The recent decline in truck sales has continued in November, according to the Truck Industry Council (TIC). Official T-Mark figures show a total truck market of 2,542 sales – a 16.5 per cent drop compared with the November 2012 total.
The November 2013 cumulative total was 27,979 units, 46 units less than this time last year. On a year-to-date basis the result represents a slight loss of 0.2 per cent and must come as a disappointment to many who had been expecting an upward trend following the Federal Election.
According to Mark Hammond, newly appointed Chief Technical Officer at the TIC, the heavy-duty segment was a significant 24.4 per cent lower than in November 2012, with a total of 909 units sold. “The first half of 2013 indicated strong positive growth in this segment, however the running tally for this year is now 1.8 per cent (or 185 units) behind that of 2012.”
Medium-duty truck sales are down in line with the total market, with November’s total of 533 units being 15.3 per cent lower than November 2012.
Hammond added that with only one month of sales left in 2013, “it is now looking unlikely that the Australian truck market for the full year will exceed that for 2012”
TIC CEO, Tony McMullan, concluded: “The November truck sales likely indicate that some companies have put off their vehicle purchasing and investment decisions from latter in 2013, until 2014.
I have not ruled out a resurgence in December though, with potential deliveries of new trucks early in the month to handle the Festive Season freight task. The market is only 46 units behind the same period last year, so the final tally for 2013 will be close to that achieved in 2012. As for 2013 result being up on 2012, it could go either way.”
One of the manufacturers that managed to defy the trend is Daimler brand, Fuso. With November sales of 263 new trucks, taking its year-to-date total to 2,998.
Another brand that is doing relatively well is Freightliner. Although its November result of 56 new trucks was well down on the 102 it sold in November 2012, its year to date accrued result of 808 vehicles is up 11.9 per cent on the equivalent 2012 results.
Paccar’s DAF brand is another one that is bucking the trend, with its 285 units year-to-date 21.4 per cent higher than the result for the first eleven months of 2012.
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