CV production recovers after August dip
UK commercial vehicle production recorded a modest 1.8% growth in September, up to 7,799 units.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) this growth comes after a decline of over a third (35.1%) in August while, over the year-to-date, production of CVs in 2021 has increased by 15.4%.
However, this is on a weak 2020 and output remains down by almost a fifth (19.5%) against the pre-Covid five-year average. This reflects the ongoing impacts of the semiconductor shortage, itself due in large part to the global coronavirus pandemic which constrained semiconductor output in many factories around the world.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Following last month’s decline in commercial vehicle production, the industry is back on track in September. This is particularly good news when viewed in context against last September, which was a strong month given the fulfilment of several large fleet orders. The sector is not out of the woods yet, however, and it still continues to face challenges, primarily from the global shortage of semiconductors, which is set to continue into next year.”
