Mexico’s truck production industry struggles in August

Mexico’s heavy-duty truck exports fell 32% to 11,160 total vehicles shipped during August

Kenworth's assembly plant in Guanajuato, Mexico, produced 1,171 trucks during August. Pictured are Kenworth Trucks at the 2019 Expo Transport ANPACT. (Photo: Noi Mahoney/FreightWaves)

Production of heavy-duty trucks in Mexico fell 30% in August, while exports showed a 32% decline, according to data from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

Exports of trucks are recovering slowly, while domestic sales in Mexico are struggling as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the economy, said Miguel Elizalde, president of Mexico’s National Association of Producers of Buses, Trucks and Tractors (ANPACT).

“As an indicator of the economy, domestic demand for heavy vehicles has fallen considerably since 2019, mainly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Elizalde said. “Transport companies and operators have had to adapt to the new normal, implementing sanitary measures or making structural changes in the business model. This generates additional costs that complicate the renewal of the fleet and age its main work tool.”

Truck makers with assembly plants and factories in Mexico include Freightliner, Kenworth, Navistar, Hino, International, DINA, Mercedes Benz, Isuzu, Scania, VW/MAN, Cummins and Detroit Diesel, according to ANPACT.

Mexico’s heavy-duty truck production for August totaled 12,592 units, including:

Production of heavy-duty trucks in Mexico fell 30% in August, while exports showed a 32% decline, according to data from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

Exports of trucks are recovering slowly, while domestic sales in Mexico are struggling as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the economy, said Miguel Elizalde, president of Mexico’s National Association of Producers of Buses, Trucks and Tractors (ANPACT).

“As an indicator of the economy, domestic demand for heavy vehicles has fallen considerably since 2019, mainly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Elizalde said. “Transport companies and operators have had to adapt to the new normal, implementing sanitary measures or making structural changes in the business model. This generates additional costs that complicate the renewal of the fleet and age its main work tool.”

Truck makers with assembly plants and factories in Mexico include Freightliner, Kenworth, Navistar, Hino, International, DINA, Mercedes Benz, Isuzu, Scania, VW/MAN, Cummins and Detroit Diesel, according to ANPACT.

Mexico’s heavy-duty truck production for August totaled 12,592 units, including:

Mexico’s heavy-duty truck production for August totaled 12,592 units, including:

  • Freightliner with 8,149 trucks.
  • International Trucks Inc., 3,143 units.
  • Kenworth, 1,171 units.
  • Volkswagen, 47 units.
  • Isuzu, 42 units.
  • Hino, 24 units.
  • Dina, 16 units.

Mexico exported 11,160 trucks during August. Mexico’s exports in August included 7,482 Freightliner trucks, 3,112 International trucks and 523 Kenworth trucks.

The United States was the main export market for Mexican-made trucks in August:

  • The U.S. received 10,761 trucks.
  • Canada 164.
  • Colombia 100. 
  • Ecuador 50.
  • El Salvador 26.
  • Peru 13.
  • Costa Rica 9.
  • Panama 6.
  • Guatemala 3.
  • Chile 3.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.

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Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com