10 pc drop for German
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WEST GERMANY'S power' commercial vehicle Indust shared the same fate as oth industrial countries last ye with production down by mo than 10 per cent, at 319,2 vehicles. There is no sign of major improvement this yei reports our Brussels correspo dent.
The slump was felt most demand for small transporte and light lorries up to six tonn gross vehicle weight. Productil was down by 22.8 per cent, I flecting not only the recessii but also the drive by Japane firms in this sector.
Production of sixto 12-to ners fell 10 per cent and it w only in the range of heavi vehicles that German firms we kept busy.
Production of 12-16 tonne was up 3.8 per cent and the d mand for lorries above ' tonnes resulted in output i creasing by almost 10 per cent.
This development reflects d mand by the Arab members OPEC who bought two-thirds German heavy lorry productic last year.
Success in the Arab worl particularly in Iraq, cou boomerang on the Germans th year as a result of the weakne of world oil prices which has ready caused some OPEC mer bers to tighten their belts.