In The News

December sales 2nd best month in 21st century

December experienced sales of 23,379 new Class 8 tractors, making the month the second best December in the 21st century, according to the latest sales data received from Ward’s Information Products.

Three manufacturers set new sales records during the month, helping make 2014 the first year to top sales of 220,000 new tractors since the pre-recessionary 2006. In that year, carriers were pre-buying tractors in anticipation of new emissions standards mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency for 2007.

The solid 2014 performance seems to be in response to greater capacity demands from a still-growing economy. Sales for 2014 outdistanced 2013 sales by 19.2 percent.

Freightliner sold 8,187 Class 8 tractors, besting the high water mark reached in October with a new corporate record. The company ended the year with sales of 78,363 units. Sales of only 66 more tractors would have exceeded 2006 sales and set a new annual record for Freightliner, who ended the year 16 percent ahead of 2013 sales. Freightliner captured 35 percent of the new, Class 8 market in December.

Daimler sibling Western Star also had a strong finish, selling a record 646 tractors in December, easily the company’s best month ever. The company recently introduced its 5700XE model, its new aerodynamic OTR offering.

The third company to reach new heights in tractor sales was Kenworth, who finished the year with 3,625 units moved in December. The company ended the year with sales of 31,162, more than 20 percent better than 2013 sales.

Peterbilt moved 2,890 tractors in the month to finish 2013 with sales of 29,726, an increase of 20.3 percent compared to 2013.

Volvo sold 2,929 tractors in December to end the year with 26,555 tractors sold. The company’s 28.5 percent sales improvement in 2014 compared to 2013 was the largest increase of any manufacturer.

Navistar sold 2,276 tractors in December to finish the year with total sales of 31,131, a 17.2 percent gain from 2013 sales but still two points behind the market average gain of 19.2 percent.

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