Volvo Truck Sales Fall 4.4%, Led by North America

Light & Medium Truck, Nov 2007 by Thomas, Chad, Magnusson, Niklas

Volvo AB, the world's second-largest truck maker, said sales in the first eight months of the year fell 4.4% as North American purchases plunged.

Worldwide sales through the end of August dropped to 135,781 trucks from 141,966 vehicles a year earlier, the Gothenburg, Sweden-based company said in a statement. North American deliveries fell 59%.

Deliveries of Volvo-brand trucks in North America fell 62% to 9,082 vehicles in the first eight months because of the U.S. emission rules, the company said. "Demand for transport is generally very favorable for Volvo Trucks in other parts of the world," the company said in the statement.

A 54% surge in companywide eastern European sales this year helped partially offset the North American drop. Eastern European and Russian transport operators are increasing purchases as regional economies boom. Sales in Asia more than doubled to 19,024.

Volvo has three other truck divisions: Mack, Renault and Nissan Diesel.

Chad Thomas, Niklas Magnusson, Bloomberg News