UK car production falls for 8th consecutive month in March, down 13.3% on year: SMMT

Chemical News: UK car production falls for 8th consecutive month in March, down 13.3% on year: SMMT

https://www.chemnet.com Apr 27,2018 Platts
UK car production was down in March, with 147,417 vehicles produced, down 13.3% from output of 170,056 cars in March 2017, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said Thursday.

Output for the home market fell for the eighth consecutive month, down 17.7%, year on year, with exports also dropping 11.9%.

"A double-digit decline in car manufacturing for both home and overseas markets is of considerable concern," said Mike Hawes, SMMT's chief executive, in a statement.

"Following recent announcements on jobs cutbacks in the sector, it's vitally important that the industry and consumers receive greater certainty, both about future policies towards diesel and other low-emission technologies, and our post-Brexit trading relationships and customs arrangements," he added.

Overall output in the first quarter of 2018 fell 6.3%, with 440,426 cars leaving production lines in total.

"Almost 80% of these were exported, and while demand from overseas customers fell 4.0% in Q1, this was dwarfed by the 14.1% decline in manufacturing for the UK market," SMMT said.
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