UK automotive manufacturing has slumped immediately within the worst efficiency for July since 1956, official figures present.
Automobile factories produced simply 53, 438 motors final month, a cliff-edge drop of 37.6 per cent on the identical month a yr earlier.
A worldwide scarcity of microchips and workers absences as a result of ‘pindemic’ are driving the crash in manufacturing figures, based on trade specialists.
Total manufacturing figures for 2021 are up by simply 18.3 per cent (or 552,361 vehicles) yr on yr - in comparison with pre-pandemic ranges in 2019, figures are down by 28.7 per cent.
Weak efficiency, and the impression of the pandemic, has brought on The Society of Motor Producers and Merchants (SMMT) to cuts its manufacturing forecast for 2021 from 1.05 million to round 950,000, The Occasions reported.
The trade physique, who collates the figures, mentioned that the sudden decline should immediate the Authorities to step in and assist.
“These figures lay naked the extraordinarily robust circumstances UK automotive producers proceed to face,” Mike Hawes, chief government of the SMMT, mentioned. “Whereas the impression of the pingdemic will reduce as self-isolation guidelines change, the worldwide scarcity of semiconductors exhibits little signal of abating.”
The figures have been additionally the ultimate month to document outputs at Honda’s manufacturing unit in Swindon. The manufacturing line official got here to an in depth final month, with the plant transferring again to Japan.
Honda was the UK’s fifth largest automotive producer, pre-pandemic, churning out round 110,000 Civic hatchbacks a yr.
A scarcity of chip provides has been the largest pressure on producers and it was reported this week that Jaguar Land Rover was struggling lengthy delays on autos due to the shortfall.
In response to a briefing notice despatched to leasing companies seen by Liverpool Enterprise Information, Jaguar Land Rover mentioned it can nonetheless be taking quotations and orders however warned that retailers must be advised that deliveries would take considerably longer because of ‘prolonged lead occasions’.
Volkswagen has additionally warned just lately that it was anticipating an additional squeeze on car manufacturing within the coming months. Toyota mentioned it was operating low on provides and could be decreasing its automotive outputs by 40 per cent from September. This got here regardless of the Japanese firm stockpiling chips for years.
The common new automotive wants 1,500 microchips.
Mike Hawes, of the SMMT, mentioned: “Authorities can assist by persevering with the Covid measures in place and boosting our competitiveness, with a discount in power levies and enterprise charges for a sector strategically essential in delivering internet zero.”
In higher information, Mr Hawes added: “Greater than 1 / 4 of all vehicles made in July have been hybrid or all-electric, which means the UK turned out 126,757 of those essential merchandise this yr.”
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