Focus on Demand: Trailer orders take a turn for the worse

Trailers represent a significant source of demand for aluminum extruders and sheet mills, consuming a lot of 6061 alloys for structural members such as flooring, side rails, and roofing. So, any softness in trailer orders is not welcome news.

Leading truck and trailer analyst firm, FTR Transportation Intelligence, reports November orders fell 19% month on month to 13,071. The pace relative to last year is even more disheartening, declining by 45%. Orders year-to-date total 148,862 units.