Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturers NAICS 336120

Apr 23, 2025 - Heavy Duty Truck Sales Fall

• Sales of heavy duty trucks sank 13.9% year over year in February 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as companies pulled back on spending due to tariffs and overall economic anxiety. Companies are reluctant to spend money on big capital purchases, like semi trucks, when they see tariffs causing widespread disruption on import prices and supply chains. Also contributing to the dip in heavy duty truck sales volume is low demand. Fleet sizes are at overcapacity and the surplus contributes to lower freight rates, which squeezes profitability and discourages freight transporters from investing in new trucks. Other factors keeping truck buyers away is uncertainty about what kind of electric vehicle mandates the industry might face and high interest rates and financing costs. The gloomy industry outlook means carriers are instead maintaining their current fleets as long as possible.
• Inventories of heavy duty trucks rose 9% according to the latest US Census Bureau - reflecting a turbulent time for heavy duty truck manufacturers as current and potential new tariffs slow truck orders amidst the uncertainty. Trailer orders were up 3% in February year over year, but fell 18% from the previous month, per data from freight economic forecasting firm FTR. It is a reverse from last year when fleets were ordering more power rigs than trailers. However, the effect of tariffs on trailer orders could further depress orders as the year goes on. Steel and aluminum tariffs in particular could raise the price of not only imported trailers but domestic ones as well if they include large amounts of parts from Mexico and/or Canada.

• US Class 8 retail sales fell 4.3% in December 2024 to 22,383 units compared to a year ago but rose 13.9% from the previous month, according to Wards Intelligence data reported in Transport Topics News. For the full year, sales were down 9.9% compared to 2023. The year presented a challenge for sales, with year-over-year sales growth occurring only in July and November. According to ACT Research VP Steve Tam, “The year sort of petered out. We usually see about a 20% increase month to month, and we only saw about 14% going from November to December. It did not finish on as strong a note as is typical for the industry.” Freightliner held the largest market share of truck sales in Deccember 2024 with 30.6% of all sales for the month.
• US manufacturing activity contracted in December 2024, marking the ninth consecutive month of contraction for the Manufacturing PMI, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The Manufacturing PMI registered 49.5% in December, up 0.9 percentage points from the 48.4% recorded in November. A reading above 50% indicates manufacturing expansion. Transportation equipment was one of the seven industries that reported contraction in December, along with Textile Mills; Fabricated Metal Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Machinery; Chemical Products; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products. Seven manufacturing industries reported growth in December, including Primary Metals; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; Paper Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Plastics & Rubber Products.