Although the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) was able to announce increased demand for commercial vehicles in the EU, the heavy truck market – a key gauge for trailer demand – is still flat.
“Total commercial vehicle registrations grew by 5.1 per cent, totalling 151,571 units,” the Association said in a news update. “[But] growth was only sustained across the van, bus and coach segments, while the market for trucks and heavy trucks contracted.”
In fact, April results showed a 0.7 per cent decrease in new heavy truck registrations, totalling 17,832 units.
Out of the most significant markets, Spain (+29.8 per cent), the Netherlands (+7.1 per cent), Poland (+6.8 per cent), Italy (+4.8 per cent) and Germany (+3.9 per cent) recorded growth, while France (-15.3 per cent) and the UK (-29.3 per cent) saw demand for heavy trucks decline.
“Four months into the year, the EU market grew by 9.2 per cent, reaching 70,631 units,” ACEA summarized. “The rise was sustained in Spain (+43.7 per cent), Italy (+26.1 per cent), Germany (+18.3 per cent), Poland (+18.1 per cent) and France (+1.7 per cent), while heavy truck registrations dropped in the Netherlands (-22.7 per cent) and in the UK (-30.9 per cent).