Decade Of Trailer Production Growth Only Beginning To Slow While orders, production and sales of tractors rise and fall, demand for dry and refrigerated vans and flatbed carriers they pull is ending a decade of growth that mirrors the U.S. economic expansion. Dustin Smith, senior vice president and group president of Commercial Trailer Products at Wabash National Corp. (NYSE: WNC ), explained the phenomenon during a FreightWaves interview at the North American Commercial Vehicle show in Atlanta. "2019 is obviously the record of records for the industry," Smith said, acknowledging that trailer orders will weaken in 2020 as lower orders for power units continue. Trailer orders surged in 2018 and 2019 following lower production in 2016-17. That followed booms in 2014-15. Trailer production this year is expected to hit 326,000, up from 317,000 in 2018. Production is projected to fall to about 275,000 in 2020, said Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles at FTR Transportation Intelligence. "Most people in the industry are pretty happy with a year of 275,000.