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Industry Review
Consolidated Management Report / Market Review
Transport and haulage
General developments in the global economy have a direct impact on the transport industry, given
that its main indicator, the gross domestic product, is directly related to the traffic volume. On this
basis, a slight recovery was observed in the European transport market in the previous year, which,
in turn, was reflected in the number of new registrations of trucks. According to data provided by
the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), year-on-year growth of 30 per cent
was determined for commercial vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes. Only a few countries recorded a
decline in registrations; in Greece they decreased by approx. 60 per cent.
High fuel prices raised awareness for fuel-efficient logistics. In developed markets, some of the large
haulage companies are explicitly committed to meeting CO 2
reduction targets, and environmental
protection was a priority in 2011, particularly in the retail industry. Large supermarket chains in the
USA, Great Britain and Western Europe were consistent in the implementation of sustainability
programmes, which also affected transport and logistics, as these countries have been giving preference
to fuel-efficient logistical solutions that are low in noise pollution.
The overall negative economic outlook has also been confirmed by the German Transportmarkt-
Barometer, which is based on a survey carried out by the Centre for European Economic Research.
According to this survey, the slowdown in recovery has now also reached the transport market.
Growth in transport volume within Germany and in cross-border traffic is expected to slacken
further. Prices in road freight transport have already declined and are going to level off at a
markedly lower level.
Transport volume of E7 countries
has been on the increase.
Despite the current dampening of the business climate, there are signs of an overall positive trend in
the transport sector. According to a long-term study carried out by the OECD, the ratio of rail transport
and truck transport is going to shift in favour of transport by truck across all regions and markets.
However, the balance of power is going to shift as well. PricewaterhouseCoopers, for instance,
assumes that in 2019 the production volumes of the developing countries will be the same as those
of the industrialized nations. From 2020 onwards, the E7 countries China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia,
Mexico and Turkey will grow considerably stronger and thus have by far larger GDPs than the
G7 countries. Given the close correlation between transport volume and population, these countries
will become core markets, and thus hold additional potential for growth.
palfinger Annual Report 2011
47