ACT Research: US Trailer Production Moves from Historical Low in April to Third Best in October
According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, after sinking to the lowest point in history in April, net trailer orders have continued to improve throughout the summer and into fall.
ACT Research’s U.S. New Trailer Components and 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.
“Even with lockdowns that occurred in the spring, trailer production never plunged to the degree that happened in truck production,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research. He explained, “From historical lows in April, total trailer net orders rose substantially, hitting a third-best historical ranking in September, and then having October best that to take the third-best-ever title.”
Maly also noted, “At the end of October, dry van and reefer backlogs stretched into June and July of 2021, respectively, at current build rates, generating concern regarding availability of build slots and timely delivery of those trailer types, and encouraging fleets to quickly enter trailer orderboards.”
He concluded, “Recent trailer order patterns have continued to favor both dry vans and reefers, with flats gaining minimal traction. Vocational trailer segments continue to reflect very lackluster demand, as infrastructure project funding continues to lag. Weak energy prices provide no real incentive to invest in further production capacity and, correspondingly, the equipment that would support that outlay.”
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 64th Seminar is scheduled for February 23–25, 2021. Focused on the continuous evolution and advancement of power and energy changes in the transportation and commercial vehicle markets, OUTLOOK Seminar 64 will feature key industry leaders such as Ryan Reed of Wabash National, John Bennett from Meritor, Lance Riegel of Marvin Johnson, and Dominick Beckman from Hino Motors. Look for more details on this event over the coming months and save the date for February’s event. When details are available, they may be found at www.actresearch.net/seminar64 . Click here for seminar information.
Additionally, ACT Research recently announced plans for a new multi-client study focusing on electrification of the commercial vehicle industry to be released in 2021. The scope of the study will include unit sales for the US and Canada, annually from 2020 to 2030, with single-year outlooks for 2035 and 2040. Class 8 truck and Classes 4–7 truck and bus segments will be considered, with additional segmentation encompassing step vans, conventional and low cab forward trucks, RV, school bus, yard spotter, transit bus categories, as well as the Class 8 straight, day cab, and sleeper subcategories. Our research will compare purchase and operational costs for diesel, battery, fuel cell, and hybrid powertrains in a rigorous comparative total cost of ownership (TCO) framework. It will also take into account concerns, such as infrastructure requirements and costs, regulation, and issues including maintenance, range, durability and vehicle and component replacement. For more details about how to participate in this study, including a full prospectus, contact Ian McGriff at imcgriff@actresearch.net or click here to let us know of your interest. (https://www.actresearch.net/cv-electrification-study-2021/)
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