March Trailer Orders Fall 22%, But Manufacturers’ Backlogs Remain Strong

March trailer orders fell 22% from a year ago, but manufacturers remain busy building a heavy backlog of new equipment requested during the “epic” order season that began in the fall, ACT Research reported.

Trailer makers received 23,187 net orders last month, down from 29,618 in March 2014 but up 12% from 20,624 in February, ACT said.

Orders have now decreased on a year-over-year basis for two months in a row, but ACT analyst Frank Maly said those declines reflect a pull-forward in order volumes rather than a weakening in demand.

He said large fleets placed their orders earlier than usual to secure ideal timing for delivery of the new trailers, leading to a spike in demand in late 2014 that helped make that year the industry’s best ever for trailer orders.

“Emphasis now shifts to production as [manufacturers] move to deliver on those record-setting order commitments,” Maly said.

In the first quarter, trailer orders totaled 73,703 units, down 13% from the same timeframe in 2014.