trailer prices
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The no-holds-barred battle for new trailer sales is having a knock-on effect on the used trailer market, says Brian Parkinson, in charge of sales at Liverpool-based Ritsons.
"Manufacturers are prepared to take £2,000 to £3,000 less for a new trailer than they were 12 months ago," he reports. As a consequence hauliers who in the past would probably have bought used kit are taking a closer look at factory-fresh equipment.
Ritsons has an extensive trailer engineering operation as well as a used trailer sales department. "Twelve months ago we were refurbishing trailers and getting 212,000 to 214,000 for them," says Parkinson. "But these days you can buy a new one for £17,000."
The result is that there are a lot of unsold secondhand trail ers around, he explains, and more are coming on to the market as hauliers go out of business.
"We're doing a lot of refurbishment work but we're not selling anything like the number of trailers we were selling this time last year," he says. "Normally I would expect to be continually busy, but things are inconsistent at present, with no two days alike," he says. Parkinson is also finding that many operators are more
inclined to rent used trailers than they are to buy them. "They may not be sure how long the contract they're on will last, so they'll rent for, say, four months and see what happens," he says.
The increase in the number of used truck dealers moving into the trailer market is having an impact too, he believes. GB Commercials, for example, now trading in Stoke-onTrent with well-known industry figure Guy Hodgkinson at the helm, is selling trailers as well as tractors and rigids.
That means competition is increasing, says Parkinson. Although trading conditions remain tough, Ritsons has managed to sell more than 500 trailers since former Key Leasing executive Parkinson set up the sales operation 18 months ago.