Jun 20, 2012 9:31 AM

ACT Research in its June 2012 issue of the ACT North  American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK lowered its Class 8 build expectations for  the second half of the year due to continuing softness in demand.

  Expectations for medium-duty build were unchanged. The  trailer industry outlook was basically unchanged as orders and backlogs reached  cyclical highs.

  “Despite the data that we use to gauge demand being  nearly uniformly positive, Class 8 demand, as expressed by incoming orders, has  hit a soft patch,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst.  “Presently, the rewards of buying a truck are not sufficient to justify the  financial risks. We believe the current weakness is centered in the  credit-buyer side of the market. A continuation of reasonable freight growth,  strong trucker profits, and healthy used-truck prices are expected to support  demand once the current period of uncertainty is worked through.”