Production down at most cv plants
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AS MOST commercial vehicle manufacturers enter their annual holiday shutdown periods, the market continues to look gloomy.
The problems at ERF have worsened and the company's workers will be on a two-day week when they return from their annual holiday on August 4. Until recently they have been working three-day weeks.
Seddon Atkinson will remain on a threeday week until the end of September, when the situation will again be reviewed. Better news from Vauxhall though, whose workers will still be on a five-day week when they return from three weeks leave on August 11 The position at Leyland remains exactly the same with about 600 of the 7500 workforce at the company's medium/light divisions plants in Scotland working one week on one week off during August. There is still no overtime for workers at the heavy vehicle plant at Leyland.
Ford's shutdown period has been extended for some workers at Langley — 1200 will be returning to work on August 25 instead of August 18 when the annual shutdown period ends. A further 880 workers will stay off until September when the company will review the situation. Transit van production at Southampton remains unaffected. • The total of recorded commercial vehicle production in the UK during May totalled, 35,484 compared with 40,050 in May of 1979, according to the SM MT.
Until now untouched, Dodge will be on short time working after its annual shutdown period. About half of the 2400 Dunstable workforce will be affected but the plant is not expected to lose more than one working day a week.
Sales of commercial vehicles in Britain fell in June by 23_87 per cent compared with June 1979. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders say that June sales at 21,858 were 6,853 lower than in the same month last year.
New registrations for the first six months of the year were 5.47 per cent down on the same period in 1979 at 148,541.
Imported vehicles accounted for 17.78 per cent of the June total compared with 23.83 per cent in June 1979. Over the first six months of the year importers took 24.22 per cent of the market, against 22.45 per cent last year.