Mack Defense announces funding that will keep 100 jobs in Allentown

Thanks to an infusion of federal funds, Mack Defense will continue producing heavy dump trucks in Allentown.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie joined company officials and workers Friday at the Mack Experience Center next to Queen City Airport to announce the $47 million defense appropriation into the program that produces the M917A3 heavy dump truck for the U.S. Army.

The funding will secure the production of 87 additional trucks, extending operations at the facility through at least the end of 2027. Mack Defense has built more than 625 M917A3 HDTs to date. It is part of the five-year contract awarded in June 2025 to Mack Defense for up to 450 trucks, with a total contract value of up to $221.8 million.

The HDT is based on the commercially available Mack Granite heavy duty truck and plays a vital role in construction and upkeep of infrastructure assets, including airfields, roadways, landing strips, supply facilities and motor pools. They are equipped with heavier-duty rear axles, all-wheel drive, increased suspension ride height and other ruggedized features to meet the unique requirements of the U.S. military.

Mack Defense President David Hartzell said about 100 skilled technicians and professionals assemble the trucks in conjunction with Mack Trucks’ Lehigh Valley Operations plant in Lower Macungie Township. He credited Mackenzie for helping get Mack through the appropriations process.

“Heavy dump trucks are a little bit lower in priority,” Hartzell said. “So it didn’t get a full level of funding. We went to our congressional leads and they helped us go in front of the House Armed Services committees and request additional funding to be put into the program.”

Mackenzie, R-7th District, said the current priority for the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee is restocking and resupplying ammunition, but credited chairman Rep. Ken Calvert, R-California, for helping with the funding and not letting the contract lapse.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie speaks in front of Mack Defenseâs...

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie speaks in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

A view of a Mack Defense Heavy Dump Truck Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Mack Defense president David Hartzell speak in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Makenzie speaks in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Makenzie and Mack Defense President David Hartzell listen as UAW representative Tim Hertzog speaks about the workers that build Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Mack Defense president David Hartzell look at a toy model HDT in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Makenzie shakes UAW representative Tim Hertzog’s hand next to Mack Defense President David Hartzell in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Mack Defense President David Hartzell speaks in front of the company’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Mack Defense president David Hartzell shake hands in front of Mack Defense’s Heavy Dump Trucks Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Mack Defense President David Hartzell speaks in front of the company’s Heavy Dump Trucks with U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie standing by Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Mack Defense has received a $47 million defense contract to produce HDTs for the U.S. Army through the end of 2027. The extension will help preserve 100 jobs at the plant next to Queen City Airport. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

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“When you have a program like this,” Mackenzie said, “it’s the type of thing in any company, any organization, the military included … Those support components are maybe not top of mind forever.

“If you let this lapse at the end of the most recent contract, all of a sudden, that means that an assembly line is going to be shut down. People are going to be laid off, restarting that kind of work becomes much harder down the road.”

Mackenzie said that $47 million may not seem like a lot in a $1 trillion budget, but “every dollar is scrutinized nowadays.”

Tim Hertzog, a representative from United Auto Workers Local 677, which represents Mack workers, said that every job at the facility supports up to eight additional jobs across the Lehigh Valley.

Manufacturing from Mack and others contributes about $8.9 billion into the region’s $57.3 billion gross domestic product, according to the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.

Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.

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