Despite an estimated drop in US trailer sales, refrigerated equipment specialist, Utility Trailer, is optimistic about its 2017 performance.
According to industry news service, Heavy Duty Trucking, Utility’s management team is confident it will be able to handle a 10 to 15 per cent decrease in market volume.
The incoming GHG Phase 2 regulation (US Greenhouse Gas emissions legislation, ed.) will reportedly be a key focus for the OEM, which holds a 54.2 per cent share in the US reefer segment.
“[Reducing fuel consumption is] going to get increasing more difficult and challenging to achieve,” Craig Bennett, the brand’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, told Heavy Duty Trucking.
“When it comes to 2024 and 2027, we have no idea yet how to achieve it. And there is no one in the industry right now who knows how to achieve those fuel economy results.”
Even with the overall market expected to shrink in 2017, Bennett added he was seeing “some life” in the flatbed segment, where the company is hoping to see its new 4000AE model succeed.