Global commercial vehicle sales rising

Global demand for heavy commercial vehicles exceeded 1.7 million units during the first six months of the 2010 calendar year—marking, an increase of nearly 50% from the comparable period in 2009-- according to new research by R. L. Polk & Co.. Some of the largest sales increases occurred in Asian nations.

Polk said that while demand for heavy commercial vehicles in the U.S., Canada, and Europe is slowly improving compared to  the industry declines that have occurred since 2007, demand for heavy commercial vehicles in the rest of the world-- especially China and India-- is increasing at a far more significant rate.

“It is important for manufacturers and parts suppliers to have a good understanding of the demand for heavy commercial vehicles by country to identify trends, manage inventory and provide the necessary resources within markets around the globe," said Mark Seng, Polk’s vp-sales and client services for aftermarket and commercial vehicles. “Approximately 88% of the demand for these vehicles is outside of the United States and Canada.”

The increase in demand for the first six months of 2010 vs the same period last year is a result of strong heavy commercial vehicle demand in a variety of markets, including: India (up 84%), Indonesia (up 82%), China (up 66%), Russia (up 65%), and South Korea (up 18%).

By contrast, demand in Europe is falling, with Germany and France recording an 18% decline, and Great Britain suffering a dropoff of 17%.