In November 2024, registrations of industrial vehicles in Italy dropped by nearly a quarter (-24.6%) compared to November 2023. The announcement was made on 10 December by Unrae's Research Office, based on data from the Ministry of Transport. The report highlighted that only 1,967 new industrial vehicles with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes were registered in November, compared to 2,609 in the same month of the previous year. Vehicles weighing between 3.51 and 6 tonnes experienced the steepest decline, falling by 32.9% (55 units compared to 82). Medium-weight vehicles (6.01-15.99 tonnes) saw an 18.0% decrease, while heavy vehicles weighing 16 tonnes or more recorded a 25.3% drop, from 2,199 to 1,643 registrations.
According to Unrae, November's negative performance is part of an otherwise stable annual trend, with a slight decline of 0.8% in total registrations from January to November 2024 (26,635 compared to 26,861 in the same period of 2023). However, the figures for the past month suggest a worsening outlook for the future. Paolo Starace, President of Unrae's Industrial Vehicles Division, stressed the severity of the situation: “November's data highlights a significant market contraction, confirming the challenges faced in the year's final stretch. The upcoming click-day on 16 December and the limited funds allocated will hardly revive the sector. The available resources will barely suffice to replace 200 outdated heavy vehicles.”
Starace identified the problem as structural: “The roots of this crisis lie in a national and international economic situation that risks becoming even more devastating in 2025. Current forecasts indicate a double-digit decline of between 10% and 15%, but the risk is that the downturn could be even more pronounced. It is crucial to tackle these challenges with strategic, long-term policies.”
The Unrae President called on the Government to implement structural measures, including support for haulage companies and the establishment of a multi-year fund to help the sector transition to greener technologies. “At the same time, we hope that concrete decisions will also be made at the European level, guided by an integrated approach to revitalise the industry and strengthen competitiveness, as outlined in the Draghi report last September,” Starace concluded.
