Output for the domestic market declined by 7.0% during the same period, with 2,408 fewer UK-built CVs produced, the SMMT said, while exports also fell -8.4% to 46,110 units.
However, in December, new model CV output rose 8.7%, with manufacturing for export rising by almost a third (30.5%).
’2019 was a turbulent year for British commercial vehicle production, with key model changeovers and some regulatory issues contributing to the falling output,’ said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. ‘With model changeovers now complete, we expect to see CV output bounce back this year, however, this is reliant on political and economic stability that supports domestic demand. Given exports still account for the majority of UK output, with nine in ten vehicles shipped overseas destined for the EU, we need a trading relationship with Europe that protects this vital pillar of UK manufacturing, and this means a tariff-free trade agreement that puts automotive at its center.’
This story uses material from the SMMT, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
