COLUMBUS, Ind. -- ACT Research has reported that trailer orders softened in May, but the decline came as no surprise as May orders have fallen below April volumes in 10 of the past 12 years.
The industry researcher said the sharp decline of 23% month-over-month, however, is indicative of a soft patch in the commercial vehicle market.
“Production rose 5% month-over-month, although on a per day basis, build was virtually unchanged from April,” said Frank Maly, director, CV transportation with ACT Research. “The combination of soft orders and rising production caused industry backlogs to fall, dropping 5% from April to 111,953 units in May. The backlog typically falls this time of year, so May’s results were expected. While down from April, May’s backlog remains at a healthy level.”
The findings were shared in the latest State of the Industry: US Trailers report published by ACT.