Mansell’s Milestone Mack.

In-depth

8 May

The Neil Mansell Group recently marked the addition of the 700th truck to its fleet with a very special Mack Titan.

Neil Mansell founded NMG with one truck over sixty years ago. Since then the company has grown into a vast family-owned group of businesses that provide transport and specialised services right across Australia.

In late 2023, one of the company’s longest-serving employees was in the company of the boys from Mack and Western Truck Group, when he realised that Neil was about to hit a major personal milestone: the addition to the fleet of a 700th truck. Both Mack and WTG decided it was too important to miss marking such an occasion and wanted to be a part of it.

“They saw there was an opportunity to do something for Dad, a surprise to mark the triumph if you like,” said Neil’s son Robert, “and Mack along with WTG suggested that a Mack Titan with a 76-inch bunk and as much bling as we could put on it might be a fitting present. I mean, Dad still paid for it,” added Robert with a laugh, “but it’s the thought that counts.”

**Western Truck Group’s Ben Dare (R) congratulates Neil Mansell.**

In consultation with Mack and Ben Dare of Western Truck Group, they came up with a plan. It was at this point that Mack brought something new to the table.

“They had this new Big Bonnet becoming available direct from the production line that was going to become an option on a Titan,” said Robert, “and this is the first Mack ever to have it, which makes it extra special. It’s a big square bonnet in the old style, with a massive grille and bigger lights. It looks more old school and it looks tough.”

Neil is a notoriously busy man who is difficult to pin down, and it took a bit of hard work and reminders to arrange for him to come to the Mack plant at Wacol for the unveiling.

“We’ve bought about 25 Mack Super-Liners in the last few years, so he knew there was something about to come off the line,” continued Robert, “I just suggested we go and see the latest truck in person, and if he twigged to what was going on he didn’t let on. He was very surprised and pleased when they took the silks off it, it’s a great looking truck.

“We’ve got depots all over Australia, and our trucks cover huge distances. It’s pretty standard for our trucks to do a million kilometres in their first five years, after that we move to shorter distance jobs but often in harsher conditions like the desert.”

**L-R. Ryan Mansell, Tony O'Connell (VP Mack), Neil Mansell, Robert Mansell, Ben Dare, Brad Mansell.**

With working lives like that, reliability and fuel economy are high on Robert’s list of requirements.

“The new Titan will be on the Brisbane—Darwin run taking groceries and general freight in a triple road train configuration,” he said. “We’ll keep it on the bitumen, but even so, those distances mount up pretty quickly, so fuel economy is paramount, and this is an area where the Macks excel.

“Operating often in the middle of nowhere, reliability is fundamental, and we’ve got all our new Macks on service agreements with Mack, which really takes the pressure off our workshop. It also means the people who know the trucks best are the ones working on them. Knowing your costs upfront is a bonus, but we’re very happy with the contract maintenance Mack provide.”

It appears the drivers appreciate the Macks as well.

“Our drivers love the mDRIVE auto transmission. There’s no doubt that there’s a driver shortage in this country, but you don’t have a problem finding someone to drive a new Mack.”

Robert recalls that his father has always had a bit of a soft spot for Macks.

“When I was about eight years old, Dad had five trucks and four of them were Macks,” he said. When he bought his first brand-new truck in the mid-1960s, it was a Mack, so the decision of what truck we would get to celebrate reaching 700 was a bit of a no-brainer really.”

The new Titan is the flagship of the NMG fleet and has two slogans emblazoned on its flanks: “Outback Titan” on the bonnet, and “New Dog, Old Tricks” on the 76 inch sleeper cab.

“One of my sons came up with the sleeper cab slogan,” said Robert, whose daughter and two sons all work in the business, “I reckon it sums things up nicely. Mack have helped this business become what it is, and they’ve really got behind us to help us celebrate Dad’s success. This Mack embodies the kind of determination that made this company what it is.”

Vice President of Mack Trucks Australia, Tony O’Connell said it was an honour to celebrate this milestone with the Neil Mansell Group.

"Neil’s story reflects the spirit of hard work, loyalty, and innovation that Mack stands for,” he said. “To see a Titan with our new Big Bonnet mark the 700th truck in their fleet — it’s a testament to a legacy built over decades and a partnership we’re proud to be part of."