Just as the chassis manufacturers are struggling with long lead times, so are a number of trailer makers. German powder tank trailer specialist Feldbinder says orders placed now will not arrive until the turn of the year and the story is much the same at French tanker firm Magyar.
The delay is mainly due to a shortage of components, particularly axles from the likes of SAF and BPW Feldbinder says that lead times on axles are as distant as March next year. But one unlikely beneficiary of
the delays is DaimlerChrysler (DC) which is selling axles into the trailer market.
Peter Robinson, MD at Magyar importer RHM Tank Sales, tells Motor Transport that of the 40 Magyar tankers currently on its order books around 30% have been specified with DC axles, bringing forward the delivery date significantly logistics firm TDG has gone down this route on an order for bitumen tankers which will now be delivered in June or July. Without the DC axles the build time would be more like 30-36 weeks he says.
He adds: "We will fit what customers want but we will always offer an alternative if they can't wait. DC is probably taking a bigger share of the trailer axle market than it could have anticipated this time last year."
DC says sales of its axles have doubled in the past year. "My job is to find out who the end users are and make sure that we keep these new customers," says DC trailer axle systems sales manager, Richard Flackett.
Reed Business Information Limited.©2008
