Grim market prospects
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE short-term prospects for the European commercial vehicle market are not bright and there will be little overall volume growth in the longer term. So says the Economist Intelligence Unit in Motor Business, the quarterly research bulletin for the truck industry.
Pressure on costs is likely to result in a more efficient use of trucks by operators, the bulletin goes on. This would allow the heavy-duty truck market to grow faster than the average.
The struggle for market growth among the competing groups is likely to be bitter over the next five years. The best opportunities could be for contracts in developing countries, particularly the oil producing states.
However, such countries the Economist Unit concludes, are trying to set up their owr industries and manufacturers will be faced with either having to build plants there or leave the market open to competitors.