Trailer industry orders softened in May, reports ACT Research Co. Given that orders in May have fallen below April volumes in 10 of the past 12 years, the decline was anticipated.


That orders fell as far as they did - down 23% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis - is a reflection of the current soft patch in commercial vehicle demand, according to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers published by ACT.

"Production rose 5% month over month, although on a per day basis, build was virtually unchanged from April," says Frank Maly, director, CV transportation with ACT Research. "The combination of soft orders and rising production caused industry backlogs to fall, dropping 5% from April to 111,953 units in May. The backlog typically falls this time of year, so May's results were expected. While down from April, May's backlog remains at a healthy level."