FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing Class 8 total net orders for all major North American OEMs totaling 8,101 units in June, an increase of 9.7% from May 2009 and the first improvement in three months.
The figure includes orders for the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Exports. June 2009 orders were down 52.7% versus the same month in 2008. Orders were placed at an annualized rate of 97,212 which is an improvement over the past three-month annualized rate of 94,872 units.
“June’s increase is a welcome sign that the heavy-duty market continues to stabilize, although at very low levels,” said FTR president Eric Starks. “We expect to see additional slow improvement through the end of the year, but meaningful increases in equipment purchases will necessarily await higher freight demand. We do not foresee more freight moving for some time yet.”
Final data for July will be available from FTR later in the month as part of its North American Commercial Truck & Trailer Outlook service. Contact Helen Lile at [email protected] or 1-888-988-1699, ext. 45.