Trailer Orders Return to Normal at Year's End

Trailer net orders in the U.S. for December were down 35%, returning to a more reasonable range after robust activity the month before, according to an FTR report.

Orders hit 25,500 units, bringing the total for the year to 313,000 units. December trailer orders were down 43% compared with the same month in 2014.

Dry van orders fell after a strong showing in three straight months while refrigerated vans and flatbeds were weaker due to cancellations as OEMs cleaned up backlogs at the end of the year. December's trailer build was down 3% overall from November with dry van and flatbed build rates slowing.

Reefer production was up 13% month to month. The liquid tank market remained steady, dry tank production improved and the dump trailer market was strong despite a weaker overall vocational market.

“The order numbers are down month-over-month and year-over-year, but that is only because they are compared to two of the strongest order months in history,” said Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles.

”We enter 2016 with the largest backlog ever, so we can expect another strong trailer year," he added.