Mack Expands Workforce in Pennsylvania Following Freight Market Rebound

Mack Trucks has expanded its workforce by approximately 270 employees at its Lehigh Valley Operations production plant in Pennsylvania over recent months. This increase brings the current headcount at the Volvo Group division’s largest assembly plant to roughly 2,800 workers, according to a company spokeswoman. The hiring spree comes in response to an ongoing freight market recovery and rising demand for commercial trucks across North America. The turnaround marks a stark contrast to the spring of 2025, when the plant laid off about 170 employees during an extended freight market downturn. Demand has surged significantly, highlighted by Mack’s second-quarter North American order intake reaching 7,937 trucks—a 95% jump compared with 4,080 units during the same period a year earlier. Furthermore, U.S. Class 8 retail sales climbed 30% year over year in September and 3.9% in August, according to Omdia Automotive data, following a modest 0.3% increase in June. Mack is not alone in ramping up production. Across the industry, major truck manufacturers are adding staff and shifts to handle the growing volume. Volvo Trucks North America is hiring up to 500 additional workers for its plant in Dublin, Virginia. International Motors plans to introduce a second shift at its San Antonio assembly plant in 2027 after boosting output in 2026. Peterbilt confirmed that its Denton, Texas, manufacturing facility has added over 1,000 employees in 2026. Meanwhile, Daimler Truck is increasing headcounts at Freightliner plants in Saltillo, Mexico, and Mount Holly, North Carolina, where a previously laid-off group of 400 workers is returning alongside plans for 200 more hires by the end of 2026. These expansion efforts reverse widespread cuts made 12 to 18 months prior, which included layoffs at Volvo Group operations, International’s Escobedo plant in Mexico, and DTNA facilities.