Automotive
The automotive industry is a vital part of the UK economy accounting for more than £82 billion turnover and £20.2 billion value added.
With some 186,000 people employed directly in manufacturing and in excess of 856,000 across the wider automotive industry, it accounts for 12.0% of total UK export of goods and invests £3.65 billion each year in automotive R&D.
More than 30 manufacturers build in excess of 70 models of vehicle in the UK supported by 2,500 component providers and some of the world’s most skilled engineers.
A strong UK supply base is fundamental to the future success of the wider automotive industry. The UK is home to over 30 automotive manufacturers, producing cars, vans, trucks, buses and engines – who want to take advantage of increased local sourcing.
18 of the world’s top 20 automotive suppliers operate in the UK and SMMT is committed to driving growth in the supply chain.
UK Automotive Supply Chain
- 78,000 people employed in the UK supply chain
- 41% average UK content in British-built cars – up from 36% since 2011
- 2,500 + automotive suppliers in the UK
- £4.3bn added value generated by UK automotive industry
Data source: SMMT
Automotive News
Automotive News – Late October 2025
Luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda has reported a decline in revenues and wider losses for the third quarter of 2025, as weak global demand and ongoing tariff pressures weigh on performance. The Warwickshire manufacturer saw wholesale volumes fall 13% year-on-year to 1,430 vehicles in the three months to 30 September 2025, driving a 27% drop…
Automotive News – Early October 2025
Range Rover production lines in Solihull have resumed, according to car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). About 1,000 employees also started work in the car maker’s Wolverhampton engine plant on Wednesday, it said, marking a “significant moment” on its journey back to full vehicle production. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w5g6683p8o Britain’s drive towards electrification is gaining momentum, but industry…
Automotive News – Late September 2025
It could take months before the benefits of Jaguar Land Rover resuming production filters down to the supply chain, a chamber of commerce said. JLR has said it would resume some production in the “coming days” after a cyber-attack forced the carmaker to suspend operations. At the weekend it emerged the government will underwrite a…
Automotive News – Early September 2025
Five years on from Brexit, UK Automotive remains £115bn trading powerhouse. New SMMT Trade Report sets out UK Automotive’s £115 billion global trading hub status despite the most challenging environment in decades. Sector on course to generate more than £110 billion in trade for third year running, shipping vehicles, parts and components around the world.…
Automotive News – Late August 2025
The UK Government has confirmed that grants supporting sole traders and fleet managers to purchase electric vans and trucks will be extended until at least 2027. The plug-in van and truck grant, which reduces the upfront cost of electric commercial vehicles, currently provides discounts of up to £2,500 for small vans, £5,000 for large vans,…
CYTEC’s Clamping Systems Drive Efficiency in Automotive Manufacturing
CYTEC continues to set the benchmark in industrial automation with its advanced range of self-locking clamping systems, engineered for universal joining and mounting processes. With decades of expertise in both design and fabrication, CYTEC’s solutions are renowned for their reliability, precision, and adaptability across demanding industrial environments. CYTEC’s CyTab clamping system, a cornerstone technology in…
Automotive News – Early August 2025
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has urged the UK Government to release full model eligibility for the newly announced Electric Car Grant (ECG), as battery electric vehicle (BEV) market growth slowed in July. According to figures published this week by the SMMT, BEV registrations rose 9.1% in July, a modest increase compared…
Automotive News – Late July 2025
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has delayed the planned launches of its electric Range Rover and Jaguar models according to a report from the Guardian. The delay is reportedly so that the company can have more time for testing and can garner an increase in demand. Customers who have been waiting for the Range Rover Electric…
Automotive News – Early July 2025
New light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations shrank by -12.1% to 156,048 units in the first half of 2025, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). With a -14.8% drop in June, the market declined for the seventh consecutive month, rounding off the worst opening half-year performance…
Automotive News – Late June 2025
The UK automotive industry has pledged to build on the foundations laid by government’s landmark Industrial Strategy – published yesterday – with a 10-point plan to propel the UK back into the top 15 of global vehicle manufacturing locations by 2030 and deliver a £50 billion economic boost over the next decade. Speaking at the…
Automotive News – Early June 2025
Small volume, high value: the multi-billion-pound luxury and sports car manufacturers boosting Britain’s exports. New SMMT report shows UK’s world-class luxury, high-performance and niche car makers export almost £5bn in high-value products globally every year. Sector turns over £5.5bn annually, supporting a 15,000-strong workforce and backed by local supply chain supporting 60,000 additional jobs. Quintessentially…
Automotive News – Late May 2025
