Sales boom runs on
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• Commercial vehicles sales are still riding high. November registrations were up 19% to 32,338, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and registrations for the first 11 months of 1988 rose to 336,137, up 14.2% on the same period last year. Just under 38% of those vehicles were imported.
In the battle of the truck giants, Iveco Ford still leads the field with 15,407 registration in 1988 so far, giving it 24.1% of the market. Close behind with 22.5% is Leyland Daf (14,400 trucks registered). Mercedes-Benz comes in third with 15.2% (9,727).
Volvo retains fourth position with 10% (6,500), followed by Renault Truck Industries with 6.8% (4,332) — down almost 9% compared with the same period last year.
Sandbach-based ERF has managed a small increase in its market share to 5.5% (3,530). Scania is still in seventh place at 4.7% (3,002). Next comes MAN-Volkswagen with 4% (2,587) and Seddon Atkinson takes ninth spot with its 3.3% (2,094). Foden has edged forward slightly to 2.2% (1,425).
Ford has kept its hold on 01 medium van sector with just over 44% of the market (6,125) in the past 11 months. Leyland Daf comes second with 12.6% (1,723). Imported vehicles from Nissan, Peugeol Renault and Mercedes-Benz have all made inroads, helped by the modest performance ol Freight Rover.
In the PSV sector, Leyland Buses takes 28% (700) during the past 11 months, followed by its parent company Volvo with 22.3% (583). Combining the two, Volvo takes a massiv 51.3% stake in the market. Metro Cammell-Weymann comes third with 20.9% (523). El Despite bouyant sales, trailer manufacturer York's managing director Jim Davies warns: "The first hint of a downturn in the HGV market could be around the corner.
"A lot of speculative buying in the trailer market has now been flushed out of the systern," he says. "We've also seen evidence of people who normally committed themselv( to capital expenditure at this time of year holding off." Trai er manufacturers are traditionally the first sector to feel the effect of a downturn.
The total trailer market for 1988 will be around 16,000 of all types, says Davies, who expects York to lead the field by building 5,000 trailers. Ne) year, however, he expects till market to drop by up to 20%.
Truck sales are expected t< fall back by as much as 6% during 1989, according to Ley land Daf managing director or marketing sales Roger Phillips