August saw new truck sales continue to track at levels above the all-time sales record year of 2018.
According to the latest figures from the Truck Industry Council, total sales last month were 3926, surpassing the previous high for August of 3845 set in 2018.
The record August result was a gain of 11.5 per cent over the same month in 2021, well up on the year-to-date growth rate of 5.9 per cent.
Heavy duty sales were up again, setting a new record for August sales. A total of 1325 heavies were delivered, up a significant 21.2 per cent, or 232 trucks, on August 2021.
Kenworth again led the charge with an impressive 281 units for the month – up from 209 in July – and now has an unassailable lead in the year-to-date (YTD) race.
As you’d expect in a record month, most badges also enjoyed significant sales spikes, with Volvo also cracking the 200 mark for the month to hold on to second place in the heavies ahead of Isuzu.
Among those in the middle of the table, UD Trucks and DAF had a month to celebrate. UD Trucks enjoyed a jump of 30 from July and DAF an increase of 35.
The overall percentage increase amongst the heavies is up on the YTD sales result for the segment, which is tracking at 17.8 per cent when compared to this time last year.
The August result surpasses the previous best August result of 1257 trucks set in 2018.
The TIC says that if we look back to the record sales year of 2018, we see that the heavy duty segment is still tracking above that record, with 9308 sales YTD in 2022 compared to this point in 2018 where the tally stood at 9165 trucks.
Medium duty sales also continue to track in positive territory in August, though slowing a little compared with YTD sales for the segment.
A total of 669 new trucks were delivered, a 4.7 per cent increase (30 units) over August 2021. However, this is down on the YTD sales result for the segment which is tracking more than twice as high at 10.9 per cent for the year thus far. That is 513 medium trucks ahead of this time last year.
In the light-duty sector, sales have been performing well all year and that trend held strong in August. A total of 1432 trucks were delivered in August, up a healthy 17.3 per cent (211 trucks) over August 2021 and well ahead of the segments yearly average growth thus far of 11.1 per cent.
Tony McMullan, the TIC’s chief executive, said it was pleasing to see double-digit sales growth continue in the heavy and light duty truck segments, with medium duty sales up over this time last year.
While van sales were down again in August, the result was much better than sales year-to-date, hopefully indicating that the supply chain issues that have hit this segment hard in 2022 are easing.
“Increasing inflation does not appear to be impacting new truck sales and while we hear that many body builders are running near, or at capacity and this may be slowing the final build of some trucks, deliveries remain at record levels,” said McMullan.
“All in all, I believe that the industry remains on track for a record sales year, potentially exceeding 14,000 trucks in the heavy duty segment and close to 42,000 vehicle sales for the total heavy vehicle truck and van industry.”