Sweden’s truckmakers Volvo Trucks and Scania have both showed significant increases in global deliveries in the first quarter of 2011, with each reporting strong demand from Europe and South America.
Volvo Trucks reported an increase of 81% for total truck deliveries compared with the same Q1 period last year, while Scania reported a 71% increase for its trucks.
For Volvo, total global deliveries amounted to 25,300, with 11,084 trucks delivered to Europe by the end of March, an increase of 123% compared to the first quarter of 2010 with especially strong growth seen in Germany. The UK and France also showed positive development according to the company.
Deliveries in Western Europe during the first quarter totalled 8,223 trucks, which was 107% higher compared with the same period in 2010.
Meanwhile, truck shipments to Eastern Europe also continued to increase and were 187% higher than Q1 2010, with just over 2,860 delivered. Developments in Russia and Poland, the largest Eastern European markets for Volvo Trucks, were especially positive.
Up to and including March 2011, deliveries to South America totalled 5,439 trucks, an increase of 31%.
Europe and South America are still the largest markets when it comes to the number of delivered trucks said Volvo but the strongest percentage growth to the end of March was noted in North America where 4,725 trucks were delivered, 2,615 more than last year.
For Scania, numbers were smaller but the company has seen its total deliveries increase to more than 17,500 in Q1.
This includes a 92% increase in truck deliveries to Europe amounting to just under 8,250 trucks, driven by demand in the UK, Germany and France. The company reported that order bookings in Europe were relatively strong at the end of 2010 as hauliers carried replacement investments, though the company said that the first quarter was characterized by lower activity.
As with Volvo, Scania has also seen growth in the Russian truck market, which has stabilized at a high level following strong recovery during the fourth quarter. This has boosted its deliveries to the Eurasia region, which saw an increase of 235%, with more than 1,300 trucks delivered.
Demand in South America is also healthy with the Brazilian market benefiting from high economic activity and extended tax breaks through 2011.
