Heavy, medium duty preliminary orders slide in April: ACT

COLUMBUS, IN – After eight months of steadily higher volumes, North American medium and heavy duty Classes 5-8 net orders softened in preliminary readings for April. According to ACT Research, compared to order numbers from March, medium and heavy duty orders decreased 13% to 42,500 units.

Although the numbers are just preliminary, the month-over-month decline in April was attributed to slower medium duty vehicle orders.

At 23,900 units, preliminary readings for April’s Class 8 orders marks the fifth consecutive month in which orders have remained over 20,000 units.

“As this is typically the time of the year when orders begin to moderate, seasonal adjustment provides a small positive boost to the actual volume,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst of ACT Research. “With seasonal adjustment, April’s Class 8 order volume rises 300 units.”

In addition, after hitting a nine-plus year high last month, medium duty orders in April fell 25% when compared to March – or 10% compared to 10 years ago.

“As April tends to be a slightly above average order month, seasonal adjustment lowers the month’s net order volume, which falls to 18,200 units,” said Vieth. “Taking the past two months’ orders together puts the total roughly in line with activity since December: From December to February, Medium Duty orders averaged 22,500 units per month. In March and April, the average stands at 21,700 units.”

Complete industry numbers will be published mid-May.