The freight transport industry continues with negative numbers in May, but showing a slight improvement in certain sectors, such as the sale of tractor-trailers, which in the wholesale sector was in positive territory and in the retail sector reduced the level of decline, as reflected by the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) .

Wholesale tractor-trailer sales were the most successful in May, reporting sales of 940 units , representing a 14.8% annual increase.

On the other hand, total sales of cargo units were reported at 2,058 units , representing a contraction of 17.4 percent.

Regarding wholesale sales, the total sales for May were 6,103 tractor-trailers, a 32.6% decrease compared to May 2024; while total sales of cargo units reached 10,175 units, 40.3% less than the same period last year.

Retail sales in May recorded the sale of 1,423 tractor-trailer units, a 0.5% year-over-year decrease; Meanwhile, total units sold in the cargo segment totaled 2,861 , a 10.1% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Retail sales through May saw declines in the tractor-trailer segment, with a move of 8,182 units, a 13.7% decrease; while total sales for the segment reached 14,586, a year-over-year decrease of 18.6%.

On June 4, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order increasing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% , a measure Trump himself said was intended to guarantee the future of the U.S. steel industry. This order is the second tax increase on these metals since March, which would affect basic inputs for various industries, such as the automotive industry.

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“We’ll have to wait for April’s sales results, as the market decline will be even more evident there, because uncertainty is significantly slowing fleet renewal and growth projects,” the general manager of a heavy-duty vehicle distributor shared last April, anticipating a decline in unit sales.

The forecast was not wrong. Last April saw the lowest level of tractor-trailer sales in the first four months of the year, which, while challenged by the presence of Holy Week during this period, also saw a slowdown in unit sales , both wholesale and retail.

The monthly report generated by the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) identifies that wholesale sales of tractor-trailers reached a total of 865 units in April 2025, the first month in which sales fell below the 1,000 mark in this category.

Thus, tractor-trailer sales last April represented a 57% drop compared to the same month in 2024.

As for total sales in the cargo segment, they stood at 1,634 units , which also represented a 57% decrease compared to the previous month.

Retail sales did not offer a different path for tractor-trailers, as 1,310 units were sold last April, a 32% drop compared to the same month last year, according to ANPACT figures.

Retail sales in the cargo segment reached 2,347 vehicles in April, down 36% compared to April 2024.

Regarding cumulative sales in the cargo segment for the January-April cycle, wholesale sales totaled 8,117 units, a 44.2% drop compared to the same period in 2024.

Cumulative retail sales were 11,725 ​​units, a 20.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2024, ANPACT reported.

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ZHENGZHOU, CHI.- Yutong opened the doors of its manufacturing plant located in this city, capital of the Henan province in China, one of the four manufacturing complexes that the original equipment manufacturer currently has in its country of origin.

The plant has a maximum production capacity of 400 high-end vehicles per day on eight production lines and is capable of producing various types of units , from urban and intercity buses to light trucks and tractor-trailers, as well as passenger vans, all destined for foreign markets.

The Zhengzhou plant can manufacture units with various engines : diesel, hybrid and electric, however, the latter is the most common due to its high demand.

The complex also has a test track where each of the units produced is subjected to various operating scenarios, for example, high speeds, turning radius, driving on 45-degree slopes and extreme rain and flood conditions. It also has a state-of-the-art, 100% automated paint booth.

The plant has a technological research centre in engineering with seven test pavilions, among which the adaptability of the units to different temperature conditions stands out, ranging from 20 degrees Celsius below zero to 55 degrees Celsius. In addition, energy absorption tests in the event of a collision , to ensure the safety of the vehicle occupants.

The research center also has a specific area where the sound insulation of the units is tested.

“We use different materials for the manufacturing of the units, both for the roofs and for the floors and windows to isolate the engine noise, with the aim of guaranteeing a more comfortable environment for the occupants,” said Gustavo Yu, Yutong’s new energy promotion manager for the Latin American market.

The specialist explained that the noise and vibration test room not only tests the materials from which the vehicles are made, but everything as a whole. “At the Yutong plant in Zhengzhou we have the largest test room in Asia that is capable of testing vehicles up to 18 meters long that travel at a speed of 135 kilometers per hour . The data obtained from these tests serve to improve the design of the powertrain, so that a better experience is provided to users,” he said.

Another important area is the electromagnetic performance room, since electric buses require the installation of multiple electronic devices, for example, cameras, sensors and radars that are necessary for assisted driving.

