A 54.5% increase in June commercial vehicle registrations in the UK was a strong way to round off what has been a positive year so far, with volumes up 29.9% between January and June, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
It is a good recovery following a subdued period – output last year was impacted by some restructuring across the industry, as well as the changes to type approval.
Almost 50,000 CVs were built between January and June. Growth has been fueled by demand both in the UK and Europe, with production for the domestic market rising 31.6% and exports recording a 28.3% increase so far in 2015. June saw a particularly robust performance with nearly 10,000 CVs produced.
“Today’s figures are encouraging for the sector, with demand for British-built vans, trucks and buses all on the rise,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. “The UK commercial vehicle industry has experienced some turbulence in the recent past, with restructuring of some operations and changes to type approval affecting output. It is good to see the recovery continuing, and we are optimistic about the future with demand continuing to grow both in the UK and in Europe.”