ACT Research: Trailer Makers Expect Demand to Exceed Capacity Through 2023

ACT Research Co.
3 min readFeb 28, 2023

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According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components & Raw Materials Forecast, supply-chain concerns still linger, with some manufacturers sharing that they see no short-term improvement in sight. Most trailer makers continue to see demand exceeding capacity through the end of 2023; although, some fleets are taking a wait-and-see attitude and splitting orders to hedge their bets for later in the year.

Total Trailer Backlog & Backlog/Build Ratio

ACT Research’s U.S. New Trailer Components & Materials Forecast provides those in the trailer production supply chain, as well as those who invest in said suppliers and commodities, with forecast quantities of components and raw materials required to support the trailer forecast for the coming five years. It includes near-term quarterly predictions for two years, while the latter three years of the forecast are shown in annual details. Additionally, analysis is segmented into two categories: those needed for the structural composition of new trailers and those used in the production of undercarriage assembly.

“January OEM business conditions, including 2023 demand expectations and labor, were on-par with December, overall, with a bias toward the ‘better’ side of the pendulum for labor but concerns about demand and the material supply chain on the minds of respondents,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director-CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. She added, “Demand overall remains robust, and cancellations are low, but we are hearing that some orders are being made to replenish dealer stock, rather than going directly to fleet customers.”

ACT Research is recognized as the leading publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis, and forecasts for the North America and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. ACT Research is a contributor to the Blue Chip Economic Indicators and a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel. ACT Research executives have received peer recognition, including election to the Board of Directors of the National Association for Business Economics, appointment as Consulting Economist to the National Private Truck Council, and the Lawrence R. Klein Award for Blue Chip Economic Indicators’ Most Accurate Economic Forecast over a four-year period. ACT Research senior staff members have earned accolades including Chicago Federal Reserve Automotive Outlook Symposium Best Overall Forecast, Wall Street Journal Top Economic Outlook, and USA Today Top 10 Economic Forecasters. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.

ACT’s next seminar, Market Vitals: The Current & Future Health of the Industry, is scheduled for August 22–24, 2023. Look for more details over the coming months and save the date for August’s event. When details are available, they may be found at www.actresearch.net.

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Click below to access:

More information about ACT’s Trailer Components report.

Information about ACT’s other reports.

Last quarter’s Trailer Components press release.

ACT’s In the News page.

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ACT Research Co.

ACT Research is the leader in commercial vehicle industry data, market analysis, and forecasting services for North America.