The semi-trailer market is facing difficulties due to a decrease in cargo transportation volumes, high credit rates, and weak demand for tractors. The industry association believes that Russian manufacturers lack state support, while imported equipment has been undermined by an increase in the utilization fee. By the end of the year, industry players predict a decrease in semi-trailer sales of at least 15%. Distributors hope that the situation will improve after the normalization of the transportation market and a decrease in the key rate of the Central Bank.
In January and February of this year, 49% fewer new semi-trailers were sold in Russia than last year. A total of 3,700 units were sold, according to Rosspetsmash. The association attributes this to several factors. Firstly, due to the high key rate, commercial loans and leasing have become more expensive, making them less accessible to carriers. Secondly, the financial situation of transport companies has deteriorated.
A significant decrease in market activity is due to a decrease in trade turnover in Russia, according to Artem Seregin, Head of New Semi-Trailer Model Development at GTS Group. Since the middle of last year, there has been a trend in the field of road transport to reduce the number of goods transported on pallets, noted Eduard Mironov, Head of Transport Services Procurement at FM Logistic in Russia.
We are seeing a continuation of the trend in 2025 as well.
Dmitry Babansky from SBS Consulting also notes that the decrease in sales in this segment is due to the indexation of the utilization fee. According to Evgeny Golubev, Executive Director of Akma Rus, the official distributor of AUCMA semi-trailers, this has particularly affected foreign brands.
Their sales have fallen to almost zero. Currently, imported equipment brought in before the increase in fees is being sold. However, its sales often result in losses or at cost.
According to Rosspetsmash, domestic manufacturers accounted for 79% of semi-trailer sales in January-February. As Golubev notes, the share of imports in the market continues to decrease.
Chinese manufacturers cannot offer a competitive price for their products, and European manufacturers cannot guarantee the stability of new equipment supplies.
Sales of Russian products decreased by 45% compared to last year, amounting to 1.98 thousand units (data from companies producing 70% of semi-trailers in the country), Rosspetsmash reported.
In particular, the number of grain carrier shipments in units decreased by 86.8%, and tented semi-trailers by 79%. The number of container carriers also decreased by 62%, isothermal semi-trailers by 43.1%, bitumen carriers by 33.4%, non-tented semi-trailers by 32.5%, low loaders by 29.7%, fuel tankers by 28.6%, and dump semi-trailers by 18%.
The Avito Special Equipment rating is led by brands such as "Tonar", Bonum, and Luxuda. They are followed by Grunwald and "InterPricep". Among used semi-trailers, Schmitz Cargobull, Krone, "Tonar", Kogel, and SZAP are the most popular.
Analysts and market participants expect a decrease in the semi-trailer market volume by the end of this year. According to Maxim Khudalov, Chief Strategist at Vector Capital Management Company, sales in 2024 will be lower than last year's figures and will amount to approximately 43–44 thousand units. According to the National Agency for Industrial Information, 47.7 thousand semi-trailers were sold last year.
Earlier, the Fortis machine-building enterprise, which manufactures trailers and semi-trailers for the transportation of petroleum products, technical and food liquids, opened in the Ulyanovsk region. The plant is located in an industrially developed village, which ensures its effective integration into the local infrastructure and logistics.
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