Net orders for trailers in January increased a robust 28% year over year. This information was included in the most recent State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers published by ACT Research Co. (ACT).

“Seven of the ten trailer categories had y/y growth in January,” said Frank Maly, Director – CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT. “Particular strength came from reefer vans, which rose 80% from year-ago levels, tank trailers, which saw triple-digit gains from cancellation depleted results in early 2013, and heavy lowbeds which posted high double-digit gains y/y and m/m. The industry is in the midst of its annual ‘order season’ and January’s orders helped backlog open the year with a solid 8% m/m gain,” he added. Maly mentioned that build had been affected by the bitter weather that swept the country in January, falling 10% y/y.

ACT is the worldwide leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the U.S. tractor-trailer market and the China CV market. ACT’s CV services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as the banking and investment community in North America, Europe and China.