Dry van orders show strong bounce back

COLUMBUS, Ind. — June commercial trailer net orders shot up 103 percent from the same period in 2009, while year-to-date orders were up 74 percent in 2010, according to ACT Research Co.

In the latest release of State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers, ACT noted that dry van orders, a segment hit hard in 2009, had a very strong June, which is normally a seasonally slow month for trailer orders.

Dry van net orders are up a whopping 164 percent year-over-year.

Reefer van net orders, which held up fairly well during the recession, are up 5 percent.

"Truckload carrier profitability is the key to improved orders of commercial vehicles," said John Burton, vice president with ACT Research. "Initial reports from publicly traded truckload carriers are confirming the healthy rebound we have been sensing in the trucking sector. With capital expenditures muted the past two years, carriers are beginning to show some profits and are reinvesting in their fleets," added Burton.