According to ACT’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, 2021 is being forecast as the transition year, as the global economies and North American commercial vehicle demand move from COVID-19’s negative impacts into a meaningfully better situation in 2022.
Additionally, ACT Research has created an easily accessible COVID-19 MARKET WATCH webpage to track noteworthy high frequency macroeconomic and transportation-specific market indicators, which can be found at https://pages.actresearch.net/covid-19.
The N.A. CV OUTLOOK is a robust report that forecasts the future of the industry, looking at the next 1-5 years, with the objective of giving OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and investment firms the information needed to plan accordingly for what is to come. The report provides a complete overview of the North American markets, as well as takes a deep dive into relevant, current market activity to highlight orders, production, and backlogs, shedding light on the forecast. Information included in this report covers forecasts and current market conditions for medium and heavy-duty trucks/tractors, and trailers, the macroeconomies of the US, Canada, and Mexico, publicly-traded carrier information, oil and fuel price impacts, freight and intermodal considerations, and regulatory environment impacts.
“Without clear forward visibility on the COVID-19 endgame, the crystal ball is particularly opaque, as the economy begins to reemerge from its medically-induced coma,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. He elaborated, “Even as we work through the logic and implications of bigger picture issues, more practical considerations for 2021 forecasts arise.” Vieth added, “History shows that even from the lowest lows, the manufacturers can’t snap their collective fingers and bring production up immediately. Returning to normalized production levels is a process that is hard to rush.”
He continued, “Coupling an otherwise structurally sound pre-COVID economy, with strong governmental support and rising pent-up demand, there is a case for the economy to rebound into 2021. We believe maturing millennials will be the key to pushing the economy forward as they resume their transition to marriages, kids, and mortgages.”
Regarding NA commercial vehicle demand, Vieth commented, “Underlying fundamentals for the medium duty market took a direct hit from COVID-19, as it impacted the consumer portion of the economy severely. The heavy Class 8 and trailer markets are seeing falling orders, rising cancellations, and backlogs getting pushed to later build dates. When the economy ultimately rebounds, accessible capacity is likely to be short, leading to strong rebounds in freight rates, carrier profitability, and ultimately unsated vehicle replacement demand.”
ACT Research is recognized as the leading publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis and forecasts for the North America and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. ACT Research is a contributor to the Blue Chip Economic Indicators and a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel. ACT Research executives have received peer recognition, including election to the Board of Directors of the National Association for Business Economics, appointment as Consulting Economist to the National Private Truck Council, and the Lawrence R. Klein Award for Blue Chip Economic Indicators’ Most Accurate Economic Forecast over a four-year period. ACT Research senior staff members have earned accolades including Chicago Federal Reserve Automotive Outlook Symposium Best Overall Forecast, Wall Street Journal Top Economic Outlook, and USA Today Top 10 Economic Forecasters. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.
ACT’s 63rd seminar is scheduled for August 11-13, 2020. Focused on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will feature dealer, alternative power, and economic panels, as well as discussions on near-term demand of North American commercial vehicle markets and the pending impact of alternative power on the market in the near future. Both in-person and livestream options are available for those who wish to participate. Click here for seminar information.
For more information about ACT’s NA Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, click here.
SOURCE: ACT Research