“There are problems with the coexistence of different devices because they send electronic waves into the environment, which can cause mutual effects. That is why we carry out all kinds of tests to find out if there is any kind of problem. If so, our team of engineers optimizes the design so that they work perfectly,” he said.

Yutong also thoroughly tests its power batteries to verify their safety and reliability. They are subjected to various extreme situations such as: overturning, falling, burning, immersion in water, mechanical vibration, penetration of objects, among others.

“ Yutong’s four plants in China represent around four million square meters of surface area ,” Michael Ren, general manager of Yutong Mexico, explained to T21.

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At the beginning of 2024, the ELAM-FAW assembly company announced the relocation of its plant currently located in Hidalgo to Colima territory. Ernesto del Blanco, CEO of ELAM-FAW, told T21 that the new manufacturing center seeks to be a logistics platform that will allow it to meet the demand of the domestic market, but will also have the capacity to export to the markets of Latin America and the United States due to the dynamism of the port of Manzanillo, the most important in Mexico.

Del Blanco explained that with the relocation of the plant there will also be a displacement of the components necessary to assemble the units, since today they are imported to the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, that is, once the Colima plant begins operations the materials They will be sent directly to the port of Manzanillo. This will speed up the logistics of both production and delivery of the units.

“We did an exhaustive analysis of what it meant to move the plant, and above all the logistical advantages that this has. It must be recognized that the Colima authorities have been open and have provided us with the necessary conditions to move the project forward. In terms of logistics, current calculations dictate that we will have significant savings in manufacturing times and in the movement of already assembled units,” stated Del Blanco.

Currently the Hidalgo plant has a production capacity of five thousand units per year, in three shifts, the new plant would have a capacity of 15 thousand units in the same shifts. “In the new location we want to optimize the processes, in addition to having a test track for the units,” commented the manager.

Given this growing production, the CEO of ELAM-FAW reported that it is probably necessary to open another reconditioning center to complement the one that is already operating in the center of the country and that serves all of Latin America.

The manager confirmed to T21 that at the end of the first half of the year, more than 1,200 units had been sold. Although he considers the figures to be positive, a more dynamic behavior is expected during the second half of the year, taking into account that the uncertainty due to the elections has already passed. In this sense, he predicted the placement of 3,200 units by the end of 2024.

The brand has 22 distributors and some more are currently being built in Monterrey, San Luis Potosí, Tlaxcala and Mexico City. “We are already in negotiations to open four more, with this we believe that we can close the year with about 30 distributors in the country,” Del Banco added.

Among ELAM-FAW’s short-term plans is the change in emissions regulations to Euro 6 and preparation for the transition to electromobility, which will initially occur in units dedicated to the last mile.

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Q. ROO.-  DFAC Dongfeng, Chinese heavy vehicle manufacturer, officially started operations in 10 Latin American countries, with a total of 80 contact points projected for this year.

Its strategy in Mexico will be based on the opening of 35 dealerships by 2024; In July alone, it will conclude with 10 new locations in operation, in response to the dynamism perceived in the national market, in addition to the growth that has been observed in electronic commerce, coupled with the growing need to increase merchandise movements derived from the relocation of manufacturing centers in Mexico ( nearshoring ).

The brand arrived in the country through Grupo Magna, exclusive representative and importer for the region, who subscribes to after-sales service as the flag to penetrate the competitive Mexican market .

The product portfolio that DFAC Dongfeng launched includes pick-ups, buses, cargo and passenger vans, light and medium trucks, as well as tractor trucks. Additionally, in the near future the company plans to incorporate electric vehicles. “The launch lineup includes 11 models and 16 different versions with gasoline and diesel engines, the latter comply with Euro 6 regulations (depending on the country),” explained Phillip Heldt, general manager of DFAC Dongfeng Mexico, during the official launch. Of the brand.

Heldt explained that DFAC Dongfeng’s commitment in Mexico is to provide personalized and immediate attention to each of the clients who purchase a unit of the brand.

“We have preventive and corrective maintenance programs , in addition to availability of spare parts, as well as immediate access to essential parts and components to guarantee the continuous operation of the units, this thanks to our parts warehouse located in Querétaro. As well as an efficient distribution network that minimizes waiting times, at the same time, it has trained technical personnel,” commented the manager.

For his part, Agustín Lama, CEO of Grupo Magna, stressed that the company is 100% focused on customer service, complying with world-class standards leveraged with specialized human talent. “We focus on the after-sales and customer service area, because we know that commercial vehicles are dedicated to generating dividends for customers,” he stated.

Likewise, as part of its strategy, DFAC Dongfeng signed alliances with financial institutions that have various financing programs .

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