UK car and commercial vehicle output falls in April. April car manufacturing falls -8.6% while CV production declines -68.6% as later Easter, model changeovers and restructuring constrict output, contributing to lowest start to a year since 2009. Car exports decline -10.1% during month of international trading uncertainty, while commercial vehicle exports fall -75.8%. New trade…
Automotive News – Early May 2025
Q1 used car sales surpass two million for first time since 2019. Used car market surpasses two million units in Q1 for first time since pre-pandemic 2019. Performance caps nine successive quarters of growth as new car market’s gradual recovery fuels availability. Battery electric car sales rise by more than half to reach record volume…
Automotive News – Late April 2025
A senior Nissan boss has warned that the UK is “not a competitive place to be building cars”. Nissan’s Alan Johnson told MPs that the Sunderland factory “pays more for its electricity than any other Nissan plant in the world”. A late shift at the Wearside plant was closed in February, but no jobs were…
Automotive News – Early April 2025
UK demand for new vans shrinks for fourth month running. New light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations down -3.2% in March, marking fourth consecutive monthly decline. Surging demand for pick-ups ahead of double-cab tax impact, while other key segments bar small vans shrink in volume. Record monthly volume of electric uptake after 40.3% growth – but…
Automotive News – Late March 2025
Car output down as sector calls for measures to boost manufacturing and market competitiveness. Combined car and commercial vehicle production declines -11.6% to 82,178 units in February. Car output falls for 12th month in a row, down -7.6% to 73,814 units, with CV volumes declining -35.9% to 8,364 units. As Spring Statement announced, industry calls…
Automotive News – Early March 2025
The European Commission has published a new automotive action plan supporting the car industry in transitioning to cleaner and more automated electric vehicles (EVs) by delaying key targets around carbon emissions. This comes shortly after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed the two-year grace period for the Commission’s 2025 automotive emissions target, and…
Automotive News – Late February 2025
Netherlands-based Boels Rental has ordered more than 700 JCB machines including tracked and wheeled excavators, wheeled loading shovels, Load-all telescopic handlers, rotating telescopic handlers, electric scissor lifts and electric site dumpers. The deal includes the introduction to the Boels’ fleet of a large volume of the recently launched 145XR X Series tracked excavators. Delivery of…
Automotive News – Late January 2025
Car manufacturing giant Nissan, and the Japan Automatic Transmission Company (JATCO) have secured a £50 million investment deal in partnership with the government to create a new manufacturing plant in Sunderland. The new site will help create 183 new high-value jobs in the region and support over 400 in the wider supply chain. It will…
Automotive News – Early January 2025
Electric van demand static in 2024 despite biggest overall market in three years. Number of new light commercial vehicles joining UK roads up 3.0% to 351,834 units in 2024. More demand for new vans but fewer 4x4s and pick-ups registered as double-cab tax hike looms. 2024 EV share static at 6.3% despite near 20% uplift…
Automotive News – December 2024
Van market posts second best-ever November but EVs and pick-ups need support to keep pace. Light commercial vehicle registrations rise 10.5% in second best November on record. Uptake of all van classes rises but pick-up demand continues to decline. Electric van volumes grow by a third, but review of market regulation urgently needed as annual…
Automotive News – Late November 2024
Alarm bells ringing as EV transition hits auto industry. • Auto sector calls for urgent market intervention as weak demand and unsustainable business costs undermine UK industry. • Car manufacturers face almost £6 billion bill to meet ZEV Mandate in first year, new analysis shows. • Industry outlook anticipates 116,000 fewer new electric cars and…
Automotive News – Early November 2024
Second quarter revenues and pre-tax profits have fallen at luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The manufacturer, which has plants in Halewood, Merseyside, and at Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands, said it achieved an eighth successive profitable quarter, despite a temporary aluminium supply constraint which restricted production in the quarter, to…
Automotive News – Late October 2024
Automotive still Britain’s number one exporter of goods despite year of renewal. • September car output falls -20.6% to 70,039 units as factories prepare for all-new electric models. • Manufacturing for domestic and overseas markets down -20.8% and -20.6% respectively, with EU taking lion’s share of exports. • New analysis shows Auto remains UK’s largest…
Automotive News – Early October 2024
Unprecedented EV discounting shores up September new car market. • New car market up 1.0% to 275,239 units in key ‘74’ plate change month of September as heavy EV discounting shores up demand. • Record 56,387 BEV registrations in September, driven by massive manufacturer discounting, pushes YTD market share to 17.8%, with 18.5% forecast by…
Automotive News – September 2024
Luxury car marque, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is investing £500m into its Halewood manufacturing site in Knowsley to create a ‘factory of the future’. It will transform the plant, which employs around 4,000 staff, to support the parallel production of electric vehicles, alongside existing combustion and hybrid models. Originally built in 1963 to produce the…
Rigid Borescopes for those difficult to see inspection tasks when the entry path is straight.
