The UK automotive industry could break manufacturing records by the end of the decade, according to the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Annual car production is expected to pass the two million mark by 2020, breaking the current record of 1.92 million cars which was set in 1972.
More than 1.5 million cars were built in the UK in 2014, and acceleration in productivity and production volumes towards the end of the decade will see the UK consolidate its position as the third-largest maker of cars in Europe, behind Germany and Spain but ahead of France and a strengthening Eastern Europe.
The SMMT also predicts a rise in employment, with jobs growth in the sector driven predominantly in the supply chain.
Key to the sector’s success is the increasing value of the vehicles made by British manufacturers, the organisation suggests. In 2010, 37% of UK car production was by premium manufacturers and this is projected to rise to 54% by 2020. The UK is Europe’s second-highest producer of premium cars, behind Germany.
Click here to visit the SMMT’s full report (pdf).
This story is reprinted from material from the SMMT, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
