UK engine production dropped by more than 20% in August
UK engine production dropped by more than 20 per cent during August, new industry figures have revealed.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says 81,266 engines were built during the month, a drop of 23.6 per cent from August 2020, when figures had been hit by Covid.
Demand from domestic markets fell by 27 per cent while demand from export markets dropped by 21.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, year-to-date engine manufacturing has increased by 3.9 per cent to 1,140,058 units compared to 2020 – however, it remains 33 per cent below the five-year average.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Further declines in engine production in August are very worrying when viewed in context against last year, when lockdowns and depressed global demand stalled output.
“However, the worldwide shortage of semiconductors – itself caused by Covid issues globally – continues to throttle vehicle production, putting automotive jobs and livelihoods at risk.
“It is vital that government take urgent action, such as extending coronavirus job support schemes, and introducing measures to improve competitiveness to assist the sector.”
