BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR reports preliminary trailer orders fell back in June to 14,400 units.
Orders were down 23% month-over-month but up 20% year-over-year, and trailer orders for the past 12 months have totaled 265,000 units, according to FTR.
The order number for June met expectations as OEMs have filled most of the available build slots and are not yet booking orders for 2023.
“Orders should rise substantially in the fall when commitments for next year are firmed up,” the FTR report stated.
“The order numbers are consistent with traditional trends entering the summer months,” Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles for FTR, said. “However, usually the numbers drop because fleets have ordered all the trailers they need for the year. This time, the orders are falling because the OEMs have limited build slots available due to ongoing supply chain disruptions. The fleets need more trailers, and the OEMs want to increase production, but some component parts remain scarce. Orders should remain sluggish throughout the summer.
Ake said that OEMs are holding onto an enormous amount of fleet commitments for 2023.
“Unstable commodity costs and other variables make quoting prices difficult right now,” Ake said. “However, these commitments should begin turning into booked orders beginning in September, and there is the potential for record order volumes in the fourth quarter.”
ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report shows an even greater decline in trailer orders for June, reporting that they were down 15,300 units.
“With 2023 order boards only partially open, it is no surprise that net orders in June were the lowest they’ve been so far this year,” Jennifer McNealy, director CV market research & publications at ACT Research, said. “That is simply part of the cycle. However, it is equally no surprise that net orders continue to best 2021, given the continued supply-chain constraints, both in materials and labor, that trailer manufacturers are facing. With long backlogs, fleets still want to make sure their orders are in queue, regardless of when they will be filled.”
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