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January 22, 2004 7:00 AM, EST

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ales and orders for new Class 8 trucks soared in December, ending a disappointing year for manufacturers with what most observers said was the beginning of a several-year upswing that could see sales totals double over three years.

Economic expansion, growing freight demand, aging equipment and rising confidence in new engines all contributed to a dramatic 57% surge in orders from November’s total and a 40% sales jump from a year earlier, analysts said.

December orders raced to more than 25,000 units from 16,000 the month before, said industry sources, citing data from consultant A.C.T. Research. “It’s a big number,” coming at the onset of a “rebounding industrial economy” that boosts demand for freight hauling, said investment analyst Eli Lustgarten.

“We will have multiple years of industrial recovery. It’s not a question of which sector will participate, but are there any exceptions,” Lustgarten said.

For the full story, see the Jan. 19 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.