Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/700866
I n 2010 Denny Mahler, operations manager for Graniterock Company's Transportation Division, had a problem. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) had announced the implementation of new and tighter emissions regulations, and Mahler knew his aging fleet couldn't pass the new tests. Adding to Mahler's concerns was the country's then-strug- gling economy, which exAdding to Mahler's concerns was the country's then-struggling economy, which experienced a recession and industry slowdown. It was an inopportune time to be making a big investment so Mahler wanted to be sure to invest in the best equipment while doing what made sense economically for his company. A Mack rolls into town It may have been small consolation to Mahler at the time, but his dilemma was just the latest of many challenges Graniterock had faced in its 100-plus years in business. Nevertheless, the pressure was on, and Denny Mahler started doing his homework. "Because of the new CARB rules all the engines changed. Basically we had to start over," he said. The big question on Mahler's mind was a simple one: Who has the best product out there? "Based on everything I had read, studied and heard, I felt like the Mack® engine was the best platform for what we needed." Just about the time that Denny was coming to this conclu- sion a Mack® Pinnacle™ truck rolled in through the compa- ny's gates. Adam VanderBee is the new truck sales manager for TEC Equipment in Oakland, some 90 miles or so to the north of Graniterock's Aromas, California, facility. "Graniterock is a renowned road builder," VanderBee says. "Anyone in the industry knows its size and scope." TEC also knew about Graniterock's considerable transportation busi- ness, hauling aggregate materials, such as rock, sand and gravel, as well as bulk cement and hot asphalt oil Rock steady! Mack ® trucks power Graniterock fleet through tough emissions standards Story and Photos by Brian Moore throughout the central coast and San Francisco Bay areas. TEC wanted that business. "We felt that with the Mack we had a good story to tell them," VanderBee says. So they drove a Mack demo truck south to Aromas and offered Denny Mahler a test drive. The test drive clinched it for Denny. Graniterock bought its first Mack in 2012, and Mack became Graniterock's truck of choice. Since then, the company has purchased 17 more. The current fleet of 18 includes a variety of Pinnacle models, and Graniterock plans to add four more Macks in the future. Thanks to Mahler's research and TEC's timely visit, Graniterock met the CARB emissions on deadline, and Denny had solved his problem. Yet the emissions issue, though important, was just one factor contributing to Mahler's decision. "Safety Before All Else" is the company's mantra and it is proudly declared, clear and bright, on the forest green livery of every truck in the fleet. It undoubtedly informed Mahler's decision making. He points out that for safety reasons he preferred Mack's use of steel rather than aluminum as used by some compet- itors. He also spec'd proximity sensing and anti-roll technol- ogy to better safeguard his drivers on the road. The virtues of the mDRIVE™ automated transmission fac- tored in too, and its impact was immediate. "We had a guy doing our oil pickup run to Bakersfield," Mahler said. "Bakersfield's a pretty long haul for us, and he was in an older truck. He'd get back exhausted with all the clutching and shifting. So we put him in an mDRIVE and the first time he got back from his run in that truck he was smiling from ear to ear and looked so refreshed I knew I had made a good decision." Most of their Pinnacles have mDRIVEs. Graniterock, Aromas, Calif., has a thriving transportation business, hauling aggregate materials, such as rock, sand and gravel, as well as bulk cement and hot asphalt oil throughout the central coast and San Francisco Bay area. n P A R T N E R S O L U T I O N S / M A C K T R U C K S QUICK LOOK Carrier: Graniterock Location: Aromas, California Fleet size: 18 Truck of Choice: Mack ® Pinnacle™ Engine of Choice: Mack MP8 Website: Graniterock.com Main photo: CMYK Tiff or jpeg. 300 pixels per inch. (11"x 6" approximately) Document width: 15.75" wide by 10.5" tall. Trim size, each page: 7.875" wide by 10.5" tall. Trim size, each page: 7.875" wide by 10.5" tall. Logo should be 300 pixel- per-inch Tiff or Vector eps. Color mode: CMYK. Info box: Helvetica Bold and Helvetica Light. 8 point Caption: Helvetica Bold. 8 point Drop cap: Helvetica Black. 4 lines .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch .5 inch 2nd photo optional. Same technical requirements as main photo. 3rd photo optional. Same technical requirements as main photo. Headline: Helvetica Black. 40 to 60 point Sub-head: Helvetica Regular. 18 to 24 point Body Copy: Helvetica Regular. 9 point Leading 10.8 Word count: 550 to 600 Byline: Helvetica Black. 9 point