August net trailer orders, at 7,700 units, were nearly 40% lower compared to the year before but 500 units above July’s intake, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report. The August total brings year-to-date order activity to 89,400 units.
U.S. trailer manufacturers and suppliers continue to navigate “the choppy waters of weak demand,” the report suggested.
Trailer cancellations moved higher again in August the cancellation rate increased to 3.6% of the backlog, from July’s 3.0% rate, reported Jennifer McNealy, director–CV market research and publications at ACT Research.
“Build significantly outpaced orders again in August, by 11k units; as a result, backlogs shrank nearly 14% sequentially,” McNealy said. “They say no news is good news, but in the case of the current US trailer environment, that’s hardly the case. While no news means conditions aren’t deteriorating, it also means no real improvement presently, despite hopes for the contrary amid otherwise generally positive economic news.”
ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report provides a monthly review of the current US trailer market statistics, as well as trailer OEM build plans and market indicators divided by all major trailer types, including backlogs, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and factory shipments.