FTR reports preliminary May trailer orders on par with April at 18,300 units

FTR reports preliminary trailer orders for May were similar to April activity at 18,300 units, -3% m/m and +80% y/y.  Trailer orders for the past twelve months have totaled 250,000.

Conditions have changed little from April, as the industry continues to face economic uncertainties, geopolitical risks, and continued supply chain disruptions. Until next year’s order boards open, the limited availability of build spots in the second half of the year will continue to restrict new trailer orders.

Charles Roth, analyst-commercial vehicles for FTR, commented “As we get closer to Q4, OEMs will begin to gain necessary visibility into the future impacts brought by supply chain disruptions and overcome suppliers’ caution to commit to 2023 pricing and lead times. This visibility will be a key factor to order boards opening. As production continues to be limited by both structural and dynamic complexities in the global and domestic supply chain, we have seen modest improvements made on the supply side. Provided this trend continues, production should remain stable. However, the possibility of further disruptions could result in modest adjustments to second-half build plans.

“Under these conditions, OEMs are still proving that they can overcome headwinds and keep production at consistent levels, while also carefully and strategically managing their backlog. Despite economic and supply chain uncertainties, freight growth remains strong. This growth will continue to drive robust fleet replacement demand. While the prior six months have resulted in dealers struggling to maintain adequate inventory levels, retail demand should also contribute to OEM confidence heading into the second half of the year.”