Despite a significant drop in November, Europe’s heavy truck market has seen slight improvement over the first 11 months of 2014.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), November results showed a 20.7 per cent decrease in new heavy truck registrations, especially when compared with the exceptional growth recorded in the same month last year due to the anticipated implementation of the Euro VI standards in January 2014.
Reportedly, Spain was the only major market to sustain demand (+4.6 per cent). Elsewhere, downturns occurred in Italy (-4.7 per cent), Germany (-11.8 per cent), France (-12.9 per cent) and the UK (-47.7 per cent).
Over the first 11 months of 2014, however, the region registered more vehicles (+1.5 per cent) than in the same period last year and counted 201,406 new heavy trucks.
Looking at the major markets the results were diverse. France (-10.1 per cent) and the UK (-14.8 per cent) performed less well than in the same period last year, while the Italian (+10.8 per cent), German (+12 per cent) and especially Spanish (+27.2 per cent) markets expanded, indicating organic growth potential for the articulated trailer market.