ACT Research hosted its 73rd commercial vehicle outlook seminar, Market Vitals: The Current & Future Health of the Industry, on Aug. 20 – 21, 2025.
Day 1 featured an OEM panel including Sean Kenney, CEO at Hyundai Translead; Charles Chilton, vice president and general manager, IC Bus at International Motors; and T.J. Reed, president and CEO at Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles. Panelists agree that uncertainty continues to be the buzzword of the year. No matter the segment, industry participants are challenged by tariff and policy changes while navigating the rough waters of supply and demand.
During a fireside chat with Paul Rosa, senior vice president, procurement and fleet planning at Penske Truck Leasing, and Steve Tam, vice president and analyst at ACT Research, seminar attendees discussed the pent-up demand building throughout the uncertainty. Many CV equipment purchasers and lease holders have been waiting until economic and policy conditions change to replace equipment, leaving thousands of vehicles in need of replacement and building pent-up demand. When the tide does turn, there is concern that suppliers/OEMs will need time to ramp, creating a tidal wave like what the industry witnessed in 2021 to 2022.
