Momentum builds for Aussie truck market

Strong July figures see year-to-date sales up by eight per cent

Sales of new trucks and commercials are up by eight per cent to the end July, after figures for the month of July itself spiked by 13.2%.

According to the latest Truck Industry Council TMARK sales data, a total of 19,727 vehicles have been sold year to date to the end of July, with July alone accounting for nearly 3000 units.

The figures provide some comfort to distributors and indeed the wider industry, as it appears the market is finally giving strong signs of having turned a corner.

Isuzu leads the overall sales figures with 4962 trucks sold year to date, the figure up 7.4% on the same time last year. It's followed by Hino (2601 units, up 5.9%), Fuso (2021 units, down 1.0%), Kenworth (1039 units, down 4.9%) and Volvo (937 units, up 9.3%).

Heavy duty

Heavy-duty truck sales have been in the doldrums for several years, but July's 909 sales – a jump of 18.8% on the same month last year – have helped the segment achieve year-to-date growth of 14.5%, with 6039 units sold.

Kenworth is still on top with 1039 sales year to date, the figure down 4.8%, but Volvo continues to narrow the gap. The Swedish brand had sold 916 trucks to the end of July this year, the figure accounting for growth of 7.3%.

Rounding out the heavy-duty podium is Isuzu with 703 units, which is down 0.8% from this time last year, followed by Mack (528 units, up 20.5%) and Scania (514 units, up 64.7%).

Medium duty

The medium-duty segment also experienced a stellar month, the 653 units sold equating with a jump of 19.6%. Year to date the 3975 medium-duty trucks sold account for growth of 2.6% over the previous corresponding period.

Isuzu dominated the medium-duty market with year-to-date sales of 1636 units, the figure down 1.4% from last year, while next is Hino with 1192 units – up 6.7%.

Fuso lies in third with 577 units, down 3.0% from this time last year, while it's followed by UD Trucks (306 units, down 2.9%) and MAN (135 units, up 382.1%).

Light duty

The light-duty market continues to be buoyant – the 924 trucks sold in July represent growth of 7.9%, while the 6375 units year to date equate with growth of 8.5% over this time last year.

Isuzu leads the segment with 2623 units and impressive growth of 16.6%, the figure helped along by the recent overhaul of its N Series line-up, while Fuso lies a distant second with 1246 units year to date, and growth of 2.6%.

Third is Hino with 1212 units (up 2.9%), followed by Iveco with 464 units (up 27.1%) and Mercedes-Benz with 346 units (up 30.6%).

Light-duty van

After cooling off following a period of extensive growth, the light-duty van segment is rolling along again with modest growth. Some 450 vehicles were sold in the segment in July – that's up 5.6% on the same month last year – while the 3338 vehicles sold year to date deliver year-on-year growth of 3.4%.

Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the segment with 1241 vehicles sold year to date, up 2.6% on the same time last year. However, French maker Renault continues to claw back the difference, the 953 vehicles it's sold year to date equating with growth of 11.2%.

Ford lies third with 391 units (down 1.8%), followed by Volkswagen with 288 units (down 9.1%) and Fiat with 267 units (down 11.3%).

In summary

Overall, things are looking a lot brighter for the Australian truck and van industry than they have in some years. With positive growth in all sectors, and what certainly looks like the beginnings of a solid turnaround in the heavy-duty segment, there's cause for optimism as we head into the second half of 2017.

The President of TIC, Phil Taylor, said it was great to see sales moving in the right direction.

"July is typically a slow month for truck sales and coming off the record June sales that we saw at this financial year end was always going to be a hard act to follow," he said.

"It is encouraging to see that July 2017 sales, although not a record, were right up there and have continued the sales growth that we saw in the first half of this year. It is pleasing to see both the Heavy and Medium truck markets recorded healthy double-digit percentage growth compared to July 2016."

Tony McMullan, the TIC's Chief Executive Officer, was also pleased with the July results.

"We saw solid sales in the first half of 2017, culminating in record June new truck sales. It is now very pleasing to see strong July sales; this is a positive start to quarter three and the back half of the year."

Momentum builds for Aussie truck market

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