A report issued by UK consulting firm CLEAR shows that there was 58 per cent growth in heavy trailer demand in Eastern Europe in 2011. Thirteen of the fifteen countries covered in the report had growth of over 30 per cent, three markets grew by more than 100 per cent.
The stellar performer in the region was, for the second year running, Turkey, which completely recovered from the downturn of 2009 to post record trailer demand in 2010 and 2011. This makes Turkey the largest trailer market in Eastern Europe; and it is likely to remain so until overtaken by Russia again in the long term, with Poland relegated to third place.
“In fact, in 2011 Turkey was the largest market anywhere in Europe with the sole exception of Germany,” says Gary Beecroft, managing director of CLEAR. “The outlook for East European new trailer demand in 2012 has not changed – like Western Europe there will be a fall in the market. However, the prospects for 2013/14 have brightened and are better than forecast last year.”
According to Beecroft, Turkey looked overheated in 2011, “but if planned investments go ahead, it will enhance its position as a major trailer manufacturing centre over the next few years.”
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