Resurgent Mercedes revitalises heavy truck market
Britain’s UK truck market enjoyed its best first half-year since 2008, with registrations of new vehicles up 3.5 per cent to 22,177 on 2016, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT).
Much of the growth was driven by a resurgence in demand for heavy trucks, with registrations of tractors with three or more axles up by 11.6 per cent. Registrations of rigids of under 16 tonnes gross weight also grew, and were up by 8.6 per cent. Demand for heavier rigids and two-axle tractors declined.
After a third place behind Scania last year, the standout success among the manufacturers was recorded by Mercedes, which boosted its volumes by 37 per cent. At the other end of the table, Iveco’s revival seems to have come at the expense of MAN and, to a lesser extent, Renault.
Significantly, Iveco is enjoying some success with the heavier versions of its Daily product, which offers a very competitive payload against ‘full-size’ 7.5-tonne trucks, including Iveco’s own Eurocargo.
Similarly, the Japanese-designed lightweights from Iveco and Fuso are also enjoying good times, indicating that operators in this sector who have not joined the rush to either downsize to vans or move up to heavyweight trucks are looking for vehicles that allow a maximum of payload for a minimum of cost.
As witnessed by the improved figures for both Dennis and Mercedes, there is rising demand for refuse vehicles, while in terms of more conventional bodywork, box vans are increasing while demand for curtainsiders declines. Tippers are falling back too, perhaps an indication of a housing market in decline.
It remains to be seen whether the good fortunes of the market continue to the year end. Industry sources suggest that the figures in the second quarter, which saw a 6.3% increase in registrations, may have been inflated by the fulfilment of a small number of large fleet orders, which will not be repeated in the second part of the year.
That aside, healthy demand for new trucks indicates an industry still confident in the face of Brexit uncertainties and happy to commit to new vehicles at today’s low interest rates. An increasing number of Euro 6 trucks, with their proven ability to clean up urban air, is good news for everyone inside and outside the industry too.
