COLUMBUS, Ind. – ACT Research reports final North American Class 8 net orders totaled a strong 37,100 units in September, kicking off the beginning of “order season.”
According to a media release, while the top line flatters, the underlying numbers point to a bifurcated market with softness in tractors and considerable strength in vocational, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.
“Tractor orders were down 32% y/y at 17,000 units, as a weak for-hire market weighs down capital budgets. Vocational orders surged in September to 20,000 units and were up 71% y/y,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. “With production capacity constrained in recent years, lingering pent-up demand and string end markets—still-plentiful stimulus money from CHIPS, IRA, IIJA projects, construction in Mexico, and utility investments—provide strong tailwinds in vocational.”
Regarding backlog, Vieth also noted that the Class 8 backlog rose 10,600 units m/m in September to 116,034 units.
:Despite orders outpacing build for only the second time this year, the backlog-to-build ratio remained unchanged at 4.2 months on a nominal basis,” Vieth said.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