Rigid borescopes are used in industrial settings where access to confined or hard-to-reach areas is critical for visual inspection. They provide high-quality imaging and are highly robust and durable, making them ideal for industrial inspection tasks. Hawkeye rigid borescopes, available from Optimax are known for their high-quality imaging and exceptional durability. They are used in…
Automotive News – Early August 2024
Two straight years of growth for new car market. UK new car market rises 2.5% in July to deliver 24 consecutive months of growth. Battery electric vehicle uptake outpaces overall market, up 18.8%, but remains behind mandated transition trajectory. New outlook reduces expectations to 1.968m units for 2024, with BEVs anticipated to comprise 18.5% of…
Automotive News – Late July 2024
Car production down in first half as manufacturers invest in electric future. UK car production dips -7.6% in first half of 2024 as manufacturers continue switch to electric models. Electrified vehicle production YTD also down -7.6% to 157,224 units, representing 37.8% of total output. Latest independent production outlook anticipates UK producing some 910,000 cars and…
Automotive News – Early July 2024
Auto makers can drive UK’s green growth agenda with carbon emissions halved. 25th automotive Sustainability Report shows UK vehicle manufacturers surpass major milestone with CO2 emissions per vehicle produced halved since 1999. More vehicles made but less energy used in 2023 with an -18% decline in CO2 emissions from factory production. Enhancing UK’s competitiveness could…
Automotive News – Late June 2024
Commercial vehicle production falls in May. UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing declines -59.3% to 4,400 units in May. Output for domestic and export markets falls -52.2% and -61.9% respectively, but exports remain up in the year to date. Overall year to date volumes dip by -3.2% to 45,439 units, a fall equivalent to 1,492 units…
AIM CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS WITH PSL DATATRACK
In 2024, Automatic Industrial Machines Ltd (AIM) celebrates a significant milestone – 25 years of partnership with PSL Datatrack, a UK-based provider of production control software for subcontract precision engineers. This enduring collaboration has transformed AIM’s operations, propelling the company towards excellence in the aerospace industry and beyond. Before embracing PSL Datatrack, AIM navigated its…
Automotive News – Early June 2024
Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that English bus operator Reading Buses has confirmed new orders for 24 zero-emission and 29 low-emission buses. The 24 next-generation Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double decker’s will be the operator’s first batch of electric buses. They are…
Bowers Group’s XT Thread Gauges Help UWR in Custom Race Car Solution
Bowers Group’s precision measurement expertise played a crucial role in supporting the University of Wolverhampton Racing Team (UWR) with the manufacture of an adaptor plate. Used by OEM manufacturers such as Morgan, MINI, and Toyota, adaptor plates convert the standard oil heat exchanger on the BMW B48 variant engine into an external oil cooler system.…
Automotive News – Late May 2024
New van market records best April for three years but electric transition needs boost. • New light commercial vehicle market up 5.4% in April, marking 16th consecutive month of growth. • Battery electric van demand falls by -42.4%, with urgent need to ramp up van changepoint rollout. • Latest SMMT outlook expects UK new van…
Automotive News – Early May 2024
New van market records best April for three years but electric transition needs boost. New light commercial vehicle market up 5.4% in April, marking 16th consecutive month of growth. Battery electric van demand falls by -42.4%, with urgent need to ramp up van changepoint rollout. Latest SMMT outlook expects UK new van registrations to grow…
Spray Painting Fascias for Classic Cars
Introducing HVAC control fascias for Classic Retrofit. Classic Retrofit was established when company founder, Jonny Hart, swapped his daily driver Mercedes 280 SLC for a classic Porsche 911 SC in need of restoration. At that time Jonny was the MD of an electronics design consultancy within the defence and medical industries, and was looking for…
Automotive News – Late April 2024
Industry calls for ‘next generation’ incentive and infrastructure plan to decarbonise Britain’s truck fleet. Zero emission HGV use trebles in a year – but accounts for just 0.05% of HGVs on the road with end of sale in 2035. Massive manufacturer investment means operators can choose from 27 different zero emission trucks – but slow…
Automotive News – Early April 2024
Full year sales numbers for luxury car maker, Jaguar Land Rover, rose by 20% year-on-year, the group has revealed. It said the improvement reflects improved production and sustained global demand. The group, which has production plants at Halewood in Merseyside and Solihull and Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands, said wholesale volumes of 110,190 units…
Automotive News – Late March 2024
Six consecutive months of growth for UK car production. • UK car production rises 14.6% in best February performance since 2021. • Manufacturing for domestic market surges, up 58.0%, while exports rise 4.6%. • Electrified vehicles represent more than a third of output with 29,038 made in the month. UK car production rose again in…
