ACT: Trailer orders dip in April

Updated May 31, 2010

April commercial trailer net orders fell from stronger levels in the past few months, dropping 13 percent from March, according to ACT Research Co.

The April net orders were 3 percent above the prior year level and year-to-date growth in net orders through April is 72 percent.
 
In the latest release of State of the Industry:  U.S. Trailers, ACT noted overall net orders continue to supersede build rates, which have boosted order backlog to the highest level in 20 months.

Net orders of dry vans and reefer vans, the largest volume categories, each softened slightly in April compared to March, while flatbeds and other specialty segments continued to gain strength.
 
โ€œWhile April was a little weaker than February and March, the trailer industry is in the early stages of a rebound from a very weak 2009,โ€ said Ken Vieth, senior analyst and partner, ACT Research. โ€œA potential indicator of continued improvement is the very low level of order cancellations over the past three months,โ€ he added.