Trailer net orders in November gained 18% m/m and 10% y/y. According to the most recent State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers published by ACT Research Co. (ACT), the solid order season continues for this segment of the commercial vehicle industry.

“It can be difficult to fully appreciate the strength of trailer orders in the past two years, with six of the industry’s top ten strongest order months having occurred since October 2014,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT. “That strength helped generate an orderboard stretching well into 2016, but it is also a cause for concern, which comes from an apparent CV market imbalance.” He continued, “Although the trailer market continues at a solid pace, the tractor market has registered a noticeable slowdown in orders, and considered in tandem, this disconnect is somewhat disconcerting.”

Maly added, “Regarding November specifically, the lion’s share of growth came from dry vans, up 47% m/m and 33% y/y. Additionally, orders strong enough to generate backlog growth will be the best indication of industry health at year-end.” He explained, “Large fleets continue to drive the trailer market, while vocational segments continue to be challenged. The total trailer market is on target to post one of its best years in history.”

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. For more information on ACT, please visit http://www.actresearch.net.