The MAN eTGX from MAN Truck & Bus Group. [Provided by MAN Truck & Bus Group]
The MAN eTGX from MAN Truck & Bus Group. [Provided by MAN Truck & Bus Group]

South Korea's imported commercial vehicle market posted a double-digit decline last month. Volvo Trucks held the top spot with more than 100 units, while MAN Truck and Scania bucked the trend by growing their sales compared with the same month last year.

According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), new registrations of imported commercial vehicles totaled 303 units in July, down 10.1% from 337 units in July last year. The figure also fell 7.6% from 328 units in June. Cumulative registrations for January through July reached 2,271 units, down 8.9% from 2,493 units in the same period last year.

By brand, Volvo Trucks led the market with 103 registrations and a 34.0% share. However, its sales fell 18.3% from the previous month and 16.9% from a year earlier. Cumulative registrations through July also slipped 7.7% year on year to 886 units.

MAN Truck came in second with 70 units, up 34.6% from the previous month and 2.9% from a year earlier. Its January–July cumulative total of 481 units represented a 12.1% year-on-year increase — the strongest growth among major imported commercial vehicle brands.

Scania recorded 63 units, up 18.9% from a year earlier. Mercedes-Benz posted 48 units, a decline of 18.6%, while Mercedes-Benz Vans registered 15 units, up 50 percent. Iveco trailed with just four units, down 82.6% from the same month last year.

By vehicle type, special-purpose vehicles led with 140 units, followed by tractors at 108, dump trucks at 52 and cargo trucks at three. In the tractor segment, Volvo Trucks topped the field with 41 units, ahead of Mercedes-Benz with 24, Scania with 22 and MAN Truck with 20. Volvo Trucks also led the dump truck segment with 19 units.

With the overall market under pressure, competition for new model launches and customer acquisition is expected to continue in the second half of the year. The divergence between brands has become increasingly pronounced: MAN and Mercedes-Benz Vans grew their January–July cumulative registrations by 12.1% and 35.2%, respectively, while Volvo Trucks, Scania, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco all recorded fewer registrations than in the same period last year.


kwater@heraldcorp.com