Research and Markets announced the addition of the "Service & Utility Truck/Body Manufacturing in North America" report to its offering.

The manufacture of trucks/bodies, generically known in the industry as service/utility trucks, is a complicated process involving chassis producers, final equipment assemblers and intermediate manufacturers, each vying separately for the attention of distinctly different end users, from small service contractors to giant utilities.

The type of companies involved in this industry range from a handful of mass producers of bodies and aerial devices to those who make integrated, value-added products, often with captive production of the bodies, accessories and aerial devices. Based on the approximate number of final trucks, this application represents a manufacturing activity of around $491 million, for body fabrication companies in the industry.

In the recent past, the increase in small service businesses and in utility and telecommunications infrastructure construction has provided a windfall opportunity for manufacturers.

Going forward, the key factors for success and survival will be market penetration, in turn based on differentiation and more user-friendly specification processes for the final truck. Examples of differentiation include the entry of van manufacturers, seeking to apply their skills to a growing demand for enclosed bodies for both service and utility/line work.

These and other issues are analyzed in this study, to provide a solid perspective on the industry structure and dynamics of this specialized vocational segment.