Trailer shipments expanded by more than 11% in the third quarter, according to figures compiled by Economic Planning Associates (EPA Inc) of Smithville, New York.
The industry shipped 65,850 complete trailers during the third quarter, according to the EPA Inc quarterly survey of trailer manufacturers, up from 59,200 shipped during the third quarter of 2005.
In the van segment, dry -freight models set the pace. Manufacturers shipped 36,500 units during the period, up from 32,000 in the third quarter of 2005. By contrast, insulated vans were up 8%, and all other vans dropped 28%.
While a small percentage of the total market, tank and bulk commodity trailers posted the sharpest increases for the quarter. Manufacturers shipped an estimated 2,500 tank trailers in the third quarter, up 25%, while the 950 bulk commodity trailers shipped during the period were up 46% from year-earlier levels.
Platform trailers were also strong, up 18%. Lowebeds edged 3% higher, while dump trailers were up 9%.
3Q 2006(2) | 3Q 2005(2) | % Change | YTD 2006 | YTD 2005 | % Change | |||
Dry Freight | 36,500 | 32,000 | 14% | 104,250 | 99,300 | 5% | ||
Insulated | 9,300 | 8,600 | 8% | 29,700 | 27,150 | 9% | ||
All other vans | 2,100 | 2,900 | -28% | 6,700 | 8,100 | -17% | ||
Total vans | 47,900 | 43,500 | 10% | 140,650 | 134,550 | 5% | ||
Platform | 7,500 | 6,350 | 18% | 23,200 | 18,900 | 23% | ||
Tank | 2,500 | 2,000 | 25% | 7,800 | 6,100 | 28% | ||
Lowbed | 3,100 | 3,000 | 3% | 9,500 | 9,100 | 4% | ||
Dump | 2,500 | 2,300 | 9% | 8,100 | 7,050 | 15% | ||
Bulk | 950 | 650 | 46% | 2,650 | 1,900 | 39% | ||
All other | 1,400 | 1,400 | 0% | 4,200 | 4,000 | 5% | ||
Total non-vans | 17,950 | 15,700 | 14% | 55,450 | 47,050 | 18% | ||
Total trailers | 65,850 | 59,200 | 11.2 | 196,100 | 181,600 | 8% | ||
Containers (1) | - | 1,615 | -100.0 | 1,975 | 3,465 | -43.0 | ||
Chassis (1) | 660 | 2,675 | -75.3 | 4,360 | 6,775 | -35.6 | ||
Total C&C | 660 | 4,290 | -84.6 | 6,335 | 10,240 | -38.1 | ||
(1)Excludes Hyundai and Manac | ||||||||
(2)Industry totals extrapolated from survey sample | ||||||||
(R) Revised | ||||||||
Source: Economic Planning Associates, Inc | November 2006 |