UK car production down 14 percent in February as industry struggles
Domestic demand was down by around 35 percent.
The latest figures show UK new car production fell by 14 percent in February, with demand down both at home and abroad. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals yet another month of decline for an industry that has been rocked by the coronavirus crisis.
The SMMT’s data shows just over 105,000 new cars were built in UK factories last month, down exactly 14 percent on the 122,000 built in this country during the same month of 2020. That means February was the 18th successive month of decline for the UK car manufacturing sector, not to mention the worst February for production in more than 10 years.
Domestic demand for British-built cars fell by a massive 34.9 percent as showrooms remain closed during the coronavirus lockdown. But because exports account for the vast majority of cars built in this country, the effects of that drop in demand were dulled somewhat.
In total, just 17,689 of the new cars built in the UK last month were destined for customers in the UK. That was down from more than 27,000 in the second month of 2020, before the pandemic threw the nation into lockdown.
However, demand from abroad also fell, with an 8.1-percent reduction in the number of cars built in the UK for foreign customers. And more than half of those (53.9 percent) were shipped to EU countries, while the USA and Asia combined to make up just under 31 percent of all our car exports.
Put together, export markets accounted for 87,319 of the new cars built in this country last month. But that was a noticeable reduction compared with the 95,000 cars the UK exported in February 2020.
More on car manufacturing in the UK:
“A year into the pandemic, these figures are yet more evidence of how badly coronavirus has hit UK car production,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. “Thankfully, there are some rays of light with UK showrooms due to reopen on April 12, vaccinations progressing and a roadmap to kickstart the economy.
“The automotive sector can play a crucial role in getting the UK back on its feet, supporting jobs across the country, driving growth and helping the country transition to zero emission mobility. However, the UK is not isolated from global issues and our automotive industry still needs a stable and secure international market in order to prosper.
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