New truck sales were up for the third consecutive year in 2016, with demand for rigids driving the market to its best performance since the end of Euro-5 in 2013.
New truck sales were up for the third consecutive year in 2016, with demand for rigids driving the market to its best performance since the end of the Euro-5 period in 2013.
According to the latest figures from the SMMT, new truck registrations were up 5.3% year-on-year to 46,231 units compared to 43,898 in 2015; 41,469 in 2014 and 56,218 in 2013 – a record year that saw a large number of Euro-5 units derogated.
Rigids of both 6-tonne to 16-tonne GVW, and above 16-tonne GVW, fuelled the market in 2016.
The lower-end of the weight range saw registrations rise 21.6% year-on-year to 9,870 units (2015: 8,117). Rigids above 16-tonne were up 14.5% year-on-year to 17,012 (2015: 14,852).
Artic registrations suffered in 2016, down 7.5% year-on-year to 19,346 from 20,920, with three-axle artics down 8,2% to 16,982 (2015: 18,505) and two-axle artics down 2.1% year-on-year to 2,364 (2015: 2,415).
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes, said: “Another year of growth for the HGV market in 2016 is a positive sign for the sector, particularly as it follows such an exceptionally strong 2015.
"HGVs are essential for transporting vital goods around the country and their demand provides a barometer for the UK economy, so these results are certainly welcome.
“Looking ahead,” he warned, “we must ensure business uncertainty is minimised so that this success continues”.
The fourth quarter was up 2% year-on-year compared to the fourth quarter in 2015 with 13,555 units above 6-tonne GVW registered.
Rigids were up 3.8% year-on-year in the quarter, to 6,952 units.
Breaking that down sees rigids between 6-tonne and 16-tonne GVW rise 18.2% to 2,879, while rigids above 16-tonne GVW fell 4.4% to 4,073. Artics were flat in the quarter at 6,603, up just 0.7% from 6,555 in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Once again Daf led the way in the year with a 30% share of the market (equating to 13,911 units). Year-on-year unit sales were up 21%.
Scania, which doesn’t have any range below 16-tonne GVW, ranked second when it came to overall market share in 2016 – with 7,468 units and 16.3% market share. It’s total units rose 5% year-on-year.
Scania was closely followed by Mercedes-Benz, which registered 7,002 units – down 13% year-on-year -and had a 15.1% market share. For the record, Mercedes’ sister brand, Mitsubishi Fuso, registered 725 units and had a 1.5% share of the overall market.
Volvo ranked fourth with 5,732 units registered (12.4%); MAN were fifth with 4,074 units (8.8%); Iveco were sixth with 3,542 (7.6%) and Renault seventh with 2,132 (4.6%) – meaning that the market share rankings remain unchanged for the second year in a row.
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