UK car-makers to break manufacturing record by 2015, forecasts suggest

Published: 07:27 BST, twelve June two thousand twelve | Updated: Ten:28 BST, twelve June two thousand twelve

Car-makers in the UK are on course to break a 40-year manufacturing record by building more than 2million vehicles annually by 2015, according to forecasts released today.

Confidence is being fuelled by a run of investments worth more than £5.5billion in total over the past eighteen months to increase production, create fresh vehicles and thousands of jobs.

A one thousand nine hundred seventy two Jaguar E-type – the sports car is regarded as a design classic

Figures announced ahead of today’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders annual conference at London’s Canary Wharf, say the UK is on track to hammer the current record of 1.92million vehicles set in 1972.

Golden era: Ford engineer Allan Wilkinson in a one thousand nine hundred seventy four advert for the Ford Escort Mexico. The Essex-based worker joined the company in one thousand nine hundred sixty two and worked his way up to become the lead engineer responsible for the very very first RS vehicle an RS2600 Capri in 1970. In March 1972, he began racing a Mexico, achieving the first-ever circuit win for the car.

Violating the 2million vehicle barrier would represent an increase in output of more than fifty per cent over 2011’s level of 1.3million cars.

The UK is already exporting more cars than it imports for the very first time since 1976.

It is home to car manufacturers including Vauxhall which recently confirmed fresh Astra production, an extra £125milliion investment, and seven hundred jobs on top of the Two,100 secured.

The Ellesmere Port factory in Cheshire was saved by a ground-breaking ‘round the clock’ plasticity deal, helping it nose ahead of the less competitive German factories within the company.

Also expanding in the UK are Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Mini, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, Nissan, Honda, and Toyota.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘ The UK automotive industry is leading economic recovery with enlargened manufacturing output, growing export volumes and fresh jobs being created on the back of major international investment in the sector.

Alec Issigonis, creator of the ‘Mini’ car range, driving the 1,000,000th Mini off the production line at the Austin Plant at Longbridge, Birmingham, in 1965. Pic: PA

Racing: UK car-makers are expected to break the manufacturing record of 1.92m cars set in 1972

‘Our engineering expertise, workforce plasticity and renowned motoring heritage, combined with top level collaboration inbetween industry and government, makes the UK an significant location for the global automotive industry.’

Over the very first four months of 2012, car manufacturing was up 11.8 per cent on last year and is on track to hit 1.55million vehicles this year.

The country exported £6.1 billion worth of cars, exceeding the value of imports by £561 million, over the very first three months of the year, according to the ONS and signifying a twenty per cent rise on the previous quarter.

The SMMT says car making and its related industries is the UK’s largest sector in terms of exports, accounting for eleven per cent of the total, and generates around £30billion of annual export revenue.

MADE IN BRITAIN: Where cars are built in the UK

GOOD NEWS FOR BRITAIN’S CAR INDUSTRY IN two thousand twelve

17 May two thousand twelve – Vauxhall confirmed £125million investment to proceed manufacturing at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – creating seven hundred fresh jobs. Fresh Astra production is set for two thousand fifteen with the plant running at utter capacity on three-shifts.

eleven May two thousand twelve – Jaguar Land Rover commits an extra £1billion to the UK automotive supply chain over the next four years, and announces a fresh logistics facility in Ellesmere Port, creating around three hundred fresh jobs, managed by JLR’s logistics provider, DHL.

thirty April two thousand twelve – Honda confirmed five hundred fresh recruits to begin work at its Swindon plant, production volumes forecast to dual to 180,000 units with the addition of a 2nd shift. A total of Trio,500 employees now based at the plant.

ten April two thousand twelve – Nissan confirmed production of an all-new hatchback model at its Sunderland facility from 2014, creating two hundred twenty five jobs at the plant and nine hundred more in the supply chain. Investment in latest years at the Sunderland plant now exceeds £900m, and includes the introduction of the 100% electrical Nissan LEAF in 2013, the Juke launch, the construction of a battery plant and the replacement Qashqai crossover.

four April two thousand twelve – Jaguar announced that it will build an all-new sports car, the F-TYPE, at its Castle Bromwich facility in the West Midlands.

thirteen March two thousand twelve – Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to expand its Halewood manufacturing facility, creating an extra 1,000 jobs to increase vehicle production.

five March two thousand twelve – Nissan announced production of an all-new model, the Nissan INVITATION, at its manufacturing facility in Sunderland creating around Two,000 fresh jobs at the plant and within its UK supplier base, signifying an overall investment of £125million.

thirteen January two thousand twelve – McLaren Automotive announced plans to build a fresh facility in Woking for its F1 and sports car operations, creating four hundred fresh jobs.

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