After two difficult years, the European market for towed equipment recovered again in the second half of 2025. According to specialist Gary Beecroft (Clear International), this upward trend will continue in 2026 and become even stronger in 2027/2028.
Semi-trailer sales were weak in the first half of 2025, due to the general weakness of the European economy, but also due to the uncertainty caused by the tariffs imposed by the United States. Carriers were clearly more confident in the second half of the year as the market grew by 8.6% compared to the same period in 2024. However, this was not enough to offset the drop in demand in the first half of the year, causing the market to shrink by 0.5% over the year as a whole.
“By 2026, demand for semi-trailers in Western Europe is expected to grow by 6%, with even higher growth rates likely in 2027-2028. The trailer replacement cycle will be favorable until the end of the decade and economies will strengthen in terms of both overall GDP and investment levels,” said Gary Beecroft, who also expects a further decline in inflation in the region and a decline in interest rates. Instead, he predicts a cyclical slowdown in 2030.
