Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in June were 15,500 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 17,800 units. Complete industry data for June, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-July.
“Seasonal adjustment lifts the Class 8 June total to 18,300, representing the strongest seasonally adjusted total since March and in line with the January through May adjusted average of 18,500 units,” said Eric Crawford, ACT’s vice president and senior analyst. “Despite broader macro uncertainty about Russia/Ukraine, China, interest rates, and potential recession, the prevailing theme in Class 8 remains exceedingly durable: long backlogs and supply chain-constrained production continue to keep new orders trending within a narrow range.
“Considering Class 8 backlogs stretch into 2023,” Crawford continued, “that there is still no clear visibility on the easing of all things shortage, and the increasing market jitters about an impending recession, June’s net orders were quite solid.”
About medium-duty, he said: “June demand for medium-duty vehicles was a bright spot. Classes 5-7 orders rose sequentially, and when seasonally adjusted, data represents the third highest seasonally adjusted total of the year, thus far.”
ACT’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles report provides a monthly look at the current production, sales, and general state of the on-road heavy and medium duty commercial vehicle markets in North America. It differentiates market indicators by Class 5, Classes 6-7 chassis and Class 8 trucks and tractors, detailing activity-related measures such as backlog, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and retail sales. Additionally, Class 5 and Classes 6-7 are segmented by trucks, buses, RVs, and step van configurations. The Class 8 market is segmented into trucks and tractors, with and without sleeper cabs. The report includes a six-month industry build plan, a backlog timing analysis, historical data from 1996 to the present in spreadsheet format, and a ready-to-use graph package. A first-look at preliminary net orders is also published in conjunction with this report.
