Preliminary net orders of medium and heavy trucks pointed to a positive end to 2016, according to figures compiled by ACT Research.
In December, preliminary North America Classes 5-8 net order data show the industry booked 42,000 units, bringing the full-year net order tally to 415,600. These numbers are preliminary. ACT Research will publish complete industry data for December, including final order numbers, in mid-January.
“Demand for Class 8 units ended 2016 on a positive note with 21,400 units booked,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “December was the only month in 2016 in which orders rose above 20,000 units. However, after the streak of negative year-over-year order comparisons was snapped in November at 22-months, the year/year comparison turned negative again, with orders falling 24% from last December.”
Medium duty Classes 5-7 orders climbed to an eight-month high 20,600 units in December.
“As December is historically the second strongest order month of the year, seasonal adjustment reduces the month’s orders to 19,000 units,” said Vieth. “For all of 2016, medium-duty truck orders of 228,500 units were a virtual carbon-copy of 2015’s net order intake, giving up 1.1% compared to 2015.”
For more information on ACT, go to www.actresearch.net.