DAF Trucks reflects on ‘clear daylight’ at the top

• DAF Trucks consolidates position as market leader with 26% overall share
• 1.2 percentage points increase on 2014 figure
• Volume targets are hit with total of 11,467 DAF vehicle registrations
• Market benefits from huge growth in 16-tonnes-and-above sectors
• 'Building Britain’ events a highlight for DAF Trucks MD, Ray Ashworth

DAF Trucks enters the New Year on the back of an impressive 12-month’s performance, which saw the marque end the year with a commanding 26% of the truck market, hitting its volume objectives by registering 11,467 vehicles and consolidating its position as market leader – the 21st year DAF Trucks has sat atop of the charts.

The news of DAF Trucks’ continued dominance in the UK is set against the more surprising news of an overall market performing well above the expectations of most industry experts, and especially in the above-16-tonnes sectors.

There were 44,063 trucks above 6t GVW registered in 2015, but more than 35,500 of those were above 16t GVW – with a strong three-axle tractor sector and multi-axle rigid sales feeding the buoyant construction market. “With the single exception of the Euro-5 ‘pull-through’ year of 2013,” said DAF Trucks Managing Director, Ray Ashworth, “not since 1988 has the heavy end of market been in such rude health.”

Clear daylight

“With our own forecast slightly skewed by an extraordinary overall market performance,” continued Ray Ashworth, “we have ended the year on a high and maintained clear daylight ahead of our nearest competitors, and, indeed, increased our market share by 1.2 percentage points on 2014. We’re certainly looking good for 2016.” he said.

2015 was also a significant year for DAF Trucks in terms of its customers’ acquisition habits. Over 33% of all new DAF registrations in 2015 were financed through PACCAR Financial, while 43% of all new registrations were supplied with a DAF MultiSupport Repair & Maintenance contract.

On the dealer development front, DAF Trucks saw Imperial Commercials open a brand new, full-service facility in Swindon, while Chatfield’s in Birtley and Norscot in Dundee are the very latest DAF Dealers to open an Authorised Testing Facility – taking the total of ATF locations in the DAF network to an industry-leading 55.

With the DAF Dealer network at the heart of DAF’s enviable aftersales reputation, MOT first-time-pass-rates hit 97.5%*.

Building Britain

“For me,” added Ray Ashworth, “the highlight of 2015 was DAF Trucks and Leyland Trucks coming together to celebrate our ‘Building Britain’ event. Late last year, we hosted no fewer than 550 customers and dealers at a series of special customer days

“It’s time we championed this country as the world force in manufacturing for which it has been known traditionally, and for us to be proud of our credentials as a nation competing with the world’s best in the automotive sector. At Leyland Trucks,” he said, “we have positive proof that a skilled British work-force can produce the very highest quality commercial vehicles – market-leading commercial vehicles, in fact. The skills on display at Leyland really are ‘Building Britain’; skills I’m sure are making a positive contribution to the truck market and to the wider UK economy.”

* including PRS (Passes with Rectification at Station)

10 things you might not have known about the UK Truck Market in 2015

DAF Trucks looks at the truck market over six-tonnes as at December 2015:

1) The over six-tonnes truck market was 44,063, with 30.2% of the year’s registrations happening in the final quarter, higher than the usual norm of around 27%.

2) The December truck market at 4,270 units was up 99.4% or 2,128 units compared to December 2014 and is the highest December market in twelve years, excluding 2013 when there was a pull forward in Euro V registrations.

3) At 18,768 units the three-axle tractor market is 42.6% of the market above six-tonnes. The total tractor market was 21,134 the second highest ever, just 1433 behind the record year of 2013.

4) In market for 2015, rigid trucks were up by 16.7% and tractors up by 35.6% compared to 2014.

5) The truck market 2015 versus 2014 is up 27.1%, with over 16-tonnes rigids up 27.2% and under 16t up 9.3%, Tractors with 2-axle are up 4.8% and 3-axle up 40.9%.

6) The over 16t market for 2015 was the second highest since 1988 with only the Euro V pull forward in 2013 creating a larger over 16t market. This illustrates a return to pre-recession levels for the heavy sector, whereas the 6t to 16t sector remains around 8,000 chassis below the pre-recession sector average.

7) DAF was the Market leader for the 21st consecutive year in 2015 with 11,467 registrations (26.0%), up 1.2% points compared to 2014.

8) DAF's registration volume in 2015 is up by 33.1% compared to 2014; this is third in terms of increase in market size behind Scania 48.9% and Volvo 35.9%. With DAF, Scania and Volvo the only makes to gain market share in 2015 over 2014 with an increase of 1.2% points, 2.6% points and 0.8% points respectively.

9) DAF, Mercedes, Scania and Volvo make up 69.0% of the total registration in 2015.

10) Mercedes, MAN, Renault, Iveco, Isuzu, Dennis and Mitsubishi have all lost market share in 2015 compared to 2014.

ENDS

For further details please contact:

Paul O’Malley, Torque Agency Group                            
020 7952 1070
pomalley@torqueagencygroup.com