Mack: Orders flagging as pre-October build slots fill up

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. (June 24, 2002) — Mack Trucks said that while orders of new trucks have been strong through May, sales in the United States and Canasda have slowed as Mack and other truck manufacturers began to confirm that production slots for trucks with pre-EPA ’02 engines are no longer available.

Truck manufacturers have experienced a surge in orders from buyers who want trucks built before an Oct. 1. Trucks built after Oct. 1 will have to comply with tighter emissions rules set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In order to meet targets to reduce emissions of nitrous oxides, diesel engines will require significant modifications, which has created doubts about their price, fuel economy, and maintenance requirements.

Mack said actual deliveries through May were down 17% in North America compared with the same period last year. The company delivered 8,750 units during the first five months of the year, compared with 10,561 units during the same period in 2001.

Globally, Mack sales were also off by 17%.

Mack, an operating unit of Volvo AB in Sweden, produces both trucks and engines.