Milestone Mack for DGL

Freight and logistics specialist DGL has welcomed its 150th Mack truck to its fleet, with Mack and DGL executives on hand at the recent handover of the model at DGL headquarters in Brisbane.

The eye-catching truck, a Mack Granite with an all-Mack driveline, sports a custom paint job courtesy of Wayne Dawson at Brisbane's belair truck spraypainting, and it will now join a fleet that handles a range of freight needs for customers in both Australia and New Zealand.

Officially handed over by Vice President Mack Trucks Australia, Dean Bestwick (pictured, left), to DGL's Managing Director, John West (pictured, right), the truck represents the latest in a long line of Mack purchases for DGL that began back in 2002.

Mr West said the company wanted to celebrate its sesquicentenary Mack, whose arrival coincided with the company's 15th year of operations.

"We thought we should do something a bit special for this truck," he said.

"We've had just about every model Mack has made since the early 2000s, and this truck is certainly a milestone."

Mr West said he was sold on Mack's trucks and back-up.

"I just like Macks, but for more than sentimental reasons," he said.

"They've proven to be very reliable, cost-effective trucks and the support from the Mack team has been brilliant. We don't operate our own workshop – we don't even own a spanner. Every truck has been serviced from start to finish by Mack and the reliability has been excellent. That's why I keep buying them."

These days DGL employs 520 people across Australia and New Zealand. The latest Granite is destined for Sydney, where it will be used for dangerous goods work.

Mr West said two-thirds of the Macks purchased by DGL are still in service with the company.

"We turn them over every seven years or so, at around the 750,000km mark," he said.

"The Mack service agreement means they're fully serviced so I don't have to touch them at all during that time and then I get a good trade value when I sell them.

"The Mack support network allows us to maintain a high standard of equipment right across the country. They have a dealership everywhere we operate so servicing is never an issue, and their aftersales support and customer focus is excellent. If we have a problem, they address it – simple as that."

Mr Bestwick said Mack was honoured to count DGL among its long-standing customers.

"It's a real privilege to have a customer like John West and DGL," he said.

"John has played a key role in elevating the professional standards of the industry since he started DGL 15 years ago – particularly in the dangerous goods segment. John is also renowned for his best-practice driver training and development programs, so we are honoured to partner with him in business."