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October commercial vehicle sales hint at long boom

Records from previous decade losing lustre – mostly

 

Can we now say the long boom before the Global Financial Crisis is now effectively irrelevant to commercial vehicle sales statistics? On a historical level, probably not. But for all intents and purposes, it must be pretty close. Perhaps leave it to the end of the year and then it can be consigned to history.

Why? Well, for months now, the years 2007 and 2008 have been surpassed regularly on plenty of levels, Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark sales figures show. October’s commercial vehicles sales total of 3,781 is more than 500 units above 2008’s 3,216, a figure outdone even in the seasonally low July level of 3,344.

Same for the year-to-date figure – this year at 34,446, which leaves 2008’s 30,751 a long way back in its wake. Indeed, this might be described as the truck-sales ‘long boom’.


 

Read TIC’s case for reducing the national truck fleet age, here


October this year is marked by continuing steady growth early in the financial year.

Market leader Isuzu kicked the 900-unit door down to end the month with 924, up from 869 the previous month, and time will tell if it hits four figures.

Second-placed Hino may have little more than half that number but its growth is also steady, while Fuso is back to some sort of form at 388 but showing great volatility.

Amongst the big bangers, Kenworth’s September breather, at 265, is over and upward trajectory resumed at 276, with YTD sitting on 2,361 comfortably above 2008’s 2,226.

At 178, Volvo failed to return above August’s 200+ mark but its YTD is a very health 1,759, more than double the 2008 level.

But the month’s accolade for ‘most improved’ must go to Iveco, the October total of 118 is not only in three figures but three times or more than each of the previous three months.

Amongst the medium-duty cohort, Isuzu bounced through the 300 barrier by two units, with Hino again showing consistent growth to menace the 200 mark at 195.

Other makes monthly totals showed the sort of inconsistency that has seen month-on-month up and down. This is where 2008 still has power, with its October YTD (8,105) and individual make totals still above this year’s 6,807.

Normal service is resumed, however, the light-duty segment, where last month’s 1,234 units easily shade’s 2008’s 925 and YTD of 10,788 makes a mockery of 2008’s 8,972.

 

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