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Renault Trucks says it will end 2008 with an improved market share of around 5.5% in the UK, but warns that 2009 will be a very tough year. Laurent Farman, MD of the UK operation, told a press conference that next year could see falls in vehicle sales of up to 50%. He says: "Nobody in the truck business has ever seen such a market downturn in such a small period of time. Six months ago, lead times were one year - I don't think that's the case now, it has changed dramatically. "It's very difficult to predict what's going to happen [in 2009] - we predict a falling market, but exactly what the market will be next year is very difficult to forecast today. We see it as a fall of anywhere between 20% and 50%, but it is very, very difficult to predict." As a result, Renault Trucks will focus on service quality, particularly in its aftersales business: "If people are not buying new trucks then they will have to buy parts to service their existing vehicles," says Farman. The company will continue to develop its network in 2009, opening a purpose-built site in Coventry and moving to a new headquarters in Dunstable, Beds. It has also taken on a new dealer for East Anglia - Capital Anglian Truck & Van - with sites in Enfield, Norwich and Beccles. Despite the downturn, Farman says the company will stick to its guns: "It doesn't mean we will abandon our long-term plans in the UK -Renault is still committed to grow and invest [here], despite the difficult months in 2009." He says that Renault wants to increase its UK market share next year. He also stresses that there will not need to be large-scale redundancies as at sister company Volvo (see p6). He adds: "We have tried to keep a lean organisation in Renault Trucks over the past few years, so there won't be any big reduction in head count."
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Parcel specialist TNT Express is to cut around 300 jobs from its UK and Irish network and head office citing "one of the sharpest downturns in decades" in the express delivery sector. Although TNT declines to put a figure on the current fall in delivery volumes it’s clear that the whole express delivery sector is under pressure as the economic situation worsens.
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