Tinius Olsen Helps Drive Automotive Sustainability Through Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology
The race to meet net zero is hotting up as the development of alternatives to battery power start to come online. Tinius Olsen is currently supporting one of them alongside the UK’s leading developer of hydrogen fuel cell technology, Intelligent Energy. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced that ‘a new electric vehicle is being…
Automotive News – Late February 2024
Luxury car maker Aston Martin will recruit about 400 technicians to help produce its “next generation” of sports cars. The staff, to be based at Gaydon, Warwickshire, and St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, will support production of the DBX707 luxury SUV. The firm said demand for the SUV and the introduction of other models led…
Automotive News – Early February 2024
The UK registered its one millionth electric car last month, despite a big drop in sales, new figures suggest. New EV registrations by private buyers fell by a quarter in January, threatening to undermine the UK’s net zero promises. Overall new car sales to private customers fell by 16% in the same period, the Society…
Automotive News – Late January 2024
The UK Government will back a new Tees Valley hydrogen refuelling station for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with £7m and has also set aside £300,000 to support local colleges in offering hydrogen skills training. The UK Government set out a vision for the Tees Valley to become the nation’s first hydrogen transport hub in 2020. …
Automotive News – Late January 2024
The UK Government will back a new Tees Valley hydrogen refuelling station for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with £7m and has also set aside £300,000 to support local colleges in offering hydrogen skills training. The UK Government set out a vision for the Tees Valley to become the nation’s first hydrogen transport hub in 2020. …
Automotive News – Early January 2024
The UK and EU have agreed to extend trade rules on electric vehicles until the end of 2026 to keep costs down for manufacturers and consumers, the Prime Minister has announced today (Thursday 21 December). To access zero tariffs under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), businesses must prove their products include a minimum level…
Automotive News – December 2023
The University of Warwick has been awarded millions of pounds to boost British production of crucial materials for EV battery production. The £12m in funding has been awarded by the Faraday Battery Challenge to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and CPI at NETPark (North East Technology Park), in County Durham.…
Automotive News – Late November 2023
A West Yorkshire company which manufactures minibuses has applied to appoint administrators. Treka Bus, based in Brighouse, is a trading division of Bolton-based vehicle technology business WNV Tech. In its annual report for the year ended 31 December 2022, Treka Bus reported a turnover of £11.7m (2021: £23.8m) and pre-tax profits of £717,722 (2021: £2.2m).…
Automotive News Early November 2023
October new car market beats pre-pandemic levels, but subdued EV growth hinders green goals. October delivers 153,529 new car registrations, up 14.3% year-on-year and 7.2% above 2019. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake records 42nd consecutive month of growth but struggles to increase market share, while charge point rollout improves in efforts to get ahead of…
Automotive News Late October 2023
Electric vehicle and systems manufacturer RBW has opened its UK factory in Lichfield, following multi-million-pound investment from California. Since its foundation seven years ago, RBW continues to pioneer the safe electrification of vehicles. The investment will enable the company to scale-up to meet global demand. Meson Capital Partners’ £10m investment follows an original £5m and…
Automotive News Late October 2023
Electric vehicle and systems manufacturer RBW has opened its UK factory in Lichfield, following multi-million-pound investment from California. Since its foundation seven years ago, RBW continues to pioneer the safe electrification of vehicles. The investment will enable the company to scale-up to meet global demand. Meson Capital Partners’ £10m investment follows an original £5m and…
Automotive News – Late July 2023
Jaguar Land Rover-owner Tata has confirmed plans to build its flagship electric car battery factory in the UK. The new plant in Somerset is expected to create 4,000 UK jobs and thousands more in the wider supply chain. Tata said it will invest £4bn in the site but it is understood that the government is…
Automotive News – Early July 2023
Sales of Jaguar Land Rover models have risen during the luxury car maker’s first quarter period, ending June 30, 2023, due to the continuing improvement in microchip and other supply constraints. Wholesale volumes for the first quarter were 93,253 units, excluding the Chery Jaguar Land Rover China joint venture, up 30% compared with the same…
Automotive News – Late June 2023
The Nissan team at its Sunderland plant are celebrating building the 11 millionth vehicle since production started in 1986. The milestone means that, on average, a new car has rolled off the line at the plant every two minutes, every hour of every day, for 37 years. The 11 millionth car was a Blade Silver…
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