ACT reports Class 8 backlogs are at highest level since July

Data released this week by ACT Research, a provider of data and analysis for trucks and other commercial vehicles, indicated that amid an ongoing strong build, a strong and growing order level led to a backlog in January Class 8 truck orders to 125,000 units, representing its highest backlog volume since July 2012.

ACT officials said that this level of cancellations, build, and order are in line with expectations.

“The Class 8 build rate fell back to the prevailing trend in January at 1,253 units per day, following the rush to build and deliver units into the end of 2011,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT, in a statement. “Concerning orders, almost half of orders booked in January are scheduled to be built in the first half of the year.”

In a recent interview with LM, Vieth said there was a nice run-up in 2010 backlogs on the trailers side, with orders being placed that go into backlog and then get built. And in 2011, he explained that there were more orders than build, indicating that backlogs ended 2011 at a higher level than 2010.

Due to this dynamic, he said that it is likely that demand will remain strong on 2012 because of a high level of orders to backlogs and a low level of cancellations.