UK truck market sees mixed start to 2012

ERJ staff report (DS)

London - The UK commercial vehicle market got off to a mixed start in January with very strong truck registrations outweighed by a fall in the van market.

Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the UK vehicle makers' federation, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT), said, “Over the course of 2012 SMMT expects the CV market to be steady, ending the year marginally up on 2011. Government support for business will be key to maintaining market stability. If confidence can be maintained through the year, we should see growth in 2013.”

January's van registrations opened 2012 on a cautious note. At 14,338 it was below SMMT's recently revised forecasts of 17,000 for the month, down 16.4 percent on January 2011 (which was up near 50 percent on January 2010). If the year pans-out as expected, van registrations will be stable in very weak economic and uneasy financial settings.

After 2011's robust recovery in truck demand, and a notably strong final quarter, there was no let-up in January. Growth was robust again; the positive trend in very firm demand continued. Registrations of all trucks >3.5t were 3,586, up by 45.4 percent; trucks >6t saw 3,191 registrations, up 49.4 percent. SMMT is cautious, but hopes these levels of demand can hold into 2012.

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Press release from SMMT