June commercial trailer net orders were up 103 percent from a very weak June of 2009, continuing a healthy rebound for the commercial trailer industry, according to ACT Research Co., an analyst of the market for commercial trucks and trailers.
Through June, year-to-date net orders for trailers are up 74 percent.
In the latest release of State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers, ACT noted that dry-van orders, a segment hit hard in 2009, had a very strong June, especially considering June is normally a seasonally slow month for trailer orders. Year-to-date, dry-van net orders are up 164 percent.
Reefer-van net orders, which held up fairly well during the recession, are up 5 percent on a year-to-date basis.
"Truckload carrier profitability is the key to improved orders of commercial vehicles," said John Burton, vice president with ACT Research. "Initial reports from publicly traded truckload carriers are confirming the healthy rebound we have been sensing in the trucking sector. With capital expenditures muted the past two years, carriers are beginning to show some profits and are reinvesting in their fleets," added Burton.
