2022 celebrates Motor Truck Distributors’ 50 years of Mack trucks plying the nation’s highways, a cornerstone marque in New Zealand’s modern trucking history. Palmerston North’s Matt Sherlock is a Mack man to the core, as character-filled as the truck brand that’s underpinned his transport career and business. As such, it’s entirely appropriate he and his latest pup take centre stage in the first Mack cover slot of this year.

Who’s the first port of call this year for a Mack cover yarn? It has been a question that’s bounced around the office more than a couple of times in the first three months of 2022.

It was Stu Wynd, Mack Trucks New Zealand national sales manager, who pointed us at Matt Sherlock. “Matt’s just put a new Trident on, and it’s a bit special.” ‘Oh golly! Yes!’ we thought. The Owens-liveried Sherlock trucks running under the Helenbak Haulage name certainly have a signature look. They’re a real regional icon for sure, and any self-respecting truck enthusiast venturing into the lower reaches of the North Island is always on the lookout for the first Helenbak machine.

Metaphorically speaking, Matt himself would probably prefer to peek though the pallets as he busily covered his next load, happily watching the limelight being shed on others. But delve into the life of this incredibly genuine bloke and you’ll find a story truly worthy of the year in which we tell it. It’s a modern Mack story few could match – opportunity, work, enthusiasm, work, productivity, work, folklore, work, the simplicity of good business, work, selflessness, and, of course… work.

One of the world’s greatest truck emblems has formed both the backdrop of his driving life and been used as the tool with which he’s sculpted his own successful business.