December net trailer orders, at 24.3k units, were up 17% from November, but about 3% below the level accepted in December 2023, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.

“This brings full-year 2024 activity to 163.5k units, competing against a better 2023 order environment (236k) and fuller backlogs,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director–CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. “That said, December’s net orders of -3% are an improvement when compared to Q4’s -24% or the full-year drop of 31%, meaning the worst of the downturn is clearly in the rearview mirror, and while not ‘good,’ indicated movement toward ‘better.’”

Regarding backlog and build, McNealy added, “For the second time in nearly a year, order intake outpaced build, and by about 11,500 units. As a result, backlogs expanded almost 16% sequentially. With larger orders and lower build, and fewer build days in December, the industry backlog-to-build ratio rose to 5.2 months.”

“In short, 2024 was a challenging year for the US trailer market, and OEMs still see challenges in the offing as the calendar flips to 2025,” McNealy concluded.

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. It is accompanied by a database that gives historical information from 1996 to the present, as well as a ready-to-use graph packet, to allow organizations in the trailer production supply chain, and those following the investment value of trailers, trailer OEMs, and suppliers to better understand the market.