transportation solutions for more than a century. Today, Mack is one of North America's largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, and Mack® trucks are sold and serviced through an extensive distribution network in many countries around the world. Mack trucks, diesel engines and transmissions sold in North America are assembled in the United States. Mack manufacturing locations are certified to the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality, ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems and OHSAS 18001 standard for health and safety management systems. Mack is also a proud sponsor of Share the Road, an American Trucking Associations public information campaign aimed at enhancing the safety of our nation's roadways.
Mack Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, which is driving prosperity through transport and infrastructure solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase customer uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs almost 100,000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets. In 2020, net sales amounted to about $36.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com. For more information about Mack, visit our website at www.macktrucks.com
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