CV production increases in September
UK commercial vehicle production increased 3.3% in September, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
It reported that 7,603 vans, trucks, taxis and buses were built in Britain last month, an increase of 240 units driven by production to fulfil several large UK fleet orders.
Output for the domestic and overseas markets grew 9.2% and 0.3% respectively, with exports making up 64.6% of vehicles produced. Nearly all (95.5%) of the units exported overseas were for the EU market, the key trading partner for UK Automotive.
Total CV production in the year to date remains at a low level, down 16.8% on last year, with a shortfall of almost 9,000 units in the first three quarters.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Fluctuating fleet buying cycles mask the underlying impact of the pandemic on commercial vehicles, but it is the bus and coach sector that is bearing the brunt. While manufacturers and their supply chains can flex and adjust, they cannot sustain such low demand for much longer and we urgently need government’s pledge to invest in the buses turned into action. More widely, as time to agree a Brexit deal runs out, we need negotiators to keep up the momentum to agree an FTA that will safeguard the sector’s future competitiveness in 2021 and beyond.”
