Trailerbodybuilders 6002 Trailer Shipments 1 3
Trailerbodybuilders 6002 Trailer Shipments 1 3
Trailerbodybuilders 6002 Trailer Shipments 1 3
Trailerbodybuilders 6002 Trailer Shipments 1 3
Trailerbodybuilders 6002 Trailer Shipments 1 3

Trailer orders up 38% in 2017: ACT

Jan. 25, 2018
Trailer orders up 38% in 2017: ACT

Trailer industry net orders were up 38% in 2017, and robust orderboards are encouraging fleets to submit orders to obtain preferred/acceptable delivery timing for 2018, according to ACT Research.

The year closed on an extremely strong note, with 45.7k net orders posted to the backlog. That was the second-highest net order month in the industry’s history, trailing only October ’14.

“Major support came from dry vans, which posted their highest net order monthly volume in history. Eight of ten trailer categories were up m/m, while a similar count was up y/y,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research.

Total production was 19.4k trailers, the lowest monthly production since February ’14.

“The majority of the decline came from dry vans, where some holiday-related scheduling occurred for the second straight year, holding down volume,” said Maly. “Inventory drawdown helped offset lower production last month. Added production capacity, helping to generate that higher inventory as the year progressed, also provided support. Total build for the month was equivalent to last year, which also saw holiday-scheduling impact.”