A new report suggests that the recovery in the East European trailer market is underway, with 28.1% growth in heavy trailer demand in 2010 alone. The same report, prepared by the consulting firm Clear, is predicting 2011 growth to exceed 20%.
In spite of that growth, though, four countries – Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, and Russia – all saw declines.
“Overall the forecast is more optimistic than the last prognosis from 2010,” said Gary Beecroft, managing director of Clear. “From 2012 onwards the outlook for trailer demand has been upgraded. Also, if planned investments go ahead, Turkey will enhance its position as a major trailer manufacturing center.”
The indications of growth are a positive sign for the market, which saw a 61% drop in 2009. That followed a drop of 11% in 2008. Clear is forecasting it will take until 2014 for the market to reach the levels it saw in 2006, which was just short of 90,000 units.
Trailer demand grew rapidly following 2004 when many East European countries joined the European Union. Compound annual growth from 2002 to 2007 was 25.7% with more than 100,000 trailers in 2007.
The complete East European Trailer Market Report (April 2011) includes forecasts to 2015 and can be obtained from Clear at http://www.clear.talktalk.net/.
