Steady start to 2019 truck sales

According to Truck Industry Council's latest T-Mark commercial vehicle sales data, overall truck and van sales were slightly down in January compared to the same month last year, with the 2196 units sold equating with a drop of 1.4 per cent.

In the overall figures, Isuzu has begun its 30th year of consecutive sales leadership with 489 sales, up 2.5% over January 2018, ahead of Hino (333 units, up 6.1%), Fuso (178 units, down 11.4%) and Kenworth (177 units, up 8.6%).

Volvo rounds out the top five in the overall figures with 142 units, its opening salvo for the year up a massive 91.9% from the same month last year.

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Some 769 trucks were sold in the heavy-duty market in January, which represents marginal growth of 1.7% over January 2018.

Traditional segment leader Kenworth has opened its 2019 account with 177 sales, up 8.6%, the effort putting it clear of a hard-charging Volvo (139 units, up 87.8%), followed by Isuzu (115 units, up 10.6%), Mack (62 units, holding steady), and Scania (58 units, up 141.7%).

The medium-duty market essentially held its ground, the 440 units sold in January marking minimal growth of 0.7% over the same period last year.

Isuzu leads with 156 units (up 19.1%), ahead of Hino (146 units, up 23.5%), Fuso (59 units, down 23.4%), MAN (37 units, down 55.4%) and UD Trucks (28 units, up 64.6%).

The light-duty truck market experienced a significant contraction in January compared to the same month last year, with the 591 units sold equating with a drop of 8.4%.

Isuzu leads the charge with 218 units (down 9.9%), ahead of Hino (152 units, down 3.8%), Fuso (96 units, down 10.4%), IVECO (50 units, down 28.6%) and Fiat which actually experienced growth of 57.1% thanks to its tally of 33 units.

A total of 396 light-duty vans were sold in January, which represents growth of 1.8% over January 2018.

Mercedes-Benz continued its domination of the segment with 173 sales (up 4.2%), ahead of Renault (87 units, up 3.6%), Ford (51 units, down 22.7%), Fiat (35 units, up 16.7%) and IVECO (31 units, up 93.8%).

The CEO of Truck Industry Council, Tony McMullan, said the figures gave cause for measured optimism, given the strong sales performance experienced in the same month last year.

"January was a strong start to the year, almost as good as January 2018, a year that of course went on to set a new all-time record for new truck sales in Australia," he said.

"It was very pleasing to see such a strong start to the year for the heavy and medium-duty truck segments, both up on January 2018 results and a reversal of the slowing seen in these segments in the last quarter of 2018.

"However, as I generally remark at this time of year, January and even February sales are subject to fluctuations and some inconsistencies due to the transition of supplying trucks from one year to the next and the summer holiday season.

"One should not read too much into the January result. We will have a much better indication of how the market is tracking for the year at the end of the first quarter, once January, February and March numbers are in and the market has had a chance to normalise."