PIC PAGE

About 800 people witnessed the reveal of the new Mack Truck model, Anthem, as two of the latest addition to the fleet pulled out from behind the marquee at PPL Center on Thursday night.

“This launch is seen as a new day, a new start and game changer for our Mack brand,” said Denny Slagle, Mack president and executive vice president of Volvo Group at the annual two-day Global Dealer Summit.

Anthem is meant to embody the spirit of Mack’s legacy, dedication and devotion to being an American-made brand.

Mack officials said Anthem orders would begin after Sept. 15, with production starting early next year. Pricing was not available.

An amalgam of the company’s 117 years in business, Anthem’s styling is a nod to the company’s past while keeping the brand’s vision fixed on the road ahead.

“This is a platform for expressing who we are and everything we need to move forward,” said Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group president and CEO.

Mack’s heavy and medium duty trucks are still produced at the Lehigh Valley Operations plant in Lower Macungie Township.

The company’s corporate headquarters is based in Greensboro, N.C. Volvo Group has been Mack’s parent company since 2000.

Lundstedt, a confessed, “truck guy” said, “the world is changing and the Allentown area is a good example of that” with its position as an emerging logistics player.

The newest Mack model features rebranding design changes including a sleek new bulldog, sturdy front grill design featuring the Mack name and muscular cab shoulders.

“The build is unmistakably Mack,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing and global brand.

The new model takes advantage of the latest technology in manufacturing, electronics and communications.

Mack went through several testing rounds, using long-haul drivers to inform the design and implementation. That means the gear under the hood and inside the cab was influenced by drivers’ input about comfort, safety, performance and usability.

“Trucking is in our blood,” Slagle said. “We make trucks that just plain work, day in and day out.”

Mack also debuted, “Born Ready,” a song created for the Anthem and Mack branding campaign through a partnership with country music singer/songwriter Steve Moakler. Moakler of Nashville is originally from Pittsburgh and performed live at the event.