The competition among specialized vehicle companies for sale is intensifying in the industry

Although the data shows that the specialized vehicle market has been booming in the first half of this year, with a cumulative sales of 550500 units, a year-on-year increase of 5.26%, the thriving growth cannot hide the pains behind the "internal competition" in the specialized vehicle industry.

There is a very cruel fact that the number of companies selling specialized vehicles has decreased, and it is a disappearance in the triple digits.

According to the statistics of the "Special Purpose Vehicle" magazine, the number of companies selling special purpose vehicles in the first half of this year was 987, a decrease of 114 compared to the end of last year. If this number is placed on companies with special purpose vehicle production qualifications, the current survival environment and competitive state of the special purpose vehicle market appear particularly harsh.

The law of competition in the specialized vehicle market now is not only "big fish eat small fish", but also "fast fish eat slow fish". Only companies that change faster, earlier, and better than others can win in the competition.

From the distribution of specialized vehicle enterprises on sale, the scattered pattern of specialized vehicles has not undergone substantial changes. In the first half of the year, the proportion of enterprises with sales less than 100 vehicles was as high as 74.06%, and medium and large specialized vehicle enterprises with sales greater than 1000 vehicles are gradually squeezing the survival space of small enterprises.

The current specialized vehicle market is a bit like a tropical rainforest during the dry season. Regardless of whether they used to eat grass or meat, market participants are no longer picky about the taste and freshness of food. They trade time for space, and anything is possible as long as they "endure" it. Therefore, the ultimate result of industry reshuffle is a significant increase in market concentration, which is the biggest challenge for current specialized vehicle enterprises.

The current specialized vehicle market is condemning the "price war" that makes it difficult for companies to survive, while also having to passively participate in it. This is a "vicious circle" that the entire specialized vehicle industry cannot break.

Judging from the monthly number of companies on sale, the situation seems to have worsened this year, especially with the disappearance of nearly 200 companies in the opening red, making the fierce market competition appear particularly cold and glaring. The fierce "price war" lasted from 2023 to 2024, from semi-trailer to the entire specialized vehicle market, and there is still no sign of stalling.

In addition to the significant growth in general cargo logistics, almost all specialized vehicle fields experienced a certain degree of decline in the first half of the year. The areas of growth for specialized vehicles either have a relatively small base or the growth rate can be almost negligible.

The increase of nearly 48000 vehicles in general cargo logistics, mainly driven by host factories, conceals the true survival status of most specialized vehicle enterprises. This is also why many specialized vehicle enterprises cannot empathize with the growth in sales of specialized vehicles in the first half of the year.

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The sluggish market has made changing tracks a survival rule for many specialized vehicle companies, as product extension is more convenient and rapid compared to internal revolution. However, while new entrants inject vitality, they also make the market competition in various segmented fields of specialized vehicles more complex.

The race track is becoming increasingly crowded, and the pressure of survival is growing. The once bustling sub sectors are no longer thriving, and municipal sanitation, cold chain, and healthcare are no longer the "hot cakes". New competitors have begun to flock to emergency support, oil fields, and professional transportation, trying to get a share of the pie. In particular, the attraction of treasury bond projects, fire protection, emergency and other fields have become the most popular positions for special purpose vehicles at present.

But ideals are full, reality is tough. Taking the oilfield industry as an example, a total of 96 companies produced 1652 vehicles in the first half of the year. On average, each company sold less than 18 vehicles, or less than 3 vehicles per month. Even refrigerated trucks, which were highly regarded by the industry many years ago, sold less than 26 vehicles per month. With overcapacity and the influx of competitors, price wars have become the only choice for many companies.

Search for keywords related to special-purpose vehicles before 2023, mostly focusing on "policies," "new energy," "lightweighting," "intelligence," and other aspects. However, this year, the core keywords of the special-purpose vehicle market are only "price war" and "internal competition.

Unlike the brand, price, and technology of the passenger car market, I believe that the current specialized vehicle market only has' roll survival 'left. How to gain a place in the fierce market competition is a great test of the wisdom and conscience of business operators, as the saying goes, 'If you want to cross the ice filled Yellow River, you will climb the snow covered Taihang Mountains.'.

Wu Bofan said that understanding customer needs and transforming old species into new ones is innovation. If you don't want to become a pawn in industry competition, you need to have a perspective that can see beyond the chessboard and work together with all automotive professionals.