Trailer Orders Rise 43% in November
November trailer orders rose 43% to the fourth-highest level ever, following October’s record high, to 36,000 units, ACT Research Co. reported.
The increase followed October’s 86% surge to 47,810. Year-to-date net orders through November are 314,320, up 54.7% from the same period last year.
“The opening months of this order cycle reflect unprecedented strength,” said Frank Maly, ACT’s director of commercial transportation analysis and research.
“September, October and November order volumes are all in the industry top 10, at No. 7, No. 1 and No. 4, respectively,” he said.
Industry backlogs continue to grow and are at the highest level of the recovery — double that of a year ago, Maly said.
Another firm, FTR, reported a higher figure, showing net orders at 39,356, the second highest month ever behind October, according to its records.
“The trailer market is showing continued power, and this momentum is now expected to flow into the second half of 2015,” said Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles.
“Backlogs are now tremendously high, so build rates are going to remain robust for several quarters. The strength of order activity certainly bodes well for 2015 production,” Ake said in a statement.
Only 12 months since 1996 have exceeded 30,000 trailer orders, and October was the only month to top 40,000, analyst Rhem Wood of BB&T Capital Markets wrote in an investors’ note.
