According to provisional data from the DBK Sector Observatory of Informa (a subsidiary of Cesce), the turnover of the road freight transport sector in Spain amounted to 16.75 billion euros in 2022, an increase of 8% compared to the previous year. This increase is mainly due to increased demand and higher prices, although higher fuel prices and increases in other operating costs also had an impact on operators’ margins. In addition, the sector suffered a standstill in March and April due to an employers’ strike.
As for the Iberian market, total revenues were 20.2 billion euros, when adding the 3.45 billion euros registered in Portugal, which means an increase of 9% compared to the previous year in both countries.The supply side of the sector is characterised by high atomisation, with a large number of small companies and a high share of self-employed workers. In 2021, 113,859 companies were operating in the Iberian market, of which 105,902 were in Spain and 7,957 in Portugal. The average fleet size is small, with an average of 2.5 vehicles per company. Excess transport capacity has led to a process of supply adjustment in the last decade, allowing larger groups to gain market share.
Business atomisation is also reflected in the shares of the main operators, with the top five groups in the Iberian market accounting for only 15% of total turnover in 2021. The fleet of public goods transport vehicles experienced growth in 2021, reaching 287,172 units in the Iberian market, an increase of around 11,000 units compared to the previous year.
In summary, the road freight transport sector in Spain and Portugal performed well in 2022, with an increase of 8% and 9% respectively compared to the previous year. Despite challenges in terms of operating costs and a temporary standstill, demand and prices rose, which contributed to the good performance. However, it is important to take into account business atomisation and competition between operators.
Load freight transport in Spain increased by 8% in 2022
