Europe’s leading trailer manufacturer, Schmitz Cargobull, will increase the prices of its commercial vehicles in August 2013. This is due to the increased wage costs and the rising manufacturing costs. During the 2012/2013 business year Schmitz Cargobull AG largely exhausted the internal potential for increasing the effectiveness in purchasing and also in the personnel and manufacturing areas. The continuingly volatile markets in European countries and order completion with significantly shorter delivery times leave no further room to compensate for the increased costs.
Thus, depending on the vehicle type and specific materials utilised, the prices throughout Europe will be adjusted on the basis of the corresponding market in the coming months. The situation in the transport sector – and thus in the closely connected commercial vehicle industry – remained less than satisfactory in the 2012/2013 business year due to the continuing stagnation of the market. There is currently a gradual increase in demand for new vehicles. The used vehicle stocks and leasing return stocks have already diminished, especially in the temperature-controlled transport sector. It has become apparent that transport companies will invest significantly in replacing ageing vehicles in the course of the 2013/2014 business year.