Canada Big-Truck Market Takes Breather in August

Canada’s big-truck sales cooled in August, as combined medium- and heavy-duty deliveries rose a modest 2.2% on a daily basis after spiking a month earlier.

Heavy-duty sales, which led July’s 26.9% industry rally, came back to Earth in August inching up 0.6% to 2,487 units from 2,376 in like-2011. The segment pushed the industry’s July gain with a 42.4% increase.

Volvo Truck led the gainers in Class 8, with sales climbing 52.3% to 480 units from year-ago’s 303. The truck maker’s Mack brand provided much of the lift, up 82.7% to 209 units compared with prior-year’s 110.

Daimler’s deliveries grew 13.3% to 880 units from 747 year-ago, while PACCAR slid 14.2% to 763 units from 855.

In the medium-duty segment, sales rose 6.4% to 956 units from 864 in the same period year-ago. Class 4 witnessed the greatest uptick, rising 33.3% to 122 from 88.

Ford delivered 95 units, up 25.1% from prior-year’s 73, giving the segment legs.

Other Class 4 players saw weak demand. Isuzu sales climbed 28.2%, while Daimler dropped 14.5%. Each truck maker delivered just eight units in the month.

Class 5 gave the industry its only other gain in August, growing 27.2% to 475 units from 359 year-ago.

Ford set the pace with sales of 227 units, up 35.6% from 161 in like-2011. Chrysler rallied in the month to post a solid 35.1% increase with 111 units, compared with 79 year-ago.

Hino saw the biggest increase on percentage basis, with its Class 5 deliveries more than doubling to 65 units from 27.

Class 6 sales fell 9.0% to 141 units from 149 year-ago. International pulled the segment down, tumbling 22.5% to 83 from 103. Hino provided the bright spot with 26 units, up 25% from 20.

Class 7 deliveries dipped 21.8% to 218 units from 268 year-ago. PACCAR sales plunged 34.5% to 62 units from 94, while Daimler fell 3.8% to 53. International sales slipped 31.6% to 64 units from 90.

August’s performance left year-to-date big-truck sales up 26.4% to 29,790, compared from 23,566 in like-2011.

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