Recovering European truck market took wrong turn this April

TRUCKS
Recovering European truck market took wrong turn this April
April sees striking contrasts in market fortunes

Published: Tue, 03 June 2014 18:07:01 GMT
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After growing steadily for nine successive months in a row, including a striking growth spurt during last year’s closing 4th quarter when sales soared by a half, this April the underlying upturn in West Europe’s heavy truck market came to a screeching halt when sales narrowly failed to match last year’s comparative level.

Is this a mere blip or the beginning of a markedly slower pace of underlying future truck sales recovery growth? AID investigates

Contrary to notably more gloomy expectations, following last year’s extensive autumn pre-buying binge, Europe’s heavy truck market got off to a fine start.

+9.1%
West Europe’s first quarter heavy truck market comfortably topped last year’s corresponding level

So much so, in fact, that this January saw a 4.4 per cent rise in sales, followed no less surprisingly by respective February and March gains of 18.1 and 6.6.

After powering ahead for the opening three months of this year, West Europe’s first quarter heavy truck market comfortably topped last year’s corresponding level by a rosy looking 9.1 per cent.

That’s a rise to 44,300 sales from some 40,600 units a year ago.

Truck industry insiders asked by AID to shed some light on this year’s unexpected spring truck sales bulge said that in part this reflects the widespread registrations of previously stockpiled Euro 5 trucks earlier this year that were first ordered by some shrewd operators during last year’s second half. ...more

MORE LIKE THIS:

> Trucks move upwards, not downwards as feared 15 May 2014

> Europe’s January truck sales are up, not down as feared 03 Mar 2014

> Pre-buying lifts UK heavy truck market 30 Jan 2014

DATA AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS WITH THIS ARTICLE:

EUROPEAN new TRUCK sales:

West European new TRUCK sales > 16T GVW by country
APRIL 2014 v APRIL 2013
4-MONTHS 2014 v 4-MONTHS 2013

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+9.1% West Europe’s first quarter heavy truck market comfortably topped last year’s corresponding level

+9.1%
West Europe’s first quarter heavy truck market comfortably topped last year’s corresponding level