Only 70,000 semi trailers are expected to be built in 2009, according to a recent report by FTR Associates, a trucking industry forecasting company.
"This will improve only modestly to 89,000 units in 2010," say FTR officials.
"At the moment, transport demand is so weak that in fact the trucking industry as a whole does not need any new trailers at all," FTR President Eric Starks recently told the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association.
Starks indicated that a large over-supply of trailers "will act as a continuing drag on new trailer demand, resulting in very weak" production numbers.