Class 8 vehicle orders grow by 115%

In December, preliminary net orders for heavy-duty Class 8 commercial vehicles for North American markets were 25,500 units, an increase of 115% compared to December 2009, reports ACT Research Co. (ACT).

Preliminary net order numbers are subject to revision and are typically accurate to within 5% plus or minus, ACT notes.

“The industry closed 2010 with a string of three strong months of net orders. With nearly 71,000 orders booked, the fourth quarter was the best quarter for Class 8 vehicles since the second quarter of 2006,” says Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst.

“The ramp-up in demand is consistent with the up-cycle we have been forecasting for over a year and confirms production levels will increase significantly in 2011.”

For more information on ACT, see the Web site www.actresearch.net.