OEMs Say Parts Shortages Impede Truck Manufacturing

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omponent and raw-material shortages have spread to some of the largest key suppliers in the heavy-duty truck manufacturing industry, cutting potential big-rig production by about 10% this year, the head of the nation’s largest truck manufacturer said.

Truck makers will sell about 240,000 Class 8 trucks in the United States, Can-ada and Mexico in 2004, “but certainly, I would expect the market to be 20,000 to 25,000 units higher if there were not significant constraints on the supplier side to ramp up their production, as well,” said Rainer Schmueckle, chief executive officer of Freightliner LLC, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler AG.

Tier 1 suppliers ArvinMeritor Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Cummins Inc. have begun “allocation programs” and “are seeing some severe shortages,” Schmueckle said July 30 in a conference call with reporters.

Schmueckle last week said suppliers’ raw material problem “could get worse in 2006” if carriers make significant advance purchases of trucks to minimize their purchases of 2007 models that will come with redesigned engines.

For the full story, see the Aug. 9 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

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