COLUMBUS, Ind. — December net trailer orders, at 24.3k units, were up 17% from November, but about 3% below the level accepted in December 2023, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.
The numbers suggest that the trailer market in the U.S. is moving toward better conditions.
Total Trailers: Net Orders December 2024
“This brings full-year 2024 activity to 163.5k units, competing against a better 2023 order environment (236k) and fuller backlogs,” said Jennifer McNealy, director–CV market research and publications. “That said, December’s net orders of -3% are an improvement when compared to Q4’s -24% or the full-year drop of 31%, meaning the worst of the downturn is clearly in the rearview mirror, and while not ‘good,’ indicated movement toward ‘better.’”
Total Trailers Backlog and Backlog/Build Ratio December 2024
“For the second time in nearly a year, order intake outpaced build, and by about 11,500 units,” McNealy said. “As a result, backlogs expanded almost 16% sequentially. With larger orders and lower build, and fewer build days in December, the industry backlog-to-build ratio rose to 5.2 months. In short, 2024 was a challenging year for the US trailer market, and OEMs still see challenges in the offing as the calendar flips to 2025.”
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.
