Volvo 2007 Annual Report Download - page 64
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Please find page 64 of the 2007 Volvo annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.Mack Trucks
– an entirely new product line after
comprehensive product renewal
Throughout its history, Mack’s vehicles haven’t just ridden
America’s highways – they’ve built them. That tradition continues
today.
As a young Army offi cer in 1919, Dwight
Eisenhower took a cross-country trip in a
Mack truck to promote the Good Roads move-
ment. The trip from Washington, DC, to San
Francisco took three months, and the experi-
ence contributed to President Eisenhower’s
strong support for the 1956 legislation creat-
ing the U.S. Interstate Highway System.
Williams Brothers relying on Mack
One year before that legislation became law,
the Williams brothers started their Texas con-
struction company with a single Army surplus
truck. Today, with a fl eet of about 400 Mack
vehicles, the Houston-based Williams Broth-
ers Construction Company is one of the larg-
est highway contractors in the United States.
The company was recently awarded con-
tracts worth $1.3 billion to take part in the
Katy Freeway/U.S. Interstate 10 reconstruc-
tion project in Texas.
“It’s the biggest project we’ve ever done”,
says company Vice President Robert Lanham.
“And we’re relying on Mack trucks to help us
get it done quickly, and done right.”
To consistently land contracts of this size,
Williams Brothers has aggressively addressed
the issues of safety and the environment. Its
safety program produces one of the lowest
accident rates of any highway construction
company in the country, and the company has
secured state grant money as a result of its
work with Mack to reduce its environmental
footprint.
“Mack provided a lot of expertise when we
entered the Texas Emissions Reduction Pro-
gram,” Lanham said. “That’s a big deal as
these major metropolitan areas struggle with
air quality issues.”
Positive reactions on new product line
With a fl eet that includes Mack Pinnacle Day-
Cab tractors and Granite dumps, mixers, and
crane trucks, Williams Brothers is among the
many customers taking advantage of the most
comprehensive product renewal program in
Mack history.
Mack now approaches the market with an
entirely new product line – including a new
range of MP engines that meet the strict
US’07 emissions standards – and customer
response has been very positive.
Customers were particularly impressed
with the new products’ improved fuel economy
and drivability – engendering confi dence that
the company is well-positioned for the even-
tual improvement in North American truck
demand. Mack launched a continent-wide
effort in June – the “Mack Performance Tour”
– to bring demonstration trucks to as many
customers as possible to promote the new
engine technology.
Mack also introduced two new cabover
trucks in 2007, each with industry-leading
designs and features. The TerraPro Cabover
was introduced in January at the World of
Concrete trade show for the construction
industry, while the TerraPro Low Entry was
unveiled for the refuse industry at Waste Expo
in May. Beyond bringing the new MP engine
series into the cabover product line, these
new products also feature cabs that have
been redesigned from the ground up. Each
features a rugged exterior built to handle
tough jobs, with interiors that are well
appointed to increase driver comfort and
maximize productivity.
A Focus on the Environment
In January, Mack unveiled a Granite dump
truck equipped with the Group’s unique
I-SAM (Integrated Starter Alternator Motor)
hybrid technology. The truck was developed
in close cooperation with the U.S. Air Force,
which now has two such vehicles in service,
as well as an earlier prototype tanker truck
with a hybrid drive.
Mack and the U. S. Department of Energy
agreed to work together on a project to develop
environmentally friendly commercial vehicle
technologies, with an initial goal of reducing
fuel consumption and primary CO2 emissions
from heavy-duty trucks by more than 10%.
Market and market development
A dramatic downturn occurred as expected
in the fi rst half of 2007 in the North American
truck market, due to the effects of the large
“pre-buy” that took place before stricter emis-
sions regulations went into effect on January
1, 2007. The market’s rebound was slower
than anticipated in the second half of 2007
“Built like a Mack truck” is a frequently-used phrase
and an acknowledgment of the trucks’ strength and
endurance.
60 Business areas 2007