The same pressures hitting the truck market are affecting the trailer market. A combination of downed freight shipments and saturated capacity, mixed with longer equipment life, will likely mean a slow demand for van trailers next year, explained Eric Starks of the research group FTR.
The firm estimated only a slight increase for trailer production next year, up approximately to 89,000 units from 2009’s production of 70,000. Despite economists predictions of an improving economy, Starks said with the predominate factors of excess capacity and minimal freight the industry would “take several years to work through the glut of existing equipment out there.”
A slightly more upbeat outlook came from Craig Bennett of Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company. Bennett expected up to perhaps a 10 percent increase in sales in response to buyers looking to lighten their rigs as emission control technology makes tractors heavier. The senior vice-president of sales and marketing said that though the dry van sector is down, the demand for lighter-weight trailers would help the bolster the sales volume as fleets need to replace their existing trailers.
Source: FleetOwner.com: Trailers: Looking up– but not by much. Sean Kilcarr.
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