Upward trend in production
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PRODUCTION of commercial vehicles during the first three months of this year is vastly up on that of last year.
In the first quarter of 1979 commercial vehicle production totalled 119,898, a 16 per cent increase on last year's equivalent period total of 103,682.
The change in the balance of home and export production is even more marked.
Of this year's first quarter's production, 71,591 were for the home market and 48,307 went for export. In percentage terms this represents a 30 per cent increase on last year's home market figure, but a 1 per cent decrease for export.
If this overall rise in commercial vehicle production continues for the rest of 1979, it will be the highest annual production total for more than 10 years and will reverse the declining trend of the last decade.
In contrast to the British commercial vehicle boom, the French heavy lorry market slumped in March.
Sales of commercial vehicles at the heavy end of the market in France dropped by 3.4 per cent compared with March last year.
Overall for the first three months of 1979 sales fell by 1.6 per cent. French lorry exports also suffered.
But registrations of smaller commercial vehicles in France continued the trend of the last few months and rose in March by 9.5 per cent.