International Q3 Sales Jump 41% as OEM Clears Backlog

An International LT Series truck on the highway. (International)

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International Motors sold 31,500 vehicles in the third quarter of 2024, a jump of 41% compared with 22,400 sold in the same period a year earlier, parent company Traton said Oct. 11.

Through the first nine months of 2024, International sold 66,800 vehicles, a decrease of 2% compared with 68,200 in the same period 12 months earlier, Volkswagen Group unit Traton said.

Sales at International, known as Navistar until its recent rebranding, soared in the most recent quarter after the truck and bus maker was able to clear a large part of a backlog of vehicles missing their mirrors following a second-quarter fire at a supplier’s plant in Mexico.

“The vast majority of the resulting delivery backlog has since been cleared,” Traton said.

Sales of buses by IC Bus also rose year on year in Q3 as deliveries of a new model continued to ramp up. An updated 83-passenger CE Series, which is available with both diesel and electric powertrains, launched in July 2023.

A more detailed breakdown of International’s sales will be available Oct. 28, when Traton publishes its full results for the most recent quarter.

The third quarter’s improved results came after a dismal Q2, when truck and bus sales slumped 31% year over year to 16,030 vehicles from 23,243 in the year-ago period.

In the intervening months, alongside clearing the backlog, the Lisle, Ill.-based company rebranded itself as one of several changes designed to win a larger share of the U.S. commercial vehicle market.

Navistar officially became International Motors on Oct. 1.

“After more than 120 years, we are choosing to return to our roots as International,” Tobias Glitterstam, chief strategy and transformation officer, said when the rebranding was announced Sept. 25. “International embodies determination, partnership and collaboration in meeting every challenge with a solution. Our new name and look complement the strategic changes we are making to offer enhanced customer experiences.”

During Traton’s annual capital markets day in Munich on Oct. 1, CEO Christian Levin said the changes at International would be central to plans to increase the parent company’s sales revenues by 20% to 40% between 2024 and 2029.

Levin emphasized the company’s commitment to leveraging its brand potential in North America more effectively. He pointed out that the rebranding from Navistar to International Motors represents a return to the company’s roots and demonstrates their dedication to the market.

“By positioning itself even more as a solution provider for truck and bus customers, International aims to increase its market share in North America,” Levin said. He added that International’s portfolio would expand to include services such as parts, maintenance, financing, connectivity and charging.

Levin also highlighted the introduction of the S13 powertrain to International customers, which incorporates the Traton Common Base Engine. He noted that the brand’s extensive sales and service network would play a crucial role in supporting these initiatives.

Overall, Traton’s sales in Q3 rose 5% year over year to 85,300 vehicles from 81,400 a year earlier. In the first nine months of the year, sales totaled 245,400 vehicles, a decrease of 2% compared with 249,500 in the year-ago period.

RELATED: Truck Sales at Navistar’s International Unit Rise 9% in 2023

Scania Vehicles & Services sold 21,800 vehicles in Q3, up 2% compared with 21,300 sold in the same period a year earlier. Through the first nine months of 2024, Scania sold 74,100 vehicles, an increase of 9% compared with 67,700 in the year-ago period.

MAN Truck & Bus sold 19,900 vehicles in Q3, a 29% dive compared with 28,100 sold a year earlier. The unit sold 69,200 vehicles in the first three quarters of 2024, a decrease of 18% from 84,200 in the year-ago period.

Volkswagen Truck & Bus sold 12,400 vehicles in the most recent three-month period, a 28% jump compared with 9,700 sold a year earlier. It sold 35,700 vehicles in the first nine months of 2024, up 20% compared with 29,800 in the year-ago period.

Traton said Scania and Volkswagen Truck & Bus sales increased mainly as a result of South American markets’ continuing strength, which more than offset declines in European sales.

The persistently weak market environment in Europe, particularly in Germany, hurt truck sales at MAN Truck & Bus, Traton said, while the brand’s bus and van sales also fell on a year-over-year basis.