Many figures challenge ranges not seen even before GFC
The commercial vehicle market has changed to a higher gear every month in the second half of the calendar year and the run shows no sign of abating, according the Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark statistics.
The year has seen all sorts of milestones fall and, though its top month remains June at 3,879, November was hard on its heels with 3,630 and up at regular intervals from July’s 2,951, the last time it was in the 2,000s.
Year on year, the advance in the market is stark, with this November up from last November’s 3,630 and the year-to-date figure of 33,352 up from last November’s 29,903, a pace approaching blistering given it is three times that of the past three years, where the average has been around 1,000.
Worth keeping in mind that the record year of 2008 saw November record 2,889 and the year-to-date figure was 33,640.
Heavy duty
The heavy-duty segment’s role in this has been significant and, at 1,301 for November, it is making July’s 909, the last time the segment was in three figures this year, seem like a bygone time. At 1,301, the segment is in unchartered territory and the year to date of 10,751 is just south of 2008’s 10,775.
January will most likely drag things back but how far will be instructive for the year ahead.
It is hard to believe that Kenworth, at 306 and a full 50 units up on October, was languishing at 154 at the start of the financial year.
Volvo, which headed the traditional market leader by one unit at the time, has made more steady progress to 195, while fellow Swede Scania burst into three figures at 103.
Medium duty
Medium duty performance, which had languished in the second calendar half just either side 650, also put on a spurt to 745. Though the best since 2013, it is behind November 2013’s 909.
Here the running was made by Fuso, which topped July’s 107 with 127, as MAN, range-bound between 52 and 60, jumped to 79 and bridesmaid Hino consolidated in the 200s at 215, 48 below market leader Isuzu.
Light duty
Light-duty sales have rolled upwards relentlessly if unspectacularly, with November’s 1,073 giving a fourth consecutive month in the 1,000s. But on a year-on-year basis, the segment is ion path so far untraveled, reaching four figures for the month and five for the year to date, at 1,073 and 10,571 respectively.
Hino again is showing pluck as it makes headway against Isuzu’s lead – now 162 ahead compared with around 200 for many months.
Van-makers with product big enough to class as light-duty trucks, are also continuing to make inroads, with Fiat, Iveco and Mercedes-Benz angling to make three figures in volatile trade.