SUPPLY SHORTAGES HOLD TRUCK SALES BACK IN AUGUST

Supply issues may  be  the thing that will stop the Australian truck market from breaking all-time records  this year, with the European heavy duty models holding the sales numbers back, largely on the back of hold ups with silicone chips and other components that have caused delays in production.

Despite that  the market was again extremely buoyant, with the total truck sales for the month of August reaching 3520 sales, 325 units behind the tally for August in the record year of 2018.

The August result means that the year to date tally so far is 26,736 , which is only 423  units behind the year to date tally for 2018. The major drops in sales came with the European heavy duty brands, which are the most affected by chip and component delays and production hold ups.

The three leading Japanese brands, Isuzu, Hino and Fuso all recorded exceptional sales in August, with Isuzu selling 889 trucks, up 6.2 per cent on its August 2018 result. Hino was up 2.3 per cent  with 521 sales and Fuso was up 8.1 per cent  with a very strong 410 sales.

Overall Sales August 

Manufacturer TM TM% YTD YTD%
ISUZU 889 25.3 6413 24.
HINO 521 14.8 4188 15.7
FUSO 410 11.6 2987 11.2
KENWORTH 289 8.2 1703 6.4
MERCEDES-BENZ 136 3.9 1162 4.3
VOLVO 131 3.7 1035 3.9
IVECO 108 3.1 884 3.3
SCANIA 74 2.1 752 2.8
UD TRUCKS 77 2.2 453 1.7
DAF 62 1.8 379 1.4
MACK 43 1.2 378 1.4
FIAT 43 1.2 363 1.4
WESTERN STAR 42 1.2 241 .9
FREIGHTLINER 36 1. 240 .9
MAN 38 1.1 203 .8
HYUNDAI 15 .4 151 .6

Behind the Japanese brands Kenworth had another exceptional  month  to be fourth overall and runaway leaders in Heavy duty, with the Paccar brand selling 289 trucks, all heavies, 20 more than it did in August 2018. Kenworth now leads the Heavy sector year to date  with an almost unassailable lead of 694 trucks over Volvo, with four months sales remaining.

For Volvo  to catch and pass Kenworth before December 31 would require it to pretty much stop selling trucks and  for Volvo to register record sales in every month between now and then.

Volvo was ranked sixth in the overall standings selling 131 in total and the best of the rest in Heavy Duty, taking second to Kenworth with 129 units, less than half the sales its US rival registered.

Mercedes Benz  had another strong performance as it continues its sales renaissance selling 101 heavy duty trucks in a total for the brand of 136 units, which includes seven medium duty sales and 28 Sprinter based light duty models.

Scania was probably the most affected by component shortages and  only managed 74 sales after a few months  in excess of 100 sales. We are told the Swedish brand will have plant shut downs scheduled  in Europe  this month to reduce the build up of partly finished trucks  awaiting components. However T&B News understands there is some hope that December may see a huge delivery of Scania’s and other Euro brands as the supply issue is sorted.

Heavy Duty Sales August 

Manufacturer TM TM% YTD YTD%
KENWORTH 289 26.4 1703 21.5
VOLVO 129 11.8 1009 12.8
ISUZU 113 10.3 840 10.6
MERCEDES-BENZ 101 9.2 793 10.
SCANIA 74 6.8 752 9.5
UD TRUCKS 59 5.4 347 4.4
DAF 57 5.2 352 4.5
FUSO 48 4.4 367 4.6
HINO 45 4.1 393 5.
MACK 43 3.9 378 4.8
WESTERN STAR 42 3.8 241 3.
FREIGHTLINER 36 3.3 240 3.

In medium duty Isuzu streaked ahead of Hino after several months of close contests between the Japanese rivals, Isuzu taking a massive 42.6 per cent of the medium market with 272 sales, 77 units ahead of Hino with 195 trucks and Fuso with 123 in third. UD was the only other brand to move out of single figures in the medium sector with 18 sales in August.

Medium Duty Sales August 

Manufacturer TM TM% YTD YTD%
ISUZU 272 42.6 1818 38.6
HINO 195 30.5 1612 34.2
FUSO 123 19.2 923 19.6
UD TRUCKS 18 2.8 106 2.3
MAN 8 1.3 49 1.
IVECO 7 1.1 70 1.5
MERCEDES-BENZ 7 1.1 48 1.

It was a similar story in Light Duty with Isuzu capturing 41.3 per cent of  the sector selling a massive 504 trucks, just under double Hino, which registered 281 trucks, while Fuso sold 239 and Iveco was fourth with 76 of its Daily truck chassis registered in August.

Light Duty Sales August 

Manufacturer TM TM% YTD YTD%
ISUZU 504 41.3 3755 40.4
HINO 281 23. 2183 23.5
FUSO 239 19.6 1697 18.3
IVECO 76 6.2 590 6.3

Mercedes had another bumper month with its Sprinter in  the van sector with 344 sales for 60.7 per cent of the market, more than three times the tally of the next best in Renault with 103 vans for August, while VW was well back in third with 51 sales for the month.

Van Sales August

Manufacturer TM TM% YTD YTD%
MERCEDES-BENZ 344 60.7 1793 37.1
RENAULT 103 18.2 774 16.
VOLKSWAGEN 51 9. 800 16.6

So while order books are looking healthy, it seems it will come down to how many trucks can be landed and sold to customers before  the end of  the year, if we are to see a new record in 2021