Changes in plant shutdowns and holiday patterns brought about an 11.2% dip in UK car manufacturing in July.
Following its best half-year since 2008, the UK car manufacturing industry experienced a slower July, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Production in the month fell 11.2% against July 2014, as changes to holiday patterns meant the traditional annual shutdown started earlier at some plants.
Production for home sales dipped a dramatic 24% to just 22,500 cars while exports were just 7.6% down at 95,165 cars.
July’s performance reflects the normal cyclical falls in output during the summer months, when seasonal shutdown programmes occur across the majority of manufacturers, providing an essential period for plant maintenance, upgrades and retooling.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Car production is traditionally subject to a degree of fluctuation during the quieter summer months with some manufacturers pausing production to invest in upgrades and prepare for new model launches, as well as to manage holiday leave.
“The industry remains in a strong position, with more than 911,000 cars produced so far this year and some significant new model introductions due in the autumn.”
On the other side of the market, Britain’s commercial vehicle manufacturing industry continued its strong recovery in July, with production volumes up 46.3% over the same month last year.
A total of 9,274 CVs were built in the month, with output for the UK market posting an especially strong gain of 137.6%.
July’s figures are a continuation of the recovery made by the sector throughout 2015, which has seen production levels grow by a third to 57,967 units. Volumes last year were impacted by some restructuring within the industry, as well as a spike in truck demand in 2013 related to type approval changes. This year’s growth comes off the back of increasing demand both domestically and abroad for UK-built CVs.
