• If you thought the truck manufacturers were having a
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hard time, consider this. In 1989 24,000 trailers were sold in the UK. This year sales are not expected to go much beyond 6,500.
Defining the size of the trailer market is not easy because, unlike trucks, trailers aren't registered when they're sold. The first time they surface in any official statistics is a year later when they go through their first DOT annual test.
LEAGUE TABLE
This makes it impossible to compile an accurate league table of trailer makers. The big boys spend a lot of money on keeping track of their own business, but they keep the results confidential for fear of tipping off their rivals. But no one would dispute that Crane Fruehauf, which has marketed its products as plain Fruehauf since January, is the leader with a market share of some 30%.
It wasn't always that clear cut. Until last October CF was locked in mortal combat with its traditional rival, York. But York called in the receivers after a refinancing package collapsed and the shock waves are still being felt today.
At a stroke Fruehauf lost its major rival — and not just in the UK. York managing director Jim Davies had been busy buying up trailer companies in Italy and France in an attempt to build a pan-European empire to rival SESR, the consortium of former Fruehauf European subsidiaries which bought themselves out from their US parent in 1988.
The ashes of York were quickly blown to the four winds. Its Thermostar reefer division was snapped up by German trailer giant Schmitz-Anhanger, which not only gained a well-respected product but importantly a UK manufacturing base. Having previously competed as an more importer, alongside Trailor, Lamberet and Chereau, the Germans are now in a position to pose a serious threat to UK reefer market leader Gray and Adams.
York's other brand leader, Neville Charrold, went to Lycett Industries of Burton-on-Trent; Aveling Barford bought the manufacturing rights to those products made by York Trailers, TEC and Transpart and WH Davies of Mansfield swept up Abel Demountables.
EQUAL TERMS
Trailers are once again passing down the Northallerton line, but it will be a long time before York can slug it out with Fruehauf on anything like equal terms. Meanwhile the chief contender is Montracon Tasker.
With the collapse of the market most makers are having a harrowing time, although some tank trailer builders, particularly the likes of Whale Tankers, appear to be weathering the storm rather better.
However, as in the reefer market UK makers are facing tougher opposition from importers such as Magyar, LAG and Feldbinder as everyone fights for a piece of a shrinking pie.
After an absence of nine months former York boss Jim Davies returned in July to lead a management team which bought Thompson Tankers from Rolls Royce. There are rumours that Lonhro-owned Charles Roberts Engineering will also be bought out by a management team and in May Boalloy was subject to a management buy-out — but without Tautliner pioneer Gerald Broadbent.
Rivals Lawrence David and Southfields continue to push Boalloy hard in the curtainsider and side access sector. After going through a lean period Tidd Trailers is fighting hard to regain some of its former glory.
INNOVATIVE DESIGNS
Despite, or maybe because of, the recession there are plenty of innovative designs coming through.
But in the main trailer manufacturers are having to settle for refurbishment or "stretching" work as many hauliers hold back on new trailer purchases.
According to Fruehauf's director of communications Graham Thomson: The unprecedented collapse of the market is only matched by the unprecedented length of the recession." And right now for trailer makers there's littic to suggest there's any respite in the air.
El by Brian Weatherley