Preliminary Class 8 Order Intake Rose in December

Overbuying through 2019 and insufficient freight to absorb the ensuing capacity overhang continued

ACT Research says that preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in December 2019 were 20,000 units, up 14% from November and down just 6.5% from year-ago December, as the industry transitions to much easier year-over-year comparisons. Complete industry data for December, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-January.

 “Overbuying through 2019 and insufficient freight to absorb the ensuing capacity overhang continued to weigh on the front end of the Class 8 demand cycle in December,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. He continued, “Recalling July and August, orders were down 80% from the corresponding months in 2018. December’s orders brought the full-year 2019 volume to 181,000 units versus 490,100 units in 2018.” Vieth concluded, “For all of Q4, Class 8 orders were booked at a slightly above the 2019 trend 195,600-unit SAAR.”

Category: Equipment, Featured, General Update, News, Vehicles