The number of commercial vehicles produced in the UK fell by almost eight percent in November as the global chip shortage continues to bite. According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) just under 8,000 commercial vehicles, including vans, were built in the UK in November.
That 7.8-percent drop in output compared with the same month in 2020 made it the worst November performance for the sector since 2017. The SMMT said the result “reflects the challenges faced by the wider industry”, including the global shortage of semiconductors, which has served to “stymie” production around the world.
November’s decline was driven primarily by a 16.4-percent fall in the number of commercial vehicles built for export to foreign customers. In contrast, demand from UK customers remained healthy, and increased marginally, up 4.5 percent compared with the November of last year. In contrast with that month, when exports made up almost six in every 10 commercial vehicles built in the UK, November 2021 saw that fall to roughly one in two.
These figures take the total number of commercial vehicles built in Britain during the first 11 months of the year to just under 67,000. That’s an increase of 12 percent compared with the same period last year, when fewer than 60,000 new commercial vehicles were built on these shores.
However, with 2020 ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, the output for January to November 2021 remains around 17 percent down on the five-year pre-pandemic average for that timeframe. Nevertheless, there have been some encouraging signs of recovery – particularly in the UK – with the number of commercial vehicles built for British customers rising by 25 percent over the first 11 months of the year, compared with the same period in 2020.
Although the SMMT admits these figures should be considered in the context of a rough 2020 for the sector, it claims there has been increased domestic demand due to the slow economic recovery and high demand for online deliveries. The SMMT’s chief executive, Mike Hawes, said the decline was disappointing given the improvement seen in October, but the coming months would prove difficult for a sector already facing headwinds.
“After the significant growth seen in the sector in October, November’s decline in light commercial vehicle output is disappointing,” he said. “The impact of the global shortage of semiconductors cannot be overstated, and coupled with increasing uncertainty over the pandemic, the months ahead will be difficult. However, the UK’s automotive manufacturers are resilient and will continue to do all they can to keep factory lines operational over the coming months enabling the latest and cleanest commercial vehicles to enter UK roads.”
Source: https://uk.motor1.com/news/556597/uk-commercial-vehicle-production-november/
