Britain’s commercial vehicle factories are booming, with output up by a third in 2015.
In total 94,479 CVs were produced in the UK in 2015, with half of them destined for overseas markets. Some 88 per cent of these exports were for a recovering Europe, demand increasing by 36.4 per cent.
December’s results suggest the market it heading strongly into 2016, manufacturing up 7.7 per cent compared to December 2014.
According to Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders that compiles the figures, commercial vehicle production is being boosted by the continued recovery of the UK’s biggest trading partner, Europe.
“Commercial vehicle production ended 2015 on a very positive note, with another month of growth in December resulting in a substantial boost to volumes for the year,” Hawes says.
By far the biggest UK manufacturer is Vauxhall, which built 60,280 Vivaro vans at its plant in Luton.
When launched in 2014 the all-new Vivaro secured 1,500 jobs at what is now the UK’s only dedicated light commercial vehicle plant – rival Ford shut its Transit plant in Southampton in 2013.
Vauxhall workers won a ten-year contract and a £185 million investment in Luton, and in December the plant built its one millionth Vivaro-type van.
