ACT: US trailer orders easing, but production remains robust

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, trailer industry net orders have eased meaningfully since November of 2018, as year-over-year-comparisons now have been in the red for the last five months, but order weakness is not indicative of fleets’ unwillingness to invest, ACT reports.

“Year-to-date net orders through April were just over 80,000 units, down 37% from last year, but despite this, current orderboards still stretch to nearly year-end for the total industry,” said Frank Maly, ACT’s director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research. “Order weakness is more a symptom of OEM reticence to fully open 2020 orderboards than fleets’ unwillingness to invest, as we’re hearing of OEMs actively gathering ‘verbal commitments’ for the first half of 2020, with some orders reportedly being posted as ‘price pending.’

“Softer new orders have been joined by higher cancellations in recent months, despite widespread implementation of cancellation penalties. However, trailer production continues at robust levels, with March of 2019 as the second highest production month in industry history.

“ACT anticipates strong production levels through the remainder of this year, but see OEMs continuing to be challenged by component and material issues, as well as staffing.”

ACT’s 61st seminar is scheduled for Aug. 12-14 and will feature a dealer panel, as well as discussions on near-term demand of North American commercial vehicle markets and the impacts of tomorrow’s technical challenges. A global forecasting workshop is also being planned in conjunction with this semi-annual event. Click here for seminar information.