Power Products Marketing

The financial meltdown in the final week of September 2008 effectively brought the U.S. PWC market to a halt for the 2008 season, and it appears that the 2009 season has continued the downward trend, with sales estimated to be down 30% through May. The outlook for the PWC market looks decidedly bleak in the near term- unless the decline in consumer confidence and the mortgage and foreclosure crises are resolved quickly. In fact, it’s possible that Honda could drop out of the market this year

U.S. retail scooter sales by non-traditional manufacturers— that's non-MIC reporting companies, primarily Chinese and Taiwanese firms— increased 155% last year to 250,000 units, according to research compiled by Power Products Marketing, a Minneapolis research firm.

The company estimates that total retail scooter sales last year were 327,000 units, up 114% over U.S. retail sales in 2007.

The outlook for 2009 isn't quite so promising, says Matthew Camp, the report's author, since many U.S. distributors carried over high levels of inventory.

Retail sales of UTV sales in the U.S. for 2008 were about the same as the previous year, according to a report prepared by Power Products Marketing.

Power Products Marketing is a Minneapolis research firm that tracks production and retail sales figures for OEMs in powersports, agriculture, construction, marine and the lawn and garden markets.

Retail sales in 2007 and 2008 were about 265,000 units, and sales for 2009 are expected to be about the same, writes Dave Crocker, author of the report. PPM