The production of heavy trucks in Mexico broke the growth trend of the last seven consecutive months, decreasing in August by 3.9 percent, year-over-year, to 19,413 units, according to SteelOrbis analysis of data from the national statistics office Inegi.
Of the total production, 85.7 percent was concentrated in two companies: Freightliner with 55.2 percent and International Truck with 30.5 percent.
Exports of heavy trucks also decreased. In August the annualized decrease was 15.1 percent to 15,114 units. Like production, it also broke the growth trend of the last seven consecutive months.
Of the total exports of heavy trucks, two companies concentrated 96.5 percent of the total. Freightliner contributed 62.6 percent and International Truck contributed 33.9 percent.
Accumulated production in the first seven months was 150,730 units and exports totaled 120,445 trucks, figures that represented annualized increases of 17.9 and 12.8 percent, respectively.
According to Inegi, the United States was the main export market for heavy trucks produced in Mexico, accounting for 95.8 percent of the January-August period.
Retail sales in the Mexican market increased 33.0 percent, year over year, in August to 4,730 units, a figure that marks a new historical record. In the accumulated eight months, 33,558 units were sold, 33.1 percent more compared to the same period last year.
Inegi's production information comes from the 10 companies affiliated with the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (ANPACT) and from the unaffiliated company, Sparta Motors, which is owned by the Chinese company Shaanxi Automobile.