CLEAR has launched its first forecast of West European trailer production that includes figures for all major manufacturers. Every manufacturer that produces more than 1,000 units per year is included, as well as many smaller producers.
The second new product to be launched this year is a forecast for Eastern Europe, which includes the largest markets: Russia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovenia, plus the Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.
Sixteen manufacturing groups now produce two-thirds of the trailers in Western Europe. Assembly sites are spread across nine nations, plus some satellite operations in Eastern Europe. There is an increasing trend to assemble trailers in Eastern Europe, with Schmitz, Schwarzmüller, and Samro all active in the region.
This development underlines the requirement for a reliable Eastern European analysis. It shows the market for new trailers doubling over the current decade. Joining the European Union has had a significant impact on the market, since growth jumped to more than 30% in 2004. A more modest growth pattern is forecast for the future.