July net US trailer orders of 16,997 units were 33% lower compared to last month, but more than 103% above the year-ago July level, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.

“OEMS continue to negotiate with fleets, but with some 2023 orderboards opened in June, those efforts quickly moved to booked business, leaving a tougher month to which July orders were compared,” said Jennifer McNealy, director, commercial vehicle market research and publications, ACT Research, said.

ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report provides a monthly review of the current US trailer market statistics, as well as trailer OEM build plans and market indicators divided by all major trailer types, including backlogs, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and factory shipments. It is accompanied by a database that gives historical information from 1996 to the present, as well as a ready-to-use graph packet, to allow organizations in the trailer production supply chain, and those following the investment value of trailers, trailer OEMs, and suppliers to better understand the market.

“Discussions in June indicated that some OEMs had opened part of their 2023 build slots, and in July we learned that further opening isn’t expected soon, as manufacturers continue to wrestle with rolling supply-chain disruptions, as well as challenges on the labor front,” McNealy added. “That said, demand remains strong, despite increased pricing, and cancellations, although ticking upward, are insignificant, as fleets in queue need the equipment and plan to stay in queue until orders are converted to deliveries.”