Total deliveries of trucks from the Volvo Group’s four truck companies through July this year amounted to 124,370, which is a decrease of 4%, compared with the year-earlier period. Deliveries from Nissan Diesel only include the period April to July 2007. Excluding Nissan Diesel, deliveries amounted to 108,559, a decrease by 16%, compared with the year-earlier period.
Mack deliveries through July totaled 10,105, down 55% compared with the year-earlier period. As a result of the pre-buy in 2006, the significant number of pre-US’07 trucks remaining in dealer inventories, lower freight volumes so far this year, and weakness in the housing market, demand for heavy-duty trucks in North America continues to be low.
Mack deliveries also remain impacted by the production disruptions associated with the transition to US’07 products and internal industrial optimization. While there have been delays in deliveries, customer response to the performance of the US’07 Mack trucks, particularly the new Mack MP series of engines, continues to be very positive.
Renault deliveries through July totaled 44,196 trucks, down 7% compared with the year-earlier period, still due to lack of the light duty truck Renault Mascott in Euro 4 version until June this year. So far this year, about 1,400 Renault Mascott have been delivered, compared to 8,400 last year. Excluding Renault Mascott, deliveries from Renault Trucks increased by 10%.
Volvo Trucks’ deliveries during the period January-July amounted to 54,258 vehicles, down 10% compared with the year-earlier period. In markets outside North America, deliveries increased by 21%. The strong trend continues in Eastern Europe, where the increase for the period was a full 84%. The increase in other market areas in various parts of the world shows that demand for transportation is currently very strong. South America rose by 24% and Asia by 21%.
The sharp decrease in North America is attributable in part to weak demand during the first two quarters of 2007, after the new exhaust rules became effective on January 1, 2007. Deliveries were also affected by production disruptions at the US plant in New River Valley, Virginia, in connection to the introduction of trucks with the new engine generation and an internal industrial optimization.