Car manufacturing stable as home market outperforms exports

Posted on 18 Dec 2014 by The Manufacturer

Mike Hawes, Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) chief executive states: "Model changes and economic uncertainty in export markets have flattened UK car production, but the industry remains in a strong position with growth expected to return next year."

UK car manufacturing data for November 2014:

  • UK car output fell by 277 units in November, with 137,347 cars produced
  • Year-to-date output stable at 1,419,427 units, a drop of 0.3%
  • Exports remain subdued in contrast to continued growth for the home market

“Global demand for UK automotive engineering continues to be at a high level, and manufacturing plants are seeing the benefits of significant recent investments. UK-built cars offer a vast range of technologies to lower carbon emissions and improve air quality, underlining the country’s important role in the continuing drive to reduce all emissions.”

Car manufacturing Nov-13 Nov-14 % Change YTD-13 YTD-14 % Change
Total 137,624 137,347 -0.2% 1,424,196 1,419,427 -0.3%
Home 21,714 28,628 31.8% 293,292 299,517 2.1%
Export 115,910 108,719 -6.2% 1,130,904 1,119,910 -1.0%
% export 84.2% 79.2% 79.4% 78.9%
Car output – rolling year total  Car output – January-November totals
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The SMMT and the UK automotive industry

The SMMT is one of the largest trade associations in the UK.  Its role is to “promote the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad”.

The automotive industry is part of the UK economy accounting for more than £64bn turnover and £12bn value added. With more than 160,000 people employed directly in manufacturing and in excess of 770,000 across the wider automotive industry, it accounts for 10% of total UK export of goods and invests £1.9bn each year in automotive research and development. More than 30 manufacturers build in excess of 70 models of vehicle in the UK supported by around 2,500 component providers and some of the world’s most skilled engineers.