FTR: Class 8 orders up 10% in December

Net orders for North American Class 8 trucks totaled 21,200 units in December 2016, up 10 percent from the previous month and in line with analyst expectations, according to freight transportation analyst FTR.    Net orders for North American Class 8 trucks totaled 21,200 units in December 2016, according to the latest preliminary figures from freight transportation analyst FTR.
   The “solid” December order activity was up 10 percent compared with the previous month and in line with FTR analyst expectations as it was “very consistent with the order demand of the last two months,” the firm said.
   Class 8 truck orders totaled 164,000 units in 2016, and according to FTR, backlogs are expected to increase significantly in December, “giving the market some modest momentum starting off 2017.”
   “Another decent month that met expectations. Orders have been following stable, traditional, patterns for six months now, which is great news after the large drop off in 2016,” FTR Vice President of Commercial Vehicles Don Ake said in a statement. “Production was weak in December, but based on the Q4 orders, it should begin a modest recovery in February.
   “The most recent economic news has been positive, so freight demand should keep orders propped up for a few more months,” he added. “2017 still looks to be a tough year, but now backlogs are growing and that means the worst should be behind us for now.”